International students struggle to find employment
Every time Abdul Alfawaz goes to a career fair on campus and sees a job he would be qualified to apply for, he’s disappointed by what’s standing in his way: he’s an international student. In order to work off campus, he’d have to be sponsored by the hiring company.
“Some companies sponsor, but a lot of them don’t,” said the Saudi Arabian junior. “Even if you’re well suited and they want you, they might say, ‘sorry, the company does not sponsor international students.’”
International students are limited to on-campus graduate student assistant jobs for a maximum of 20 hours per week, said Tracy Nakajima, director of international student and scholar services. After graduation, most students are eligible for optional practical training, which enables them to work in the United States for 12 months in their field of study.
“It’s really important for international students to get connected with Career Services early and start learning how to find a job in the U.S,” Nakajima said.
There’s also the curricular practical training option, which allows international students to have an internship or similar experience for up to three months in their field of study. Other than that, international students cannot work off campus.
Director of Career Services Julia Sherlock said one difficulty international students can run into is employers that think they don’t want to go through the process of sponsoring an international student.
“Some employers are very international student friendly, especially in areas where there is a shortage of talent in the domestic pool,” Sherlock said.
International students in STEM fields may qualify for an additional 17 months in the U.S., she said.
At the end of their practical training, the student can try to apply for an H1B visa and be directly hired by the company, though a limited amount of those visas are issued each year.
Because international students have to go through additional processes to find jobs, they might face more uncertainty in their careers, Alfawaz said.
“In the meantime, the student is OK graduating but they don’t know what they’re expecting for their future,” he said.
Though Alfawaz has never worked a paid job while at Central Michigan University, he said he's grateful for the opportunity to work as a mock interviewer in Career Services, which has allowed him to network and meet new students.
“It’s a diverse program,” Alfawaz said. “In a professional work industry, you need a diverse community. In the world of globalization, you have to deal with people from different backgrounds. For me being an international student, to fill that place (as a mock interviewer) is a good opportunity, and good for other students to deal with somebody from a different background and culture.”
He said he’s not familiar with all the terms or common questions in each industry, but always does his research before interviews to prepare good questions. He’s also learning how to be engaged and take notes at the same time.
Some international students can get jobs on campus related to their degree, he said, such as information technology students. However, Alfawaz said it’s important to get involved regardless of what jobs are available.
"What’s nice about the States is working in (registered student organizations), working in something related to your field — they make it easier,” he said. “Be active. Work with registered student organizations Volunteer.”
