I don't know an international student who has started a company and pursued it full-time in the U.S. after graduation.
What’s stopping them?
Well…the law. Immigration law makes it illegal for non-citizens to earn money in the U.S. except in very narrowly defined scenarios.
This the second in a two-episode series for international student founders. In the first episode, “International Students Carry an Extra Burden“, we met Deepti Pandey, a talented and passionate international student entrepreneur trying to launch a business.
In this episode we’re going to ask a professional to help us understand what international student entrepreneurs can (and can’t) do.
Michael Nowlan is a Member at Clark Hill in Detroit. He represents companies and individuals as they navigate the complex U.S. immigration system from the initial transfer/move to the U.S. to U.S. citizenship. This includes assisting clients as they process with U.S. Consulates as well as immigration agencies located in the U.S. He advocates for foreign national rights before immigration officials on a regional and national level.
This episode is an immigration law primer for international student founders.
Here are some topics we cover (and the approximate time stamp where it happens):
- F-1 Visa – 3:40
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) – 3:45
- STEM OPT – 4:26
- H-1B Visa – 6:26
- TN Visa – 11:35
- H-1B1 Visa – 12:00
- E-Visa (E-3, E-2) – 12:06
- O-1 Visa – 14:38
- Green Card – 15:10
- What do visas cost? – 19:05
- Is fundraising OK? – 22:00
- What corporate entity is best? – 23:00
- Ok to form company with uncertain status? – 24:00
- Ok to work at my startup as side hustle? – 24:50
- OK to run U.S.-based company remotely from home country? – 25:44
- Day trading & definition of ‘work’ – 27:00
Music: “Muy Tranquilo” (Gramatik) & “Open” (Moby Gratis)