F1的工作問題

似乎拿F1身份的人在美國挺丟人，特別是在綠卡持有人和已經規化為公民的華人麵前。在當前的移民改革爭論中，反移民叫囂最凶的，不是美國本地人，而是老移民，或者是剛歸化不久的新移民。不過這是很自然的事，費某從來不認為這有什麽不對，隻是認為這樣不那麽好。

F1當然可以工作的，無非需要合法途徑和手續。On-campus employment, OPT,人所皆知，費某就不費筆墨了。跟華人圈裏口口相傳的法律不一樣，費某的職業訓練在忠於原文，因為如果費某胡造法律是要出事的。

1、Off-campus Employment
非CPT的校外工作，是可以被允許的。前提是要獲得移民局的批準。移民局批準的依據是severe economic hardship.
8 C.F.R.§214.2(f)(9)(ii)(A):
General. An F-1 student may be authorized to work off-campus on a part-time basis in accordance with paragraph (f)(9)(ii) (B) or (C) of this section after having been in F-1 status for one full academic year provided that the student is in good academic standing as determined by the DSO. Part-time off-campus employment authorized under this section is limited to no more than twenty hours a week when school is in session. A student who is granted off-campus employment authorization may work full-time during holidays or school vacation.
學期間，OFF-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT,不超過每周20小時。假期可以全職工作。

Severe econimic hardship的成立：
8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(9)(ii)(C):
If other employment opportunities are not available or are otherwise insufficient, an eligible F-1 student may request off-campus employment work authorization based upon severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student\'s control. These circumstances may include loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student, substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate, inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs, unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student\'s source of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses.
這裏的要點是，經濟困難，並且是事先不可預見的。

2、Curricular practical training /CPT
這是基於課程訓練的校外工作。要點是，已經完成一年學業，有雇主offer，工作與專業相關，學校同意。這份工作無需移民局批準，學校DSO批準，報移民局備案即可，工作時間可長可短，沒有嚴格的，比如每周20小時的，規定。
8 C.F.R.§214.2(f)(10)(i)：
An F-1 student may be authorized by the DSO to participate in a curricular practical training program that is an integral part of an established curriculum. Curricular practical training is defined to be alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. Students who have received one year or more of full time curricular practical training are ineligible for post-completion academic training. Exceptions to the one academic year requirement are provided for students enrolled in graduate studies that require immediate participation in curricular practical training. A request for authorization for curricular practical training must be made to the DSO. A student may begin curricular practical training only after receiving his or her Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement.

3、Work for recognized international organizations
學生還可被國際組織雇用。要點是，工作是與該組織業務相關，有offer，有學校批準，並或移民局許可。
8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(9)(iii)：
A bona fide F-1 student who has been offered employment by a recognized international organization within the meaning of the International Organization Immunities Act (59 Stat. 669) must apply for employment authorization to the service center having jurisdiction over his or her place of residence.

3、Doing/operating Business
美國法律對非移民non-immigrant工作限製的根源在於限製外國人與美國人對工作機會的競爭。所有的限製，是針對外國人作為employee，而不是作為employor，也不是作為independent contractor.而對外國人工作規定的，是勞工法律，移民法相關內容遵循勞工法。employment現在沒有精確的定義，法律遵循法庭的判決，特別是聯邦最高法院Rutherford Food Corporation v. McComb的判決。要考慮的因素有主要是degree of control over the business。如果是自己的公司自己的餐館，則是否employee根本就不是個issue。

移民法本身沒有權力去規定公司的問題。因為那是州事務，移民法規定開公司的資格，將侵犯州的自主權。因此在這一點上，移民當局必須遵循州法律進行調節。作為美國各州公司法的樣板，特拉華州公司法：
8 Del. C. § 101：Incorporators; how corporation formed; purposes
(a) Any person, partnership, association or corporation, singly or jointly with others, and without regard to such person\'s or entity\'s residence, domicile or state of incorporation, may incorporate or organize a corporation under this chapter by filing with the Division of Corporations in the Department of State a certificate of incorporation which shall be executed, acknowledged and filed in accordance with §103 of this title.
有資格成立公司的，是person，不是citizen,也不是綠卡人。任何自然人無論在世界的哪個角落，都可以在DE成立公司，在其他州也一樣。費某搜索了一遍數據庫，還沒發現至今有什麽案子對person有過糾紛。

公司的employment。這裏有很流行的說法，自己成立了公司，隻能雇用別人來做，自己不能做。勞工法已經很明確地界定，self-employment不是employment。Hall v. McLaughlin, 864 F.2d 868, 870 (D.C. Cir. 1989); Modular Container Systems, Inc., 89-INA-228 (July 16, 1991) (en banc); Edelweiss Manufacturing Company, Inc., 87-INA-562 (Mar. 15, 1988) (en banc).
70年代時在8 CFR有很明確禁止外國學生self-employment的規定，8 C.F.R.§214.2(f)(6)， 但是這條規定現在已經不存在。

在法律上，self-employment可以是個灰色地帶，是arguable的，但不是禁止的。

關於移民之類的問題，華人之間容易諱莫如深，或者有意無意地誤導。事實上，大致了解移民法對任何一個華人是必要的，即使是請律師做，。更何況大部分華人律師辦移民的，並不懂多少移民法。而了解的根本，就是INA移民歸化法與8 CFR。