In a recent presentation to the international students at the University of Cincinnati, I was asked whether I could provide them with a list of employers participating in the E-Verify Program that they could use during their job search to find a potential “STEM extension” employer. To my knowledge, no such public list exists to date. However, I offered to research the topic and answer the student queries on our H-1b Blog.
My research has confirmed that there is no list of employers published by the US Government. However, there are a few search sites that claim to have a searchable list provided to the site by the US Government. One such site is www.smartbusinesspractices.com which is an anti-illegal immigration website designed to encourage/shame companies into signing up for the E-Verify program. As with any privately run website, especially one with a particular political platform, be cautious as you view the information because there are no guarantees as to the information’s authenticity.
However, to the students at UC and any others hoping to get a 17 month STEM extension, you may be able to use this website or any of the others to start your OPT job search. Just remember to double check with the company to ensure that they are in fact registered and that they continue to be a participating employer. If the company is not registered or withdrew from the program, then it will not be possible to claim a STEM extension through employment or through a job offer with that company.