S5 Blog: Changing Jobs on CPT Without a Gap

 Quick answer. A new employer needs its own CPT, printed on your I-20, before your first day there. Updating your employer afterwards is an OPT rule, not a CPT rule.

The safe sequence
1. Tell your consultant before you accept the offer.
2. Request CPT for the new employer through your school.
3. Keep your current job until the new authorization arrives.
4. Start only on the date printed on your updated I-20.

Allow extra time: schools are reviewing new employers more closely under the August 2026 guidance.

Two employers? Only if both are on your I-20. Your combined hours decide whether CPT is part-time or full-time, and 12 months or more of full-time CPT removes post-completion OPT eligibility at that degree level.

Lost your job? Keep attending full-time; your status depends on enrollment. Don't start new work until its CPT is on your I-20.

Already started without authorization? Stop now and contact our senior consultant today.

Next step: got an offer? Reply to our email before you accept it.