STEM OPT Worksite Change: Update Form I-983 and Housing Records
Separate the home, employer, and training-site addresses, then send the DSO the facts needed to evaluate a modified Form I-983.
STEM OPT Worksite Change: Update Form I-983 and Housing Records
When a STEM OPT worksite changes, do not update only the household address or assume an employer’s internal transfer covers immigration reporting. Contact the designated school official promptly, compare the new worksite and supervision arrangement with the Form I-983 on file, and report required changes within 10 days. A residential move and a training-site change are separate facts, even when both happen together.
This is procedural information, not legal advice. The DSO should evaluate the student’s specific record and tell the student which form or portal route to use.
Separate the three addresses
Write down the residential address, employer mailing address, and actual training site address. They may be identical, partially shared, or completely different. Do not replace one with another because a portal has only one familiar-looking field.
The Department of Homeland Security says STEM OPT students must validate their residential or mailing address, employer name and address, and employment status every six months. It also says changes in that information must be reported within 10 days. DHS lists material changes to a training plan separately, including changes to employer commitments or learning objectives. See the current STEM OPT student reporting requirements, last updated July 6, 2026.
A move from one apartment to another is a residential-address event. A shift from headquarters to a branch, client facility, laboratory, or home-based training location may also affect the site information and training plan. Send the DSO the facts rather than deciding alone that the change is immaterial.
Run a worksite-change check with the employer and DSO
Contact the DSO as soon as the worksite change is known. Include the effective date, old and new site addresses, whether the legal employer and EIN remain the same, the supervisor at the new site, hours, compensation, and whether duties or learning objectives change. Ask whether a modified Form I-983 is required and obtain the current submission instructions.
The employer should review the existing training plan with the student. DHS requires Section 5 to identify the site name and to specify when training occurs at a branch, subsidiary, or somewhere other than headquarters. The same section covers supervision, tasks, goals, and assessment. The official DHS page on employers and Form I-983 explains those fields and the employer’s signing role.
Do not silently edit a saved PDF and assume the record is updated. Follow the DSO’s process, collect required signatures, submit the modified plan through the approved channel, and retain proof of delivery. Keep a dated copy of what was submitted. If the legal employer changes, that is a different procedure: DHS says the new employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, a new Form I-983 is required, and the prior training opportunity needs its closeout steps.
If remote or hybrid work begins, document how supervision and training actually operate at the new site. The household should not promise that working from home is acceptable for STEM OPT. That determination belongs with the employer and DSO based on the training plan.
Keep immigration records private in HomeCo
Use HomeCo for deadlines and household effects, not for storing unrestricted immigration files. Create private tasks for “notify DSO,” “obtain employer signature,” and “save DSO confirmation.” Give each a date measured from the actual change, not from when someone notices it.
For roommates, create a separate work-from-home agreement covering calls, deliveries, equipment, visitors, and shared-room use. Do not upload Form I-983, a passport, Form I-20, or employer identifiers to a household-visible board. Link the move tasks to HomeCo’s F-1 student address change checklist, while keeping the worksite review as its own task chain.
Record completion only when the right recipient confirms receipt. An employer ticket marked complete does not prove the DSO has the updated information, and a household change-of-address checklist does not update the training plan.
FAQ
Is moving apartments the same as changing a STEM OPT worksite?
No. A residential move changes where the student lives. A worksite change alters where training occurs. If both happen, report each fact through the process the DSO specifies.
Does the student always need a new Form I-983 for a new office?
Not every site change can be classified from a generic rule. Give the DSO and employer the effective date, site, supervision, duties, hours, and employer details. The DSO can identify whether a modified plan or another update is required.
Can roommates help submit the form?
They can remind the student of a deadline or protect quiet time, but they should not sign, access the student portal, or handle private identifiers. The student, employer, and DSO each have defined roles.