H-1B Visas & OPT: How to Stay in the US After Your MBA
Key Takeaways
- International MBA graduates can stay and work in the US through OPT and the H-1B visa, with STEM degrees offering extended eligibility.
- Recent H-1B changes mean higher employer fees for new applications submitted on or after September 21st 2025—though extensions, amendments, and changes of status are not affected.
Staying in the United States after you graduate from business school has long been an attractive prospect, with the US offering a wide range of high-paying MBA careers across a variety of industries.
For this reason, thousands of students apply to US business schools every year, in the hope of landing a job there after graduation. There are, however, a number of requirements and procedures that graduates need to go through before securing their career in the US, with requirements often subject to change.
From optional practical training (OPT) to H-1B visas, here is everything you need to know about staying on to work in the US after your MBA.
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
After completing a Master’s or MBA program, international graduates are currently eligible for optional practical training (OPT). This is a 12-month period in which you can stay on and work in the US in an industry related to your field of study.
Given the wide scope of an MBA program, MBA graduates can capitalize on a diverse range of opportunities, including self-employment.
Graduates from STEM-certified MBA programs are eligible for an additional 24 months (three years in total) for their OPT.
Candidates must request recommendation from their schools for the OPT. You can apply for this up to 90 days before you complete your degree, and no more than 60 days after you graduate.
H-1B visas
During your OPT, you are eligible to apply for an H-1B visa, which is the work visa for high-skilled foreign workers. This is the most common way for MBA graduates to stay on and work in the US.
To apply for an H-1B visa, you must have an employer sponsor.
There is an annual cap on the number of H-1B visas issued, which currently stands at 85,000. A total of 65,000 are allocated to students with at least a bachelor’s degree, and an additional 20,000 to students with at least a master’s degree. H-1B visa applications regularly exceed the cap by a long way: in 2024, it’s estimated that 470,000 applications were received.
All applicants are entered into an H-1B visa lottery, through which you are randomly selected. Historically, master’s and MBA holders could enter the lottery twice (once in the main draw, and then again in the master’s draw), but recent changes mean that applicants will only be considered once.
Graduates from STEM-certified MBAs do have a slight advantage. The 24-month extension of your OPT means that you have two additional years (and therefore two additional lottery cycles) to apply for an H-1B.
It’s also worth noting that graduates with certain employers are exempt from the cap. These include institutions of higher education, or companies associated with institutions of higher education (such as universities, school districts, and hospitals affiliated with medical schools).
Recent H-1B Visa Changes
A number of changes around the H-1B have come into force in recent months, with other proposed changes pending.
Employers must pay an administration fee for successful H-1B visa applicants that they have sponsored. Recently, this fee rose from around $1500 to a one-off payment of $100,000—aimed at incentivizing companies to hire domestic talent. This change is only applicable to applications submitted on or after September 21st 2025, meaning those seeking an extension, amendment, or change of status will not be affected by the fee, as long as the change is approved by USCIS. A change of employer petition is also exempt from the new ruling.
As it stands, H-1B visa holders are currently entitled to stay in the US for a maximum period of six years. That said, a proposed new bill in September 2025 seeks to halve this maximum period of stay to just three years—so potential H1-B applicants should take this into account.
There have also been proposed changes regarding the weighting of applications with higher salaries. Where the lottery was once assigned randomly, pending changes will see higher weighting given to roles commanding higher salaries. MBA graduates, typically among the highest earners, will likely benefit from this.
To ensure you have the most up-to-date details regarding the H1B visa, check out the latest information shared by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Green Cards
The US Green Card is the ultimate end point for MBA graduates looking to stay on in the US. This affords foreign nationals lawful permanent residence in the US.
There are several eligibility criteria for a Green Card. Family is one way: if you’re married to a US citizen, or have a parent or sibling, then you can be eligible.
Employment may be the more obvious route for MBAs. Individuals are considered first preference if they “have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics”; “are an outstanding professor or researcher”; or “are a multinational manager or executive who meets certain criteria”. Second preference is granted to individuals who “are a member of a profession that requires an advanced degree”; or “have exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business”.
A maximum of 140,000 Green Cards are given annually. There is a cap on the total each country can receive: currently 7% of the population of each country.
Other options for MBA graduates
There are various other options for US graduate student visas:
Gold Card
The Gold Card visa program is a relatively new addition to the roster of available visas—albeit one with much more restrictive criteria. Introduced in September 2025, the Gold Card offers expedited residency to individuals who make an “unrestricted gift to the Department of Commerce”, amounting to $1 million for individuals, or $2 million for corporations on the behalf of an individual.
Despite the notable cost of the Gold Card, it seems to have attracted considerable attention. As of June 2025, 70,000 had joined the waitlist for this visa program.
O-1 Visas
O-1 visas are given to “individuals with extraordinary ability or talent.” This means excelling in fields including sciences, business, arts, education, or athletics. To apply, you must be able to demonstrate that you are in the very top percent of achievement in your field.
O-1 visas, however, are extremely difficult to apply for. They’re typically granted to the likes of Hollywood actors, award-winning musicians, Olympians, and the like— for MBA graduates, it may not be your most likely route to permanent residence.
L-1 Visas
L-1 visas are granted to individuals who have spent at least one year working at a company that holds a US office. This can grant you to stay for up to five years as an employee, and up to seven years as a manager. Unlike other visas, there are no caps on the number of L-1s granted.
The L-1 visa is currently undergoing a number of proposed changes. This includes increasing the minimum wage requirement, as well as redefining the required ‘specialist knowledge’ that is currently among the criteria for being accepted.
TN, E-3, or H1B1 visas
Certain countries have special agreements with the US to grant access for speciality workers (e.g., highly skilled immigrants with bachelor’s or master’s degrees) to live and work in the US.
TN visas are granted to Canadian and Mexican citizens, as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), to allow them to work in the US for up to three years. These are allocated for certain qualified professions such as accounting, engineering, law, pharmaceuticals, science, and education.
E-3 visas are granted to Australian specialty workers for up to two years, although there are no limits to the number of extensions you can apply for. You must be an Australian national and have an offer of employment in the US.
H1B1 visas are granted to speciality workers from either Chile or Singapore. The number issued is capped at 1,400 for Chileans, and 5,400 for Singaporeans.
US Visas—is it worth it?
Applying for visas in the US can be time consuming, and often relies on a high degree of luck (particularly for those entering a lottery). While MBA and Master’s graduates have a slight advantage, ongoing changes to the US visa program mean that candidates must have all available information at their disposal in order to stand a strong chance.