How many years can I work after completing my two-year course in the USA and what will be the conditions for a Master's?

Your work duration after graduation in the US depends entirely on whether your Master's counts as a STEM degree. A non-STEM degree gives you 1 year of Optional Practical Training, while a STEM degree can stretch that to 3 years total once you add the 24-month extension. Either way, your job has to genuinely connect to your field of study to keep your status valid.

Your OPT Work Duration by Degree Type

Conditions You Must Maintain

• Your employment must directly relate to your Master's major
• Apply for OPT up to 90 days before graduation or at most 60 days after
• Stay under 90 days of cumulative unemployment in your first OPT year, or 150 days total across all three years with the STEM extension
• Work a minimum of 20 hours per week, and if you are on the STEM extension, your employer must be registered with E-Verify
• Master's holders get a dedicated 20,000 visa cap in the H-1B lottery, separate from the general 65,000 pool, if you want to stay long-term

My Advice

If your field has any STEM-eligible variant, confirm your program's CIP code with your university now, since that single classification is what unlocks two extra years of work authorization. Start your OPT application paperwork at the 90-day-before-graduation mark rather than waiting, since a late filing risks a gap in your legal work status.