似乎拿F1身份的人在美国挺丢人，特别是在绿卡持有人和已经规化为公民的华人面前。在当前的移民改革争论中，反移民叫嚣最凶的，不是美国本地人，而是老移民，或者是刚归化不久的新移民。不过这是很自然的事，费某从来不认为这有什么不对，只是认为这样不那么好。

F1当然可以工作的，无非需要合法途径和手续。On-campus employment, OPT,人所皆知，费某就不费笔墨了。跟华人圈里口口相传的法律不一样，费某的职业训练在忠于原文，因为如果费某胡造法律是要出事的。

1、Off-campus Employment
非CPT的校外工作，是可以被允许的。前提是要获得移民局的批准。移民局批准的依据是severe economic hardship.
8 C.F.R.§214.2(f)(9)(ii)(A):
General. An F-1 student may be authorized to work off-campus on a part-time basis in accordance with paragraph (f)(9)(ii) (B) or (C) of this section after having been in F-1 status for one full academic year provided that the student is in good academic standing as determined by the DSO. Part-time off-campus employment authorized under this section is limited to no more than twenty hours a week when school is in session. A student who is granted off-campus employment authorization may work full-time during holidays or school vacation.
学期间，OFF-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT,不超过每周20小时。假期可以全职工作。

Severe econimic hardship的成立：
8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(9)(ii)(C):
If other employment opportunities are not available or are otherwise insufficient, an eligible F-1 student may request off-campus employment work authorization based upon severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student\'s control. These circumstances may include loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student, substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate, inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs, unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student\'s source of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses.
这里的要点是，经济困难，并且是事先不可预见的。

2、Curricular practical training /CPT
这是基于课程训练的校外工作。要点是，已经完成一年学业，有雇主offer，工作与专业相关，学校同意。这份工作无需移民局批准，学校DSO批准，报移民局备案即可，工作时间可长可短，没有严格的，比如每周20小时的，规定。
8 C.F.R.§214.2(f)(10)(i)：
An F-1 student may be authorized by the DSO to participate in a curricular practical training program that is an integral part of an established curriculum. Curricular practical training is defined to be alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. Students who have received one year or more of full time curricular practical training are ineligible for post-completion academic training. Exceptions to the one academic year requirement are provided for students enrolled in graduate studies that require immediate participation in curricular practical training. A request for authorization for curricular practical training must be made to the DSO. A student may begin curricular practical training only after receiving his or her Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement.

3、Work for recognized international organizations
学生还可被国际组织雇用。要点是，工作是与该组织业务相关，有offer，有学校批准，并或移民局许可。
8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(9)(iii)：
A bona fide F-1 student who has been offered employment by a recognized international organization within the meaning of the International Organization Immunities Act (59 Stat. 669) must apply for employment authorization to the service center having jurisdiction over his or her place of residence.

3、Doing/operating Business
美国法律对非移民non-immigrant工作限制的根源在于限制外国人与美国人对工作机会的竞争。所有的限制，是针对外国人作为employee，而不是作为employor，也不是作为independent contractor.而对外国人工作规定的，是劳工法律，移民法相关内容遵循劳工法。employment现在没有精确的定义，法律遵循法庭的判决，特别是联邦最高法院Rutherford Food Corporation v. McComb的判决。要考虑的因素有主要是degree of control over the business。如果是自己的公司自己的餐馆，则是否employee根本就不是个issue。

移民法本身没有权力去规定公司的问题。因为那是州事务，移民法规定开公司的资格，将侵犯州的自主权。因此在这一点上，移民当局必须遵循州法律进行调节。作为美国各州公司法的样板，特拉华州公司法：
8 Del. C. § 101：Incorporators; how corporation formed; purposes
(a) Any person, partnership, association or corporation, singly or jointly with others, and without regard to such person\'s or entity\'s residence, domicile or state of incorporation, may incorporate or organize a corporation under this chapter by filing with the Division of Corporations in the Department of State a certificate of incorporation which shall be executed, acknowledged and filed in accordance with §103 of this title.
有资格成立公司的，是person，不是citizen,也不是绿卡人。任何自然人无论在世界的哪个角落，都可以在DE成立公司，在其他州也一样。费某搜索了一遍数据库，还没发现至今有什么案子对person有过纠纷。

公司的employment。这里有很流行的说法，自己成立了公司，只能雇用别人来做，自己不能做。劳工法已经很明确地界定，self-employment不是employment。Hall v. McLaughlin, 864 F.2d 868, 870 (D.C. Cir. 1989); Modular Container Systems, Inc., 89-INA-228 (July 16, 1991) (en banc); Edelweiss Manufacturing Company, Inc., 87-INA-562 (Mar. 15, 1988) (en banc).
70年代时在8 CFR有很明确禁止外国学生self-employment的规定，8 C.F.R.§214.2(f)(6)， 但是这条规定现在已经不存在。

在法律上，self-employment可以是个灰色地带，是arguable的，但不是禁止的。

关于移民之类的问题，华人之间容易讳莫如深，或者有意无意地误导。事实上，大致了解移民法对任何一个华人是必要的，即使是请律师做，。更何况大部分华人律师办移民的，并不懂多少移民法。而了解的根本，就是INA移民归化法与8 CFR。