International with tech experience?

[jackal head]

I've been researching this issue for a year now and haven't come up with anything, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Is their ANY way for an international to work as a tech? Since an international can't work in the US without a green card, is it possiable to just "work" for free? I was thinking that even if by some miracle I can get around this limitation, won't it still fail in the end since it will just be categorized as "volunteer" work?

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[kampungboy]

Hi, responding to your post , I am an international student who just started a position at walgreens as a tech. What I did was I studied for the PTCB and then passed it, as soon as I got my certificate, I applied for a state license, in California, to work as a tech you need to be licensed by the state, PTCB is not a must but one of the ways to get a CA license as a tech is to pass the PTCB, other ways could be going to tech school and paying 2000 just to help you get your license. What you really need to know as an international student is that there is something called CPT which is only for F-1 visa holders. To qualify for CPT, you need to talk to your international advisor and see what the requirements are. Basically CPT has a limit which is 2 semesters of part time work and 1 semester of fulltime work. CPT is mainly for F1 students trying to do an internship. In my uni, CSU Fresno, what I did was I registered for an independant study class ( these type of classes are mostly for students interested in doing researcy ) and then applied for CPT with my international students office. Although before you can even apply for CPT, you need to get the job first. I got a job with walgreens and then applied for CPT. Once approved by your immigration specialist in your school, you will then get a CPT approval which must be on your I-20. The I-20 basically is your working permit off campus. When I first started my job at walgreens I had to show my work permit which is my I-20 with a CPT mark on it.

It is a long process but it requires a lot of determination and endurance but it is very much worth it. I'm getting paid much more than any on campus job can offer and I'm also learning so much more in my experience as a tech. As an international student, you would want as much experience and knowledge in the pharmacy as there are limited space and schools offered for international student, therefore you will really need to work hard and find ways to get to your goal. It's a long process but take things a step at a time.

I hope this information is helpful for all the international students out there who are interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist here in the US.



cheers

 

[jackal head]

Thanks for the reply, did you have to be in some sort of Coop program?

Your help is much appreciated, I had no idea something like this existed

 

[jackal head]

Actually now I see what your saying, so by registering for this class you get academic credit from work?

 

[kampungboy]

yup, jackal head, you're right... because i'm registering for a class, I am getting credit for my work - internship. I had to talk to the dean of my department, and he made me do some paperwork for it , and at the end of the semester he said I would have to write like a short essay of what I learned. Also he said that my manager need to write a short letter to him about what I have done during my experience. That's how I qualified my position as a tech as internship and because it is an internship and related to my major-chemistry, I was able to get a CPT and therefore eligible to work legally out of campus. Of course at this point I already have a SSN from since my first job on campus... You would need a SSN no matter what job or whatever the reason, so I recommend you get a SSN asap....

Anyway, after all that is done and once you get the job, you get the exact same benefits as anybody else in the same position level as you. What I mean is I get the same pay rate, I get the same holiday and vacation benefits, I get the same store discounts, I get the same medical benefits and what not. You are not treated differently, Instead I feel everybody in the pharmacy is quite interested about where I come from and my background, which gives me a little advantage compared to other new people, so you actually have a better chance of learning as much as you can.

Other than that, I cannot tell you how important this experience is in a career of pharmacy. You are really in the middle of the action. This is the time where you will really know if you want to invest the rest of your life, and leave your country to pursue a career as a pharmacist. As for me, I'm loving every bit of it and coming from a different background sometimes gives me an advantage because I am more flexible and adaptive to whatever comes up....



p/s : which school are you attending now ? which state ?
when are you going to start applying to pharm school ?

 

[jackal head]

I go to wayne state (Michigain), will be applying around 2010-2011.

Is it possiable to have your SSN made when you do your internship or do you need one before that? If you do need one before your internship, is having a job on campus the only way to get it?

And you talked to the dean of the chemistry department or the dean of students? My major is pre-pharmacy so any idea who I would talk to?

 

[asasimo]

Hi, responding to your post , I am an international student who just started a position at walgreens as a tech. What I did was I studied for the PTCB and then passed it, as soon as I got my certificate, I applied for a state license, in California, to work as a tech you need to be licensed by the state, PTCB is not a must but one of the ways to get a CA license as a tech is to pass the PTCB, other ways could be going to tech school and paying 2000 just to help you get your license. What you really need to know as an international student is that there is something called CPT which is only for F-1 visa holders. To qualify for CPT, you need to talk to your international advisor and see what the requirements are. Basically CPT has a limit which is 2 semesters of part time work and 1 semester of fulltime work. CPT is mainly for F1 students trying to do an internship. In my uni, CSU Fresno, what I did was I registered for an independant study class ( these type of classes are mostly for students interested in doing researcy ) and then applied for CPT with my international students office. Although before you can even apply for CPT, you need to get the job first. I got a job with walgreens and then applied for CPT. Once approved by your immigration specialist in your school, you will then get a CPT approval which must be on your I-20. The I-20 basically is your working permit off campus. When I first started my job at walgreens I had to show my work permit which is my I-20 with a CPT mark on it.

It is a long process but it requires a lot of determination and endurance but it is very much worth it. I'm getting paid much more than any on campus job can offer and I'm also learning so much more in my experience as a tech. As an international student, you would want as much experience and knowledge in the pharmacy as there are limited space and schools offered for international student, therefore you will really need to work hard and find ways to get to your goal. It's a long process but take things a step at a time.

I hope this information is helpful for all the international students out there who are interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist here in the US.



cheers

I think that CPT has no limit, it can be done for as many smesters as you want as long as you are doing part time(not more than 20 hrs/week), right?