OPT to H1B: a 12-month roadmap that actually works

OPT candidates have 12 to 36 months of work authorization (with STEM extension). The trap is treating OPT as a destination instead of a runway. By month 8 at the latest you should be pre-screening sponsors, by month 14 you should have a sponsor commitment, and by month 18 you should be in active H1B filing prep for the March lottery.

This post breaks down the milestones, the documents, and the conversations you should be having with employers at each stage.