Recently, USCIS confirmed that it has amended its stance on this issue, allowing third-party placements for F-1 STEM OPT workers in certain situations. Specifically, and as confirmed on its STEM OPT website, “STEM OPT participants may engage in a training experience that takes place at a site other than the employer’s principal place of business as long as all of the training obligations are met, including that the employer has and maintains a bona fide employer-employee relationship with the student.” This approach matches-up with the employer-employee relationship required in the H-1B context, and represents a reasonable alteration to USCIS’ treatment of F-1 STEM OPT workers seeking professional experience in real-world situations.
For more see the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website: https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/students-and-exchange-visitors/students-and-employment/stem-opt
