Security And Compliance Jobs for OPT Students

Security and compliance roles are consistently among the more OPT-friendly positions in tech and finance, as many employers treat them as long-term headcount investments. Your F-1 OPT authorization covers roles in information security, regulatory compliance, risk management, and audit functions across industries actively hiring international candidates.

See All Security And Compliance Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs73+
Top Visa TypeF-1 OPT
Work Type77% On-site
Salary Range$56K – $78K
Top LocationGetzville, NY
Most JobsCiti

Showing 5 of 73+ Security And Compliance jobs

Delta Air Lines
Co-op, ACS - Cargo Safety, Security, and Compliance
We won't show you this job again
Delta Air Lines
Added 1mo ago
Co-op, ACS - Cargo Safety, Security, and Compliance
Delta Air Lines
Atlanta, Georgia
Project & Program Management
Compliance & Legal
Procurement & Supply Chain
Customer Service & Support
Compliance & Risk
Logistics & Fleet Management
On-Site
None
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
Aero
Aviation IEP Safety, Security and Compliance Auditor
We won't show you this job again
Aero
Added 2mo ago
Aviation IEP Safety, Security and Compliance Auditor
Aero
Remote
Compliance & Legal
Finance
Accounting
Compliance & Risk
Audit
Remote (US)
2+ yrs exp.
High School

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
California State University, Los Angeles
Assistant Director, IT Security and Compliance
We won't show you this job again
California State University, Los Angeles
Added 7mo ago
Assistant Director, IT Security and Compliance
California State University, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Compliance & Legal
Health & Safety (EHS & OHS)
IT Support & Systems Administration
Compliance & Risk
Security & Protective Services
IT Support
$5,053/mo - $16,221/mo
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
Walmart
Manager, Specialty Compliance and Ethics H&W - HIPAA Security
We won't show you this job again
Walmart
Added 3w ago
Manager, Specialty Compliance and Ethics H&W - HIPAA Security
Walmart
Bentonville, Arkansas
Compliance & Legal
Project & Program Management
Compliance & Risk
Legal Counsel
$80,000/yr - $155,000/yr
On-Site
2+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)
Venture Global LNG
Administrator, HRIS Security and Reporting
We won't show you this job again
Venture Global LNG
New 8h ago
Administrator, HRIS Security and Reporting
Venture Global LNG
Arlington, Virginia
Human Resources
Compliance & Legal
Data Science & Analytics
Project & Program Management
Project Management
On-Site
3+ yrs exp.
Bachelor's

Have you applied for this role?

Give feedback about this job
Min 10 characters (0/10)

See all 73+ Security And Compliance jobs

Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Security And Compliance roles.

Get Access To All Jobs

How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Security And Compliance

Target regulated industries first

Financial services, healthcare, and government contracting firms have legal and compliance teams that hire continuously. These industries are accustomed to sponsoring international talent because security and compliance expertise is genuinely hard to find domestically.

Highlight certifications strategically

Credentials like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, CISA, or CISM signal credibility to hiring managers who may be skeptical of OPT candidates. Even one relevant certification can shift how your application is evaluated compared to U.S. citizen applicants without them.

Address your OPT timeline proactively

Compliance roles often involve long onboarding periods and institutional knowledge buildup. Frame your STEM OPT extension as giving the employer a three-year runway, not a temporary arrangement. This directly addresses the retention concern most hiring managers have.

Connect your degree to the compliance function

OPT authorization requires your role to relate to your degree field. A computer science or information systems degree maps clearly to cybersecurity roles. For regulatory compliance, degrees in finance, accounting, or public policy support your eligibility and strengthen your application narrative.

Research employers with active compliance hiring programs

Companies undergoing audits, regulatory expansion, or recent security incidents often hire aggressively in this space. Use Migrate Mate to filter for security and compliance roles at employers with demonstrated OPT sponsorship history, which saves considerable time in your search.

Quantify your risk and audit experience in applications

Compliance hiring managers respond to specifics: frameworks you have worked with (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI-DSS), audits you contributed to, or vulnerabilities you helped remediate. Generic descriptions of security coursework rarely move resumes past the initial screening stage.

Security And Compliance jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.

Find Security And Compliance Jobs

See all 73+ Security And Compliance jobs

Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Security And Compliance roles.

Get Access To All Jobs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do security and compliance jobs typically sponsor OPT students?

Many do, particularly in financial services, healthcare, and technology companies with active compliance functions. Because qualified security and compliance professionals are in short supply, employers in regulated industries are more willing to sponsor than in generalist roles. Browsing Migrate Mate filters for employers with verified OPT sponsorship history, which narrows your search considerably.

Does a cybersecurity or compliance role qualify for STEM OPT extension?

It depends on your degree, not just your job title. If your degree is in computer science, information systems, cybersecurity, or a related STEM field, a qualifying security or compliance role will typically support a STEM OPT extension. Regulatory compliance roles tied to non-STEM degrees, such as accounting or public policy, generally do not qualify for the 24-month STEM extension.

What compliance frameworks are most recognized by U.S. employers hiring OPT candidates?

SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS are the frameworks that appear most frequently in U.S. compliance job postings. Familiarity with FedRAMP matters specifically for government contracting roles. If your academic or prior work experience involved any of these, name them explicitly in your resume and cover letter.

Can I work in a compliance role that requires a U.S. government security clearance on OPT?

Roles requiring an active security clearance are effectively closed to OPT students, as clearances require U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status in most cases. However, many compliance roles at government contractors do not require clearance. Look specifically for postings that state clearance is preferred but not required, or that list it as obtainable after hire.

How should I explain my OPT status to a compliance team that has never hired internationally before?

Focus on what OPT authorization permits rather than its limitations. Explain that you are fully authorized to work in the U.S., that STEM OPT can extend your authorization to three years, and that H-1B sponsorship is the natural next step for long-term employment. Many compliance teams have not sponsored before simply because no one explained the process clearly to them.

See which Security And Compliance employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.

Search Security And Compliance Jobs