OPT Tax Specialist Jobs
Tax Specialist roles are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with degrees in accounting, finance, or taxation. Most positions require a CPA license or active candidacy, and employers often sponsor H-1B visas given the specialized skill set. Your 12-month OPT window is enough time to demonstrate value and convert to long-term sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsJoin the world's leading professional services firm assisting employers in managing the complexities associated with all aspects of their workforce. As a Business Process Solutions Payroll Analyst, you will join a dynamic team delivering our US Payroll offering.
Recruiting for this role ends on May 31, 2027
Work you will do
As a Senior Payroll Analyst you will be responsible for processing payrolls for our clients and be expected to deliver the highest standards of client service with impeccable levels of accuracy.
- Process bi-weekly, monthly, or semi-monthly payrolls for US-based employees, including salary, bonuses, and other compensation adjustments for small to large client size across varying industries
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws, tax regulations, and company policies.
- Be responsible for the accuracy of payroll data entry, validation, and reconciliations, working with data uploads, APIs and manual data entry.
- Handle payroll-related deductions, including benefits, retirement contributions, and garnishments.
- Perform complex calculations both within and outside the payroll system including gross ups
- Maintain accurate payroll records and prepare reports for management, auditing, and compliance purposes.
- Be proficient in the use of our payroll software to update and maintain employee data, including new hires, terminations, and pay rate, including the setup of clients on the technology and configuration and testing of system changes.
- Resolve payroll discrepancies and address employee inquiries related to pay, taxes, and deductions within agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA) response times
- Support year-end payroll activities such as W-2 preparation and distribution.
- Stay current with changes in payroll regulations and ensure compliance with all relevant legislation.
- Generate required payroll reports
- Develop and maintain client relationships utilizing strong verbal and written communication skills
- Absorb, interpret, and explain several types of information/data with an analytical and quantitative mindset
- Strict adherence to checklists and procedure guides/workflows, ensuring they are kept up-to-date
- Design operational solutions to continually improve internal processes and the client experience
- Timely escalate issues to Senior Analyst/Manager where appropriate
- Transform prior processes to bridge process gaps, align with changing business requirements and utilize efficiencies available through automation
The Team
The Deloitte Business Process Solutions (BPS) Tax team delivers comprehensive payroll tax administration and compliance services for clients, leveraging deep technical expertise, advanced technology, and a collaborative service approach. Our team serves organizations of all sizes, across diverse industries, providing end-to-end support - from tax registrations and wage code configuration to reporting, reconciliation, and process improvement. We solve critical challenges in compliance, data accuracy, and efficiency by combining best practices, automation, and experienced insight. BPS is committed to delivering timely, accurate, and scalable solutions while anticipating regulatory changes and client needs.
Qualifications
Required:
- Ability to perform job responsibilities within a hybrid work model that requires US Tax professionals to co-locate in person 2 - 3 days per week
- Bachelor's degree in economics, human resources, international business, finance, accounting, or other relevant discipline
- 3+ years of experience processing end-to-end U.S. payroll for small to large employee populations, including regular and off-cycle payrolls, deductions, garnishments, bonuses, gross-ups, reconciliations, and year-end activities such as W-2 support
- Demonstrated knowledge of U.S. payroll compliance requirements, including federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage and hour considerations, payroll recordkeeping, and audit-ready documentation practices.
- Experience using payroll systems and related technology to manage employee data, client setup, data uploads, APIs, configuration testing, reporting, and issue resolution, with strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and client-facing communication abilities.
- Limited immigration sponsorship may be available
- Ability to travel up to 10%, on average, based on the work you do and the clients and industries/sectors you serve
- One of the following active accreditations obtained, in process, or willing and able to obtain:
- Licensed CPA in state of practice/primary office if eligible to sit for the CPA
- If not CPA eligible:
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
- Enrolled Agent
- Juris Doctor (JD)
Preferred
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
- Proficiency with payroll software (e.g., ADP, Workday, Paycom) and Microsoft Excel.
- Ability to prioritize tasks, work and manage multiple assignments in a team environment
- Strong analytical, consultative, quantitative, and project management skills
- Excellent communication (verbal & written) and presentation skills with an aptitude for working as part of a global team
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail
- Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
- Attention to detail, self-starter and deadline oriented
The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Deloitte, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $64,725 to $132,250.
You may also be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.
Join the world's leading professional services firm assisting employers in managing the complexities associated with all aspects of their workforce. As a Business Process Solutions Payroll Analyst, you will join a dynamic team delivering our US Payroll offering.
Recruiting for this role ends on May 31, 2027
Work you will do
As a Senior Payroll Analyst you will be responsible for processing payrolls for our clients and be expected to deliver the highest standards of client service with impeccable levels of accuracy.
- Process bi-weekly, monthly, or semi-monthly payrolls for US-based employees, including salary, bonuses, and other compensation adjustments for small to large client size across varying industries
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws, tax regulations, and company policies.
- Be responsible for the accuracy of payroll data entry, validation, and reconciliations, working with data uploads, APIs and manual data entry.
- Handle payroll-related deductions, including benefits, retirement contributions, and garnishments.
- Perform complex calculations both within and outside the payroll system including gross ups
- Maintain accurate payroll records and prepare reports for management, auditing, and compliance purposes.
- Be proficient in the use of our payroll software to update and maintain employee data, including new hires, terminations, and pay rate, including the setup of clients on the technology and configuration and testing of system changes.
- Resolve payroll discrepancies and address employee inquiries related to pay, taxes, and deductions within agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA) response times
- Support year-end payroll activities such as W-2 preparation and distribution.
- Stay current with changes in payroll regulations and ensure compliance with all relevant legislation.
- Generate required payroll reports
- Develop and maintain client relationships utilizing strong verbal and written communication skills
- Absorb, interpret, and explain several types of information/data with an analytical and quantitative mindset
- Strict adherence to checklists and procedure guides/workflows, ensuring they are kept up-to-date
- Design operational solutions to continually improve internal processes and the client experience
- Timely escalate issues to Senior Analyst/Manager where appropriate
- Transform prior processes to bridge process gaps, align with changing business requirements and utilize efficiencies available through automation
The Team
The Deloitte Business Process Solutions (BPS) Tax team delivers comprehensive payroll tax administration and compliance services for clients, leveraging deep technical expertise, advanced technology, and a collaborative service approach. Our team serves organizations of all sizes, across diverse industries, providing end-to-end support - from tax registrations and wage code configuration to reporting, reconciliation, and process improvement. We solve critical challenges in compliance, data accuracy, and efficiency by combining best practices, automation, and experienced insight. BPS is committed to delivering timely, accurate, and scalable solutions while anticipating regulatory changes and client needs.
Qualifications
Required:
- Ability to perform job responsibilities within a hybrid work model that requires US Tax professionals to co-locate in person 2 - 3 days per week
- Bachelor's degree in economics, human resources, international business, finance, accounting, or other relevant discipline
- 3+ years of experience processing end-to-end U.S. payroll for small to large employee populations, including regular and off-cycle payrolls, deductions, garnishments, bonuses, gross-ups, reconciliations, and year-end activities such as W-2 support
- Demonstrated knowledge of U.S. payroll compliance requirements, including federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage and hour considerations, payroll recordkeeping, and audit-ready documentation practices.
- Experience using payroll systems and related technology to manage employee data, client setup, data uploads, APIs, configuration testing, reporting, and issue resolution, with strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and client-facing communication abilities.
- Limited immigration sponsorship may be available
- Ability to travel up to 10%, on average, based on the work you do and the clients and industries/sectors you serve
- One of the following active accreditations obtained, in process, or willing and able to obtain:
- Licensed CPA in state of practice/primary office if eligible to sit for the CPA
- If not CPA eligible:
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
- Enrolled Agent
- Juris Doctor (JD)
Preferred
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
- Proficiency with payroll software (e.g., ADP, Workday, Paycom) and Microsoft Excel.
- Ability to prioritize tasks, work and manage multiple assignments in a team environment
- Strong analytical, consultative, quantitative, and project management skills
- Excellent communication (verbal & written) and presentation skills with an aptitude for working as part of a global team
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail
- Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
- Attention to detail, self-starter and deadline oriented
The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Deloitte, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $64,725 to $132,250.
You may also be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.
See all 767+ OPT Tax Specialist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Tax Specialist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Tax Specialist
Target employers with a CPA sponsorship track record
Large public accounting firms and Fortune 500 tax departments file H-1B petitions annually for tax professionals. Focus your search on employers with a documented history of sponsoring accounting and tax roles rather than smaller firms that rarely navigate the process.
Progress toward your CPA license before OPT ends
Passing CPA exam sections while on OPT signals long-term professional commitment to employers. Many firms require CPA licensure for promotion and are far more likely to sponsor H-1B petitions for candidates already enrolled in or close to completing the credential.
Align your degree field with the tax specialty you are targeting
H-1B specialty occupation approval for tax roles depends on a direct connection between your degree and the position. A degree in accounting or taxation is the clearest path. Finance or economics degrees can qualify but require stronger documentation of field alignment.
Apply during busy season hiring cycles
Public accounting firms do most of their full-time hiring between October and January for roles starting the following summer. Applying during this window gives you the best shot at offers with enough lead time to file an H-1B petition before your OPT expires.
Highlight tax software proficiency on your resume
Employers sponsoring OPT candidates want to see immediate productivity. Proficiency in tools like Thomson Reuters ONESOURCE, CorpTax, or CCH Axcess differentiates you from domestic candidates and reinforces that your skills justify the sponsorship investment from day one.
Use STEM OPT extension eligibility strategically if your degree qualifies
Accounting and taxation programs at many universities carry a STEM designation, qualifying graduates for a 24-month OPT extension. Confirm your CIP code with your DSO early, as this extension nearly triples your authorized work window and significantly improves sponsorship negotiating position.
Tax Specialist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as Tax Specialists without employer sponsorship?
Yes, during your OPT period you are authorized to work as a Tax Specialist without any additional employer sponsorship. Your EAD card is your work authorization. Sponsorship only becomes relevant when OPT ends and you need a long-term visa like H-1B. Large accounting firms and corporate tax departments regularly hire OPT students and are experienced with this process.
Do Tax Specialist roles commonly lead to H-1B sponsorship?
Tax Specialist positions at public accounting firms and large corporations are among the more H-1B-friendly roles because they qualify clearly as specialty occupations requiring a bachelor's degree in a specific field. Employers in Big Four and regional firms file H-1B petitions routinely for tax staff. Smaller firms may be less consistent, so it is worth confirming sponsorship intent early in the hiring process.
Does my accounting degree need to match the Tax Specialist role for OPT to apply?
For OPT work authorization itself, your employment must be directly related to your major field of study. A degree in accounting, taxation, or finance will satisfy this requirement for most Tax Specialist roles. If your degree is in a less directly related field, document how your coursework connects to the position and confirm the arrangement with your DSO to stay compliant.
How do I find Tax Specialist jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT and international students and filters job listings to surface employers open to hiring candidates on OPT. Searching there saves significant time compared to applying broadly and discovering late in the process that an employer won't work with OPT authorization. You can filter by role type and visa sponsorship history directly on the platform.
Does the CPA requirement affect my ability to work as a Tax Specialist on OPT?
Not necessarily. Many Tax Specialist roles, particularly at the staff and senior associate level, do not require an active CPA license as a condition of employment, only active candidacy or eventual completion. You can work legally on OPT without a CPA as long as the role aligns with your degree. However, being enrolled in the CPA exam process substantially strengthens your candidacy for roles that lead to H-1B sponsorship.