Accounting OPT Jobs in Illinois

Illinois is one of the strongest states for accounting F-1 OPT jobs, anchored by Chicago's dense concentration of public accounting firms, corporate finance teams, and financial services employers. Big Four firms including Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG maintain major Chicago offices with established OPT hiring pipelines, alongside regional firms and Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the metro area.

Find Accounting Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs115+
Work Type76% On-site
Top LocationChicago, IL
Most JobsPaylocity

Showing 5 of 115+ Accounting OPT Jobs in Illinois

Baker Tilly Canada
Corporate Counsel
We won't show you this job again
Baker Tilly Canada
New 16h ago
Corporate Counsel
Baker Tilly Canada
Springfield, Illinois
Compliance & Legal
Legal Counsel
$132k - $200k/yr
On-Site
Doctorate
1,001-5,000

Have you applied for this role?

Grant Thornton
Oracle Solution Architect
We won't show you this job again
Grant Thornton
New 22h ago
Oracle Solution Architect
Grant Thornton
Chicago, Illinois
Project & Program Management
Business Analysis
Consulting & Professional Services
Corporate Training & Learning Development
On-Site
Bachelor's
1,001-5,000

Have you applied for this role?

Paylocity
Implementation Consultant
We won't show you this job again
Paylocity
Added 1d ago
Implementation Consultant
Paylocity
Schaumburg, Illinois
Customer Service & Support
Project & Program Management
Partnerships & Business Development
Consulting & Professional Services
Project Management
$50k - $60k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's
5,001-10,000

Have you applied for this role?

CDH CPA
Tax Staff
We won't show you this job again
CDH CPA
Added 2d ago
Tax Staff
CDH CPA
Itasca, Illinois
Finance
Accounting
Tax
$68k - $78k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's

Have you applied for this role?

Paychex, Inc.
Account Executive
We won't show you this job again
Paychex, Inc.
Added 3d ago
Account Executive
Paychex, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois
Sales
Account Management
Inside Sales
Enterprise Sales
$20 - $23/hr
On-Site
Associate's
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

See all 115+ Accounting OPT Jobs in Illinois

Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Accounting OPT Jobs in Illinois.

Get Access To All Jobs

OPT Accounting Job Roles in Illinois

Consulting & Professional Services51 jobs
Project & Program Management50 jobs
Accounting41 jobs
Finance39 jobs
Tax34 jobs
Customer Service & Support31 jobs
Partnerships & Business Development28 jobs
Business Analysis27 jobs
Project Management25 jobs
Human Resources21 jobs

See all 115+ Accounting OPT Jobs in Illinois

Sign up for free to filter by visa type, set job alerts, and find employers with verified sponsorship history.

Search Accounting Jobs in Illinois

Accounting OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

Which accounting companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Illinois?

The Big Four firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG) have large Chicago offices with consistent records of hiring F-1 OPT candidates in accounting roles. Regional firms such as RSM, Grant Thornton, and BDO also maintain significant Illinois presences. Beyond public accounting, major corporations headquartered in Illinois, including Boeing, Caterpillar, and Archer Daniels Midland, hire accounting professionals on OPT authorization for internal finance and audit functions.

Which cities in Illinois have the most accounting F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?

Chicago accounts for the overwhelming majority of accounting F-1 OPT opportunities in Illinois, driven by its concentration of Big Four offices, financial institutions, and Fortune 500 headquarters. The surrounding suburbs, particularly Schaumburg, Rosemont, and Oak Brook, host regional firm offices and corporate accounting departments that also hire OPT candidates. Outside the Chicago metro, Peoria and Springfield have a smaller but present accounting employment base tied to manufacturing and state government contractors.

What types of accounting roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship?

Roles that align directly with accounting, finance, or a closely related degree field qualify for F-1 OPT work authorization. Common qualifying positions in Illinois include staff accountant, audit associate, tax associate, financial analyst, and internal auditor. For STEM OPT extension purposes, note that accounting is not a STEM-designated field, so the standard 12-month OPT period applies unless your specific degree program carries a STEM designation.

How do I find accounting F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Illinois?

Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters accounting jobs in Illinois by F-1 OPT sponsorship eligibility, saving you from manually sorting through postings that don't support work authorization. Beyond using Migrate Mate, targeting Big Four campus recruiting cycles at Illinois universities and attending Chicago-area accounting networking events hosted by the ICPAS (Illinois CPA Society) can surface opportunities before they are widely posted.

Are there any Illinois-specific considerations for F-1 OPT accounting candidates?

Illinois requires CPAs to meet 150 credit hours for licensure, which affects how employers view candidates who completed a standard 120-credit bachelor's degree. Many Illinois accounting employers will hire F-1 OPT candidates with 120 credits but expect ongoing education toward the 150-hour requirement. Additionally, Chicago's competitive accounting market means firms receive high application volumes, so candidates with Big Four internships, CPA exam progress, or experience in Illinois-headquartered industries like commodities trading or manufacturing tend to stand out.