International Employees

New International employees, also known as Foreign Nationals need to complete and return the International Employee Payroll Packet on/or prior to their first day of employment. A Foreign National is defined as a citizen of another country who is living in the United States on a temporary residence visa. The most common visa types at OU are B, F,J, H and O visas. Individuals with other visa types should check with the Payroll Office to determine which employment forms to complete.

No need to wait for your first day on the job to complete this packet. Feel free to get a head start today, everything you need is included in the International Employee Payroll Packet as a single PDF (Portable Document Format) file. Please do not delay completing this paperwork. Your pay and benefits cannot be processed without these important documents.

Important Payroll Notice for 9-Month Appointed Faculty – Faculty hired on a nine month contract will be paid over a ten month period unless the faculty member submits a request to be paid over a 12 month period. To make this request, complete the “Faculty Payment Option Form”. There is an August 5th deadline for this request.

Two Student FICA Exempt Status Conditions

If the student has been living in the USA for more than five(5) years.

He or she must also be enrolled for summer school to be exempt from FICA taxes in the summer. Payroll and Personnel Records will identify and notify the students who must pay FICA taxes during the summer months. If the student is participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT), they will be obligated to pay FICA taxes if they are not enrolled in classes. If the student obtains an H1 visa, he or she they will no longer be exempt from paying FICA taxes. For administrative purposes, a partial year is counted as full year when determining the students current length of stay in the USA.

If the student has been living in the USA for five (5) years or less.

He or she is not required to be enrolled in summer classes in order to be exempt from FICA taxes during the summer months. Students participating int he Optional Practical Training (OPT), are not obligated to pay FICA taxes during the summer months and they are not required to be enrolled in summer classes. Payroll and Personnel Records will idnetify and notify the students who are no longer exempt from paying FICA taxes during the summer semester. For administrative purposes, a partial year is counted as a full year when determining a students current length of stay in the USA.

Foreign National Independent Contractors

An independent contractor is a person engaged by the university on a limited basis to perform specific functions or tasks at his or her own discretion with respect to the means and methods used to accomplish the assignment. Independent contracts are also known as consultants or independent service providers. These individuals must not be currently employed by the University and must not have been employed by the University within the previous rolling twelve month period. The Independent Contractor form should be completed and sent to Human Resources Employment Office AFTER approval by the appropriate account sponsor.