According to immigration regulations if other employment opportunities are not available or otherwise insufficient, F-1 students are eligible for off-campus work authorization if economic hardship has been caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the student (parent or sponsor) that arose only after arriving in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a rule in Federal Register on June 10, 2011 that grants special relief to certain Libyan students in the United States. DHS has temporarily suspended certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant Libyan students who are experiencing severe economic hardship due to the civil unrest in Libya. This rule is effective June 10, 2011 and will terminate on December 31, 2011.