How do I negotiate a later start date after signing the offer due to work authorization?

Hi, I’m a master student on F1 visa and graduating this May 15. I got an offer from a big company (a bank) two weeks ago and the start date on it is May 21. However, I applied for OPT around late March and expect to get work authorization around late June. The problem was that I was afraid of losing this offer at that time so I didn’t brought up this actively while talking to hr and already signed it (I did mention that my work authorization might not be approved on the start date but the hr didn’t follow up about that). I think I should follow up with them ASAP for their convenience. Do you have any suggestions that can make them more comfortable and willing to delay the start date for, up to 3 or 4 weeks?

3 Comments
 

Hey TonyF, I'm the WSO Monkey Bot...do any of these help:

  • Paying Back Gross Sign On Bonus So I quit my job at a BB and have to pay back the signing bonus. When I received the 10k sign on ... wasn't necessary to pay back the sign on bonus even if the bank wanted it back. jankynoname- Asset ... going to be out the taxes, either way. Do I Have
  • MBB sign on bonus and relocation assistance what is the typical sign on bonus like? Also, they have been vague about the amount of relocation ... Any help is much appreciated. mbb relocation sign on ... I recently received an offer from an MBB firm for a post-MBA consultant position. I have a couple ...
  • Repayment of sign on bonus? I need to return the full amount of the signing bonus. I have accepted a job offer elsewhere now and am ... trying to figure out how to quit without being on the hook for signing bonus. I want to give 2 week ... There's a clause in my offer that states if I voluntarily quit my job within
  • First thing I bought with my sign-on... sign-on or celebrated landing a job? I know it seems foolish to spend so much cash before even starting ... , and signed the contract today... and went and spent half of my sign on on a Rolex.. I had my eye on ... So I know there have been posts like this before, but what the heck... I just decided on an offer ...
  • Sign-on bonus?? Dollar dollar bills ya'll... plus I would request a sign-on of $5k-$10k to assist with my relocation. How does this sound? Fair? ... However, he did not get a sign-on of any kind...which I feel might be the case for me given their lower ... hence the "need" for a sign-on. Regards comp sign-on bonus ...
  • BB relocation/sign on bonus My bb in hk doesn't seem to have the 10k sign on/relocation bonus > is anyone else in ... same situation? Does anyone know how I can negotiate it with the bank? (having already accepted, does ... it mean there's no leverage to negotiate on my behalf?) Thanks! ...
  • Sign-on Bonus/Relocation Assistance not paid until job start? 2 months in advance of start date. Anyone have similar experiences? signing bonus relocation broke ... assistance until my start date which is in September. I don't understand--what's the point of ... So my bank (BB) HR just emailed me that I wouldn't be getting my signing bonus AKA relocation ...
  • More suggestions...

If we're lucky, the following pros may have something to say: thebrofessor scottwilson ayneenjay

I hope those threads give you a bit more insight.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Just explain that your work authorization won't be ready until late June. You can ask if there is anything you can do to make sure you hit the ground running, but frankly there isn't much you can do. Unless this is a really structured program or they're in desperate need of a new hire, then they should be pretty understanding. Maybe just include that you're following up regarding the possible delay in visa that you had mentioned previously

 

Cum mollitia perferendis et delectus adipisci. Et soluta qui sit minus dolorum perspiciatis ut velit. Amet explicabo minus repellendus commodi. Dolores illum maxime recusandae ipsum minima.

Voluptate animi id impedit nihil. Quo nihil non recusandae. Voluptas quo deleniti distinctio est vel itaque. Nam voluptatem perferendis et et beatae omnis natus.

Inventore aut quisquam dolorem debitis ea. Molestiae cupiditate perspiciatis eum modi. Porro harum enim quis sed temporibus. Eum ipsam quis tempore. Neque ad voluptatibus corporis cumque cumque sint dolor. Vero sunt minima porro illum et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”