J-1 Work and Travel Program
Visit the USA and gain valuable work experience over your summer vacation!
The J-1 Work and Travel Program is an Exchange Visitor Program approved by the Department of State. It allows international university students to come to the USA and legally work for your company during their summer vacation. J-1 Work and Travel students must be paid the same rate of pay as US workers in the same position, and should be guaranteed 32-40 hours each week of the summer. Work and Travel students can return to work for your company each summer as long as they are enrolled in their university program.
Length of Program
A maximum of 16 weeks. Students are usually able to work from 12-16 weeks depending on their university summer break and this varies by country. Once they have completed their work program they are allowed 30 days to travel around the USA before returning home to continue their studies
Participants
J-1 Work and Travel Workers are students who are currently studying on a hospitality / tourism / hotel / culinary course. They are between the ages of 18 and 27 years of age with intermediate to excellent English communication skills. Many of the students must complete the summer work experience in order to gain academic credit and to graduate from their courses.
Positions Filled
J-1 Work and Travel students have been used to successfully fill the following positions:
- Food and Beverage Servers
- Bartenders / Beverage Servers
- Bussers / Dining Room Attendants
- Restaurant Hosts
- Food Runners
- Cashiers
- Banquet Set-Up Attendants
- Front Desk Agents, PBX Operators, Bell Person, Recreation / Pool Attendants, Dishwashers, Cooks / Kitchen Helpers, Laundry Attendants, Housekeepers*
- ...and many more!
*J-1 Work and Travel students can be utilized as Housekeepers, however these workers are students and not experienced Housekeepers. They may require additional training and may not be able to clean the same number of rooms as your experienced Housekeepers.
Program Dates
J-1 Work and Travel students can work in the USA during their summer vacations. There are three different Work and Travel seasons each supported by students from a different part of the world:
- The Spring Season (early March to late June) – Asian participants
- The Summer Season (mid-May to mid-September / early October) – Northern Hemisphere participants
- The Winter Season (early December to mid-March / early April) – Southern Hemisphere participants
Exact program dates vary depending on the summer break of the different countries.
Employer Benefits
- International Adventures can take care of the recruitment and selection process on your behalf.
- International Adventures will facilitate the visa application process for the student and arrange group arrivals for the employer, guiding you through all steps involved in the process to make this a hassle free experience for your property.
- International Adventures provides all J-1 Work and Travel students with Emergency Medical Insurance so they do not have to participate in your standard benefits plans resulting in a considerable “fringe”, or bottom line savings to your business.
- Social Security Tax (FICA) and Federal Unemployment Insurance (FUTA) do not need to be paid for J-1 Work and Travel participants. This can result in a substantial saving in payroll taxes over the course of the season.
- Assistance with housing and transportation through our trusted network of providers*
- International Adventures can also offer a convenient payroll service to employers powered by Nextaff
- Successful J-1 Work and Travel students can be invited back for following years as long as they are still studying which can save on training costs. They can also return on a different training or work program after graduation.
*Accommodation and Transportation support is not available in all areas of the USA
Process / Timelines
- The J-1 Work and Travel application process involves the following steps:
- International Adventures works with employer to identify positions and number of workers needed
- International Adventures recruits overseas students and selects participants for employers
- Employer extends job offers to selected students through International Adventures
- International Adventures assists students with their J-1 Visa application and works with a designated sponsor organization to issue the DS-2019 form to student
- Student uses the DS-2019 form to apply for their J-1 Work and Travel visa at their local US Embassy. If approved the students can travel to the USA.
- International Adventures coordinates group arrival dates with the employer. The student travels to the USA and begins working for the employer.
Due to the length of the application process, requests for J-1 Work and Travel students must be submitted to International Adventures at least 5 months prior to the start of the season.







