Summer Work Travel and Internship Handout

Exchange Visitor Summer Work Travel Program
In the summer work travel program (SWT), post-secondary students may enter the United States to work and travel during
their summer vacation. Participants can be admitted to the program more than once. The maximum length of the program
is four months.
How do I apply?
To take part in the summer work travel program, candidates must work with a designated sponsor of the summer work
travel program. A sponsor can be found at: http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/?
program=Summer%20Work%20Travel.
Possible Summer Work Travel Jobs
Most of the time, participants work in unskilled service positions at resorts, hotels, restaurants, and amusement parks.
However, they may also work in other types of organizations. For example, they could work in architectural firms,
scientific research organizations, graphic art/publishing and other media communication businesses, advertising agencies,
computer software and electronics firms, legal offices, etc. The program may not exceed four-months and must be
finished during the student's summer vacation. Participants receive pay and benefits equal to an American working in the
same or similar position.
Positions in which Summer Work Travel Participants Cannot Work
Participants cannot work as domestic help (housekeepers, etc.) in American homes. Nor can they work in positions that
require them to invest their own money for inventory, such as door-to-door sales. Participants cannot work in jobs that
require them to provide patient care or that might bring the Department of State into notoriety or disrepute. Please see
http://j1visa.state.gov/programs/summer-work-travel for a full list of positions in which SWT participants cannot work.
Designated Sponsor Requirements
Most participants enter the United States with prearranged employment. However, sponsors are only required to place
50% of their participants each year. If a participant does not have a prearranged job, the sponsor will need to make sure
that the participant has enough financial resources to support himself or herself during the employment search.
Sponsors must give participants information about how to find employment and how to find a place to live in the U.S.
before departing their home countries. The sponsor must also give participants a directory of jobs that has at least as many
job listings as the number of program participants entering the U.S. without prearranged employment. If participants are
not able to find jobs on their own within one week, sponsors must make a reasonable effort to find suitable employment
for the participants after one week.
Please refer to the regulations, which can be found at [22 CFR 62.32], for complete details on the summer work travel
program.
More detailed information may be found at http://j1visa.state.gov/programs/summer-work-travel

Exchange Visitor Internship Program
Internship programs are designed to allow foreign college and university students or recent graduates to come to the
United States to gain exposure to U.S. culture and to receive hands-on experience in U.S. business practices in their
chosen occupational field. The maximum duration of an internship in any occupational field is 12 months. Upon
completion of their exchange programs, participants are expected to return to their home countries.
The State Department allows internships in the following occupational categories:
 Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

 Arts and Culture
 Construction and Building Trades
 Education, Social Sciences, Library Science, Counseling and Social Services
 Health Related Occupations
 Hospitality and Tourism
 Information Media and Communications
 Management, Business, Commerce and Finance
 Public Administration and Law
 The Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics, and Industrial Occupations.
Am I eligible to participate?
An Intern must be a foreign national:
 (1) Who is currently enrolled in and pursuing studies at a foreign degree- or certificate-granting post-secondary
academic institution outside the United States, or
 (2) Who has graduated from such an institution no more than 12 months prior to his or her exchange visitor
program start date.
How do I apply?
To participate in an Internship program, potential candidates must work with one of the Internship program designated
sponsors found at http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/.
Participants must have their English language proficiency evaluated or verified by a recognized English language test
(TOEFL, Cambridge, etc.), by signed documentation from an academic institution or English language school, or through
an in-person interview conducted by the sponsor, or by videoconference, or by webcam.
Program Evaluation Requirements
Midterm and Final Evaluations are required for internship programs that exceed six months. For programs with durations
of less than six months, a Final Evaluation is required. All evaluations must be received by the designated sponsor
organization before the end of the participant’s exchange program and must be signed by both the participant and his or
her immediate supervisor.
Positions in which Interns Cannot Work
Interns cannot work in unskilled or casual labor positions, in positions that require or involve child care or elder care, or in
any kind of position that involves medical patient care or contact. Nor can interns work in positions that require more than
20 per cent clerical or office support work.
Complete intern category regulations: [22 CFR 62.22]
More information may be found at http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/common-questions/

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Exchange Visitor Summer Work Travel Program

Possible Summer Work Travel Jobs

Positions in which Summer Work Travel Participants Cannot Work

Designated Sponsor Requirements

More detailed information may be found at http://j1visa.state.gov/programs/summer-work-travel

The State Department allows internships in the following occupational categories:

 Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

An Intern must be a foreign national:

Program Evaluation Requirements

Positions in which Interns Cannot Work

Complete intern category regulations: [22 CFR 62.22]

More information may be found at http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/common-questions/

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