A s students return to school, it’s time to begin planning for the next year, including the possibility to participate in the J-1 visa Summer Work Travel programme in the United States.

Q: What is the J-1 visa Summer Work Travel programme?

A: The Summer Work Travel programme provides foreign students with an opportunity to live and work in the United States during their summer vacations, and to experience the way of life in the United States. The programme affords full-time university students the opportunity to accept a summer job in the United States and participate in cultural exchange.

Q: What are the student requirements? Are first-year students eligible for the programme? Are final-year students eligible?

A: All participants must be bona fide post-secondary students, have completed at least one semester, enrolled full time, and pursuing a degree from an accredited post-secondary academic institution.

Yes, first-year students and final-year students are eligible for the programme. A student must be in good academic standing and either graduating or returning to a post-secondary academic institution upon completion of the programme.

Q: How long is the programme and when can I travel?

A: The dates depend on the sponsor and when the sponsor needs workers to arrive and end their time at their summer work. It is common for students to arrive in early June and depart in late August or early September. The maximum length of time allowed is limited to the length of the summer between academic years at the school the student attends, or a maximum of four months.

Q: Some of my friends said they loved it, but some others said the experience wasn’t what they thought it would be.

A: Thousands of programme participants from Jamaica travel to the United States each year, so it’s no surprise that there are mixed accounts of the J-1 experience. We’ve found that the applicants who have the best experiences in this programme are those students who are well informed. Here are a few observations that all applicants should keep in mind:

The J-1 programme does not require a local agency in Jamaica, and interested students do not have to pay local agency fees. There are designated J-1 sponsors in the United States that help students fulfil programme requirements prior to departure, such as finding a job, arranging visa paperwork, and enrolling in insurance. Students must have a US sponsor organisation before they can apply for the visa, and a list of approved sponsors can be found here: j1visa.state.gov/programs/summer-work-travel/

Any company that is not on this list is not an official sponsor, including Jamaican companies who say they can get you a J-1 visa – these companies may charge increased fees to do the legwork that students can do themselves.

The jobs are typical American university student summer employment jobs. Most participants work in non-skilled service positions at resorts, hotels, restaurants, and amusement parks. Some J-1 sponsors offer positions as an au pair or camp counsellor.

Q: I am interested in applying for Summer Work Travel for 2020! What should I do?

A: For further information, visit the US Department of State’s J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program for College and University Students at j1visa.state.gov/programs/college-and-university-student/

You can find more information about how to travel to the U.S. on our website, jm.usembassy.gov Keep on top of Embassy news on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pages/US-Embassy-Jamaica and by following @USEmbassyJA on Twitter. We also answer general visa questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.