The are only a few requirements that a US business has to meet in order to hire a J1 visa student, participating in Work and Travel program.

And there are much more myths, which we'll dispel.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Qualifying jobs.  The list of seasonal positions you can cover with foreign J1 students is extensive. Please click the link below the article for a detailed list of job categories*. Only a few job types are restricted for Work And Travel students: childcare, medical/patient care, domestic work (such as a housekeeper in a family’s home), camp counselors, flight attendants, and any job that jeopardizes the student’s well-being and/or safety.

2. Working hours. Employers have to meet the minimum number of hours per week indicated in the employment agreement form. Usually students are looking for a minimum of 32-35 hours/week and are happy to work overtime. There is no requirement as to working schedule. It can be flexible,including weekends.

3. Hourly wage. You must pay international staff adhering to State and Federal Minimum Wage laws. The minimum hourly wage has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009, for employees covered by federal minimum wage provisions. For workers receiving tips, employers are only required to pay a minimum direct wage rate of $2.13 per hour, "if that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips," according to an article by the federal Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act adviser. More information about wages here.

MYTHS:

Myth 1) Employers need to pay a lot of money to bring international students Hiring international j1 visa students is free. You only pay students wages.

Myth 2) Employers have to provide students with housing Students are required to have their own housing arrangements before arriving to USA. However any paid or unpaid housing option makes your job more attractive for a bigger number of potential candidates, which means bigger choice of students for you.

Myth 3) Employers have to pay students transportation costs Students are responsible for paying their own transportation costs to and from USA, to and from workplace.

Myth 4) Employers need to have at least 25 employees on payroll This requirement is only true to Internship program, where students are coming for a year to cross train in different departments. J1 visa students, participating in Work&Travel USA program are coming for maximum of 4 months, 3 times a year to work full time at any entry level job. There is NO "minimum employee number" requirement for employers hiring these students.

Myth 5) Employers need to sponsor students' J1 visas J1 visa students, participating in Work&Travel program are coming to USA already sponsored by a special organization, called program sponsor, responsible for monitoring students status in USA. program sponsor does NOT provide students' employment.

Begin hiring best foreign students now!

Why wait? You can start choosing best candidates for your business up to 6 months before they start working. We are already placing students for 2012 season! J1 visa students start applying to the Work and Travel program 7-9 months before their actual arrival date, so we recommend to make an approximation of how many positions you will need and start considering resumes. Contact Wollt Recruiting to provide job description by email, skype or phone call, or post your job now and we'll start sending you resumes with photos of appropriate candidates, willing to take the position. You will consider candidates. Selected ones will call you to be interviewed. And that's it! On agreed date j1 students arrive with all legal documentation and start working!

*Detailed list of job categories

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