Work and Travel USA.
A guide to eligible jobs and non-eligible jobs
Getting your Job approved
CIEE must approve any job before you get hired in the system. We want to make sure you are protected and have a positive work experience!
To get a job you find on your own approved by CIEE, you must ask your host employer to provide job details such as contact information and physical address, wage per hour, job start and end dates and housing cost. You will add this information to your application in your online Beacon account.
Once we have this information, the team at CIEE will review.
If the job details meet the requirements, they will then reach out to your US Host with further details.
If the job details do not meet the requirements, the placement will be cancelled and our team will inform you within 2 working days.
CIEE Job Guidelines
- Jobs must meet the rules, regulations, and intent of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, which focuses on cultural exchange.
- CIEE cannot approve a job if there are questions about your safety and well-being, or if the job prevents you from having a meaningful cultural exchange experience.
- You must be able to balance your work responsibilities with time spent exploring the local community, learning about the United States, and getting to know Americans.
- You may only work for employers whose staffing needs are seasonal or temporary in nature.
- Your job must be at least 32 hours/ week. Anything less than this is considered part time and is not allowed.
- Your job must pay a salary that meets minimum wage regulation in their State - you can see guidance on these at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
- Jobs in pharmacies and retail outlets that administer prescription/ controlled drugs may be subject to greater scrutiny and may be denied
Most Common type of job in the USA for Summer Work and Travel
Most students work at hotels, restaurants, amusement and theme parks, ski resorts (non Northern Hemisphere applicants only), national parks, or retail stores.
A Summer Work and Travel USA job must be at least 32 hours/ week and be paid at least the minimum wage in the State.
A guide to Jobs we can not allow
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Jobs that are filled by a different type of J-1 visa (camp counselors, interns, etc.)
Jobs obtained through staffing or employment agencies
Jobs designated by the U.S. Department of Labor as “hazardous to youth”
Jobs where students are hired independent contractors (using 1099 forms)
Jobs where students works the majority of their hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Sales jobs that require students to invest their own money to pre-purchase inventory
Jobs that are mostly commission-based and thus do not guarantee minimum wage
Jobs with exposure to dangerous chemicals (such as pesticides)
Jobs that require a professional license
Jobs that displace U.S. workers
Jobs with employers who have experienced layoffs within the last 120 days
Jobs with employers who have workers on strike or lockout
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Domestic help positions in private U.S. households, such as au pair, servant, gardener, or chauffeur
Modeling or jobs in the adult entertainment industry
Jobs on casino gaming floors
Jobs in warehouses, factories/manufacturing, moving companies, or catalog/online distribution centers
Jobs in the fisheries industry
Jobs at mall kiosks or carts
Jobs as operators or drivers of vehicles or vessels for which drivers’ licenses are required
Operators of pedicabs, rolling chairs, other passenger carrying vehicles for hire, and/or vehicles requiring a commercial driver’s license
Farm or ranch jobs
Jobs with traveling carnivals / concessions
Jobs providing clinical care, medical services or involving patient contact, hands-on therapy, counseling, administering treatment or making diagnoses of medical, psychiatric or psychological patients, or veterinary work involving hands-on care
Jobs as ship or aircraft crew members or as pilots, except as crew members on ships that travel only within domestic U.S. waters
Jobs as teachers, teaching assistants, or coaches
Jobs entailing sustained physical contact with customers, such as, body piercing, tattoo parlor work, or massage)
Jobs with domestic cleaning companies