Employment on J1

[gems]

Hi,

A friend of mine is here on J1 visa and is doing an internship with a company. She also wants to do a part-time job on weekends on a store. Can she work at a store on J1?

Thanks,

gems

 

[hadron]

No

No,
she is limited to employment directly connected with the J1 sponsorship related activities.(if your J1 is for camp counselor, you can only work in the camp. If J1 is for crab-fishing in alaska, you can only fish crab, not haddock)

 

[aKalingan]

Hi

I am surprised to see that a company has sponsored J-1 Visa. Usually it is the Universities and National educational and research Institutions which are authorised to issue J-1 Visa.

Anyway, please make sure you do not work anywhere else even on hourly basis.
Thanks for highlighting my knowledge
Kalingan

 

[hadron]

Elaborate construct

> I am surprised to see that a company has sponsored J-1 Visa.

You are right. Companies themselves are not able to sponsor J1.

But there are organizations with lofty names such as the 'trans atlantic chamber of commerce' that are qualified by DOS as J1 sponsors. They will sponsor people for 'internships' to foster the international exchange blablabla. (incidentally some of these organizations charge a hefty fee for their sponsorship).

Just an example http://evp.aiesecus.org/

The 'intern' gets paid a 'stipend' (not salary) for the time they spend with the company. But employment is clearly limited to the internship you got sponsored for. I am sure that most of this deal is legit, but sometimes I do wonder (how can you sell a summer job in an Alaskan fish cannery as educational experience ?)