Program Details
Welcome to Blends Travel Work & Travel USA Program! Without a doubt, this is one of the greatest ways to discover the United States. As you will see, there are so many places to see and to visit in our great country!
The USA Work & Travel Program offers overseas university exchange students a challenging opportunity to intimately experience life and culture in the U.S. during their summer holiday period.
Work & Travel USA provides international university students the chance to work at entry-level, seasonal jobs in the United States for up to 4 months on a J-1 Visa. Participants are entitled to work, earn money and travel at the end of the work assignment. By working at a summer or winter job, you’ll have the chance to experience the U.S. as more than just a tourist and to share your own traditions and cultures with U.S. citizens and other participating students from around the world.
The program provides: J-1 visa documentation of Complete orientation Student Program Handbook and supervision.
The Program does NOT include: Visa application fees at the U.S. Consulate/Embassy SEVIS fee, Round trip airfare to the U.S. Airport transfers Transportation expenses, Any daily living expenses including rent, utilities, furnishings, meals etc. Any expenses at the place of employment. It is advisable that you have enough money to cover a month or two expense with you to cover the period before your fist paycheck.
PROGRAM DURATION DATES
You can enroll in the program during the period that coincides with your official summer holiday in your home country.
SUMMER
Northern Hemisphere: May - October
WINTER
Southern Hemisphere: November - April
TYPES OF J1 VISA JOBS AND LOCATIONS
Placement areas:
Paid positions are available in: amusement parks, food and beverage retail concessions, retail stores/shops in tourist towns, hotels, ski resorts, national parks and many others.
Types of jobs include but are not limited to:
Ski Lift operator, Hotel desk clerks, Lifeguards, Park services, Cooks, Dining room attendants, Game attendants, Fast food workers, Housekeeping, Kitchen Help, Ride Operators, Retail Staff, Dish washing, Counter Staff, Wait Staff, Maintenance, etc.
Locations:
Positions are available throughout the USA, mainly in big resort areas.
ELIGIBILITY
Work & Travel USA participants must be:
18 to 28 years old At least an intermediate level of English Full-time university student at an institution in your native country (not in final year of studies - proof required) Flexible, open-minded and hardworking
WHAT YOU GET
Guaranteed work placement secured prior to arrival. Hourly wage of at least $7 or more depending on the employer, an hour Paperwork coordination: J-1 Visa documentation. Health/Travel insurance Pre-departure orientation in your country Housing assistance 24 hours a day/7 days a week personal support An emergency assistance telephone number A month to travel in the USA after completion of your job Access to tax refund services that will assist you in filing your taxes and help you in reclaiming any portion of the taxes paid in the U.S. that are due to you.
HOW TO APPLY
Once you have received your application forms please fill in and send them to Blends Travel partner agency in your country including any supporting documents. Incomplete and poorly presented applications generally take longer to process and will result in delays to your program.
Please send to Blends Travel or your country`s representative, the original plus one copy of your completed application.
We strongly recommend you keep a copy for your own reference.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
A completed application form with signed terms and conditions. If you are under 21, your guardian's or parent's signature must appear on application An original letter of references in English Resume or CV Proof of student status form -must be filled and sealed or stamped by university. A university letter which includes the same information as on the form is also acceptable. A job offer (J1 job for self-arranged participants only) Copy of passport Copies of previous US visas (if applicable) 2 passport size photos
SELF - ARRANGED JOBS
Applicants who have arranged their own jobs in the United States must submit a written offer of employment to Blends Travel. An official employment offer must be on company letterhead and must clearly state the following: Company name, contact address phone number and fax number Contact name and e-mail Job start and end date Pay rate Housing description
Blends Travel will contact all self-arranged employers to confirm each job offer. Any falsified, forged, or fabricated job offers will be rejected without refund.
SEVIS
Participants must follow SEVIS regulations during their stay in the United States of America. SEVIS is the official abbreviation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. SEVIS has been set up by the U.S. government in an effort to keep track of all exchange visitors (J visas) and international foreign students (F & M visas) during their stay in the United States. SEVIS replaced an old manual, paper-driven procedure with an automated one in which real time, accurate information is updated and maintained through the use of a web-based application. SEVIS has also enabled schools and exchange program sponsors to transmit electronic information and event notifications via the internet, to the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State throughout exchange visitor's and the student's stay in the U.S.
All the J1 program sponsors must comply with SEVIS rules & regulations and keep all of exchange visitors' records up to date by U.S. law. Therefore, it is VERY IMPORTANT that the J1 Work/Travel and Trainee Program participants report us their arrival confirmation and U.S. home address within 7 days of their arrival in order for us to validate their program in SEVIS and to remain in contact with us for any changes in the program within 7 days of change. If a participant forgets this important requirement, he/she is going to be in danger of losing the program sponsorship and may have the program terminated.
At our program orientation sessions and through program applications, our participants are given precise details and instructions about SEVIS. Work and Travel programs are available in the countries like listed below;