The State Department has announced some much-awaited changes to the Summer Work Travel Program, made after a review process stemming from revelations that some international students had been exploited during their participation.

“In recent years, the work component of the Summer Work Travel Program has too often overshadowed the core cultural component,” said the State Department’s announcement of the new rules.  ”In addition, there have been complaints regarding job placements, work conditions, and participant accommodations.”
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You might remember that late last year the State Department ordered a thorough review of its J-1 Summer Work Travel program.  An Associated Press investigation had shown that some businesses have exploited students on J-1 visas, and this past summer the New York Times followed the story of J-1 workers at a Hershey warehouse who walked off the job to protest their working conditions.

Well, according to the AP, the State Department is about to announce some big changes in the program.
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Daranita is a student in Cambodia, where she is majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Business Management. This summer she came on a short exchange program to San Francisco to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation, and shares this story about her experience visiting some of the most famous companies in America.

After three years in high school, and two years in university, I have realized that there is no limitation of choosing my path in life. Everyone is being brought to the world with unique talents, which for me include my strong determination to be part of development for the community where I was born and raised.

This summer, I was selected to go to San Francisco with a group of students from different universities in Cambodia for a program focused on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, which fit with my major of Business Management and focused that determination.

The selection process was very tough because most of the students were from the top universities, but I was a shortlisted candidate last year, so I had a good chance for this year. The toughest thing for me was the visa interview with the U.S. Embassy, because we could encounter the failure anytime if we didn’t have enough documents for proof.

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This post is by VOA intern Matthew Kupfer, and was originally written in Russian for our sister blog, Альма-матер.  Matthew says, “although my post is written with a Russian-speaking audience in mind, the topic should be relevant to most everyone because the Work and Travel program is open to students from around the world.”

Photo: AP

When I studied in St. Petersburg as part of an intensive Russian language program, I often talked with Russian students, who shared their plans and dreams with me. Among the most popular themes of these intimate conversations were student exchanges in the U.S.—especially Work and Travel.

Work and Travel is a program that allows foreign students to come to the U.S. to work and simultaneously plunge into American culture for up to five months. A typical student who participates in this program spends the first few months working, and then can spend time traveling in America if he or she so chooses.

To participate in this program, you are required to apply through a U.S. Government-approved sponsoring organization—such as CIEE, CetUSA or Intrax. These sponsors sometimes help participants find work, but not always. If the employer does not help the participants find housing, he or she ultimately must do it themselves.

The sponsoring organizations’ websites advertise Work and Travel as an unforgettable adventure—not just an opportunity to spend the summer in sunny America, but also to interact with Americans and master the English language. But the summer doesn’t always turn out the way it is advertised. From hearing the stories of former participants, it’s clear to me that many have had great experiences on Work and Travel. But I have also found that there are a sizable number of students who have experienced real difficulties in finding housing and jobs while in America. Many had to borrow money from relatives to afford plane tickets and other necessary expenses, and found returning this money not to be so easy. Furthermore, not everyone’s summer consisted of recreation, travel, and sightseeing. For many, this vacation turned out to be hard work and stress.

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The J-1 visa is a temporary exchange visa (more information on the State Department’s J-1 website), and it’s very commonly used for students to come to the U.S. in the summer to work and travel. The Irish Voice put together a list of tips for Irish students taking advantage of these exchanges….but the advice is relevant to anyone coming to the U.S. on a J-1 visa (or any student visa).

The two that stood out to me:

1) Beware of Internet scams

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m thrilled that their advice for avoiding scams is to…do your research! Be wary of anyone who asks you to pay money online for accommodations, or anything else, and do some simple looking around to make sure they’re legit.

2) Reach out to your contacts

Reach out to every person you know already living in your destination. It could be family, friends or a long lost cousin, it doesn’t matter who. Just send them an email or drop them a phone call them and let them know you are looking for a job and accommodation.

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The State Department today launched a new website dedicated to providing information on J-1 visas.  J-1 visas apply to exchange programs and must be sponsored through an established exchange visitor program.  They’re used in many different scenarios, but one common one is for summer work travel programs in the U.S.

If you’re confused about all the types of visas, take a look at this previous post, which explained a bit about the difference between F-1, M-1 and J-1 visas.

You may remember that the J-1 visa program gave us one entry in our unfortunately long list of cautionary tales, so if you’re planning to come to the U.S. on a J-1, make sure you do your research.  This new website, and the State Department’s pre-existing site, travel.state.gov, are good places to start.

Are you in the U.S. this summer on a J-1 visa? Tell us how it’s been so far in the comments or by emailing jstahl@voanews.com

The Associated Press investigates how some businesses take advantage of college students who come to the U.S. on J-1 temporary visas.  They find some truly horrifying stories of students who have ended up living in homeless shelters or ended up working in strip clubs.  It’s a cautionary tale that should remind you, as we’ve said before, (whether it’s about financial aid or private recruiters or J-1 visa offers) ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH.

[What's a J-1 visa?]

What type of visa will you need to come study in the U.S.?  How do you apply for each type of visa, and what are the restrictions associated with it?  Fulbright Belgium explains in this useful video.

Click “Read the rest of this entry” to see the video.  Nareg talked about his experience applying for a student visa at the U.S. embassy in Armenia in an earlier post.

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