Employment for J-1 Visitors

Exchange Visitor ProgramFor J-1 faculty scholars and researchers, permission to undertake employment outside the sponsoring program is granted only if the employment is incidental to the exchange visitor’s program activities and assignments. The Responsible Officer can authorize professors and research scholars to engage in occasional lectures, seminars or consultations at locations not indicated on Form DS-2019 if the activities are related to the objective(s) of the exchange visitor’s program participation.

Spouses and children of J-1 visa holders may work only with permission from the USCIS and must show evidence of financial need for the spouse and/or children alone. Employment will not be authorized if this income is needed to support the J-1 principal alien.

J-1 student employment is limited to 20 hours per week, except during semester breaks and vacation, unless authorized by the Responsible Officer of the CEVP. There are two types of employment authorizations available for students on the J-1 visa, student employment and academic training. The difference between the two is that student employment occurs on campus unless there is an economic necessity; and, academic training is related to the student’s field of study and in most cases occurs off campus and for a specified period.