Frequently Asked Questions
We highly recommend the application be submitted at least three months or earlier before the desired start date in order to ensure we hire the best candidates for your exact need. The earlier you make your request, the more choice you will have in who comes to work for you.
Workers must be paid the prevailing wage for the position, and it must be the same as the wage paid to U.S. workers in comparable positions.
No. It is a free service for our host companies.
J-1 Work & Travel Program Participants pay all relevant federal, state and local taxes. However you will save in administrative costs because all the J-1 Work & Travel program participants are “EXEMPT” from Social Security (FICA), Medicare and Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA). AAG also works with a preferred tax service provider for all of our program participants, as they are generally able to get back nearly all of the taxes paid once they file their tax return.
No, your company is not responsible for accommodations, meals or transportation for the participants. They are the responsibility of the program participants. However, the more attractive your offerings (a free meal, company carpool, or available housing) the more students will want to work for you and the more successful the program experience will be overall. Many companies also arrange housing for the participants and pass along the charge; this can be a powerful incentive to some of the best students to come work for you.
No. AAG does not have the ability to grant visas, but we try to work closely with embassies in the countries from which we are recruiting to establish good relations. We watch visa denial rates in our countries very closely and report visa denials to our host companies as quickly as possible. We adjust our recruitment each year according to the visa success rate around the world.
Interviewing candidates in person is possible at AAG recruitment fairs depending on the size of your request of workers. We are also able to help arrange phone or skype interviews when needed, or we can have AAG staff interview on your behalf.
The State Department J-1 Work Travel Program is an Exchange Visitor Program designed to achieve the educational objectives of international and cultural exchange by involving young adults in the daily life of the host country through temporary employment opportunities and to return home to share their experiences. The program also aims to encourage Americans to participate in the educational and cultural programs in other countries. Today's global markets require international work experience, and the value added by working in the USA is immeasurable to students from overseas.
Work & Travel Participants will receive the federal minimum wage set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Employers of "tipped employees" must pay a cash wage of at least $2.13/hr if they claim a tip credit against their minimum wage obligation. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's cash wage of at least $2.13/hr do not equal the minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference. All of our Work & Travel Program participants employed need to be paid the equivalent of their American counterparts.
Participants may not be employed as domestic employees in U.S. households or in positions that require them to invest their own money to provide themselves with inventory for the purpose of door- to-door sales.
