Introduction to Work and Travel USA 2011

Work & Travel USA is as an exchange visitor program that gives you the opportunity to work and travel in the United States. As a participant, you will experience life in the US as more than a tourist. Share your own traditions and culture with the American people and other international students!

Global Choices Services:

• Once you are accepted, we will provide you with the documents needed to obtain J1 visa;
• We guarantee one job offer, which generally includes an affordable housing;
• You will get further information about the Work & Travel program and living and working in the U.S.

Summary of Conditions

1. Type of job: Entry-level jobs in hospitality industry.
2. Salary (other benefits): $5.15-$10 depending on the position. Minimum wage of $5.15 per hour is paid in non-tipped positions.
3. Accommodation: Available at average of $75 to 125 per week. We find reasonably priced housing for most participants.
4. Location of job placement: USA, various locations.
5. Duration of the placement: 3 – 4 months during your university vacation, after which you are allowed to travel up to 1 month within the US.
6. When to apply? 3 months before the planned start date, but to ensure successful and timely placement process we advise students to apply between September and January.
7. Eligibility. Who can apply? All applicants must be 18-24 years old.
8. Visa: Required J-1 visa.
9. Program cost:
   • A registration fee of $90 paid with the application form, which is part of the programme fee.
   • The programme fee, which depends on the date we receive your application. Applying early pays! Please check Program Cost section for details.
10. Cancellation: The booking fee part of $90 is non-refundable. Check program cost and refunds policy.

APPLY for the program & BOOK online!

Work placement details

During the summer, you will work side by side with other students at entry-level jobs. It allows you to earn a little money and, at the same time, save some living and travel expenses during your stay. After finishing your job, you have an optional travel period to sightsee and further explore the American landscape.

Check job positions available for 2010/2011.

Type of Job

Our program has a number of job positions available, usually in the following industries:

• Amusement parks;
• Food and beverage retail concessions;
• Retail stores/shops in tourist towns;
• National parks;
• Ski resorts.

The positions that are generally available include:

• Lifeguards;
• Housekeeping/maids;
• Amusement park/national park/ski resort crewmembers. May include ride operating, ticket taking, food service, etc.;
• Painters;
• Landscaping;
• Janitors.

We are looking to place each participant in a job or position based upon their interest and skills. However, it is very important that you are flexible about the type of work you will be doing.

There are certain restrictions as to what you can do. You may not be employed as a domestic employee in US households or in a position that requires you to invest own money in inventory for the purpose of door-to-door sales.

Job Locations

Most of the jobs are located throughout the United States in resort areas, not in city centres. This does not mean that there are no interesting people or that there is nothing to do. You will be with people from the US and with other international students. Instead of focusing on nightlife and parties in your free time, you can explore local areas of natural beauty and tourist attractions.

Duration of employment / work commitment

The Work & Travel USA program allows you to work up to 4 months during your university vacation. After that you are allowed to travel up to 1 month within the US. You must be available for work for at least 3 months in order to participate in our program. We need to know the start and end dates you are available to work. These dates will determine which jobs are available for you (see Job Description Document).

Pay

The salary you will get should cover the cost of living and enable you to save some extra money (to help reduce travel expenses). With a Global Choices job, you can generally expect a 6-8 hour workday and a 5-6 day workweek. That means you will probably be working 35-40 hours a week. You can expect to receive the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour in non-tipped positions and at least $2.13 per hour in tipped positions.

Our partners in the USA take great care to make sure that all job offers provide a fair wage in relation to the cost of living in the area. Applicants should also keep in mind that most jobs depend on tourist activity. Employees are generally paid every two weeks. Depending on when you start your job, you may not receive your first pay within the first 3-4 weeks. We recommend having at least $600-700 USD of savings more than the cost of travel to jour job, first month’s rent, and a security deposit for housing.

Please remember that the goal of the Global Choices Work & Travel program is to provide a cultural exchange. The knowledge and experiences that you gain from this program will be the result of your own efforts and enthusiasm. Your summer will be what you make of it – so make it great!