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Employment is any type of work performed or services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, or for any other benefit. If you receive no pay or other compensation for work performed, the activity is not defined as employment but is considered to be volunteer work.

Student Employment

J-1 student employment is limited to 20 hours per week except during school breaks and your annual vacation. Your J-1 responsible officer can approve student employment for up to one year at a time.

Type 1: Employment required by a scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship. 

This kind of work usually occurs on campus, with the school as the employer. In certain circumstances, however, the work can be done elsewhere for a different employer. You could work in a government or private research laboratory, for example, if your major professor has a joint appointment there and supervises you in work that counts toward your degree.

Type 2: On-campus jobs unrelated to study. 

​The regulations allow for jobs on campus that are unrelated to study, and they stipulate only that the work be done "on the premises" of the school. This means the school does not have to be the employer and you can work for a commercial company, such as a food service, that operates on your campus. To request on-campus employment authorization see the On-Campus Employment Request Form (available through the MyISSS Portal).

Type 3: Off-campus jobs.

These are jobs that are "necessary because of serious, urgent, and unforeseen economic circumstances" that have arisen since your arrival in the United States as an exchange visitor, or since your change, inside the country, to J-1 status. Please be sure to see your responsible officer if you want to begin employment in any of these categories. You must get authorization from your responsible officer before you begin any type of employment.

Academic Training

Immigration regulations allow for the authorization of paid or unpaid training, work, or internships directly related to a J-1 student’s major field of study as indicated on the DS-2019, when appropriate, provided authorization is received from International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) for each employer and activity in advance of engaging in the activity, and maximum participation time limits are not exceeded [22 C.F.R. § 62.23 (f)].

• If the Â鶹ÊÓƵ is not the sponsor of the J-1 student’s visa, then the J-1 student must contact their J-1 program sponsor (e.g. Fulbright, LASPAU, etc.) directly for academic training authorization procedures

For advice and for further information, review our Academic Training handout and see an ISSS advisor.

You may also refer prospective employers to the Employer's Guide to Hiring International Students.

A note of caution

As a J-1 student you are eligible for a variety of work opportunities in the United States, but employment without proper authorization is a serious violation of your status. Remember that before you start any kind of employment, you must first consult your J-1 responsible officer, whose written approval is necessary in advance.