J-1 Visas and Short-Term Workers

This article was published in Hotel Executive June 2025 and co-authored by Theodore Evert, Legal Assistant, Grzeca Law Group

The J-1 visa program, intended for exchange visitors, allows participants to temporarily engage in a variety of activities, including studying, receiving training, and acquiring certain skills while being paid to do so. The backbone of the J-1 program is cultural exchange, allowing individuals from around the world to come to the United States to share their culture, learn, and work.

The J-1 visa program allows primarily post-secondary students to broaden their educational opportunities while bolstering the success and workplace culture of your hotel through fresh perspectives and motivated talent. Through several different paths, employment options under the J-1 program includes both low-skill positions under the auspices of the “Summer Work Travel” program like room attendant, dining attendant, pool attendant, valet, or barback, as well as highly skilled management training programs. While a wide array of categories are available under the J-1 visa program, the most relevant to hotels include Interns, Trainees, and those participating in Summer Work Travel.

Interns and Trainees

The most common use of the J-1 program for international hotel companies is for Interns or Trainees. These positions are skilled positions, typically for those pursuing education in the field of hospitality management. J-1 Interns and Trainees usually participate in a Management Training Program or Management Development Program, with the intention for these individuals to return to their home country to work in a management capacity at an affiliated property abroad. These positions set the Interns and Trainees up for future success with the company abroad after completing the management training at the hotel in the U.S.

“Interns,” who are international post-secondary students or recent graduates between the ages of 18 and 25, are offered an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in your hotel as part of their study program under the J-1 program. Interns are able to engage in work related to their field of study to bolster their knowledge and skillset while adding to the culture of the hotel. Those who qualify for the J-1 internship must be enrolled in a post-secondary institution or have graduated within the past 12 months with a degree relating to hospitality, hotel management, or tourism. Such, internships typically last between 6 and 12 months.

The “Trainee” program is similar to the internship program with a few key differences. Trainees, who must be between the ages of 20 and 35, are typically more experienced than Interns. In addition, similar to Interns, Trainees must hold a degree or professional certificate from a foreign post-secondary academic institution or possess at least one year of prior work experience in the occupational field in which they will receive training. Alternatively, Trainees may qualify by possessing at least five years of work experience in the specified occupational field. It is important to note that the J-1 Trainee program is not designed for the individual to simply gain practical work experience, but to engage in bona fide occupational training. Finally, while the maximum program length for Trainees is 18 months, Trainees in the hospitality industry cannot be placed in the United States for more than 12 months.

A facet of the J-1 Internship and Trainee program that you should consider is the opportunity to expand your hotel’s brand recognition and global network. Hosting J-1 Interns and Trainees allows your hotel to create connections with international educational institutions, which could lead to future recruitment of other qualified, talented, and motivated workers. Some Interns and Trainees must also return to their home countries, which presents an additional opportunity to further bolster the hotel’s brand recognition and network through word-of-mouth advertising.

While the J-1 visa process is relatively straightforward when compared to other visa options, a detailed “training plan,” must be prepared and submitted to the Department of State (DOS) for approval. The training plan details the skills to be obtained, benchmarks for completion, oversight and supervision, and a list of cultural events and activities with which the Intern or Trainee must participate. These training plans are submitted to the DOS through a select group of pre-approved entities known as “umbrella organizations.”

While hotels are able to prepare and collect documents for the J-1 process on their own, many of our clients have utilized our firm’s services to assist with training plans and guide both the hotel and the J-1 applicant through the process, as well as evaluating and advising on any potential immigration issues. Existing relationships with umbrella organizations allow for expedient processing of documents to get Interns and Trainees to the United States quickly.

Summer Work Travel

An alternative to the preparation of a training plan and background documentation associated with the more traditional Intern and Trainee program is the J-1 Summer Work Travel program. This program creates unique opportunities for foreign post-secondary students to travel to the United States, gain hands-on experience in the hospitality industry, and immerse themselves in American culture during their school breaks. Not only is this program designed to provide students with hands-on employment experience, but it also promotes cross-cultural exchange.

For many participants, this experience does not begin and end with earning money but includes the opportunity to create long-lasting experiences and form worldwide connections. In addition, the opportunity to work alongside American colleagues and engage with local communities can enhance their future career prospects, as they gain insight into the global job market. Furthermore, for hotels within a global brand, these individuals may return to their home country and continue working within the brand with gained experience of the culture and practices of the company.

While the traditional J-1 visa is used more typically for skilled positions, the Summer Work Travel program differs in that it allows for employment in unskilled positions. These positions can include things like room attendants, pool attendants, dining attendants, spa attendants, valet attendants, concessions workers, lifeguards, and barbacks. Another distinction is that the position offered to J-1 employees under the Summer Work Travel program is that the position they are placed in does not need to match their field of study, meaning that these positions are much more flexible.

Utilizing J-1 Summer Work Travel is a great way to ensure proper staffing levels during your peak season in most regions. The Summer Work Travel program has a maximum length of four months, meaning that in traditional summer break scenarios, you are able to employ these individuals from Memorial Day to Labor Day, providing your guests with prompt, professional, and welcoming service during these peak months. While most countries’ school breaks occur during the summer months, that is not always the case, allowing flexibility of this program to ensure proper staffing for your hotel. Argentina, for instance, has a school break season from December 1 through April 1. Malaysia, on the other hand, has a school break season from November 25 through March 15. For hotels that experience busy seasons during the winter months, such as hotels associated with ski resorts, this can be highly beneficial.

Utilizing the J-1 Summer Work Travel can be a great alternative to the H-2B visa program if your hotel has a shorter peak season. As mentioned, the validity period for J-1 Summer Work Travel visa is four months, while the H-2B visa program can be valid for up to nine months per year. If your need for temporary staffing does not extend to nine months, it may be prudent to consider J-1 Summer Work Travel over the H-2B program. Functionally, the H-2B visa process includes four separate application steps and the recruitment of U.S. workers, while the J-1 only involves a one-step visa process at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. Furthermore, the H-2B program is based on a specific position being offered, whereas that restriction does not exist with the J-1 Summer Work Travel program.

Thus, Summer Work Travel J-1s can be highly beneficial to your hotel. The support provided by Summer Work Travel workers during peak seasons allows you to maintain a high level of customer service and productivity without the strain of having to recruit U.S. workers for temporary positions. By hiring international students, you can access a pool of motivated and hard-working individuals who are eager to gain experience in the U.S. job market. In addition, hosting international students can add diversity to the workplace and provide American employees with the opportunity to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds. This diversity can help improve the workplace environment, foster teamwork, and introduce fresh perspectives.

Conclusion

The J-1 program is short-term and dynamic, which lends well to the fluctuating needs of the hospitality industry. Whether your hotel is looking to develop the next generation of leaders within the hospitality industry or ensuring coverage of staffing needs during your peak season, the J-1 program has something to offer. While employing foreign workers can seem like a daunting process, the J-1 program, and particularly the Summer Work Travel program, can be a great place to start if you are looking to diversify your workforce and bring new perspectives to your hotel.

Sponsoring J-1 employees can bring motivated, talented, and qualified individuals to your hotel who are looking to gain priceless experiences while furthering their career goals and bolstering the success of your hotel through expanded workforce diversity and fresh perspectives. If you are interested in knowing more about the J-1 program, our office is happy to answer questions you may have about sponsoring these individuals.