Salisbury University students on campus

Employment Options

Exchange Visitors may engage in certain forms of employment, depending on category. Please view each category for specific information.

Student Employment

Students may engage in two kinds of employment: (1) academic training related to the course of study, and (2) other employment related to academic funding, on-campus work, or economic necessity. Each kind of employment has its own criteria and limits.

A J-1 college or university student may engage in part-time employment other than academic training when the employment meets certain criteria, and the student meets certain conditions.

J student employment can be authorized by the RO/ARO for the following types of employment:

  • Employment pursuant to the terms of a scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship; or
  • Employment that occurs on the premises of the post-secondary accredited educational institution the visitor is authorized to attend; or
  • Employment that occurs off-campus, which is necessary because of serious, urgent, and unforeseen economic circumstances that have arisen since acquiring exchange visitor status.

The RO/ARO must authorize the student employment in advance, before the employment begins. Authorization can be granted in periods of up to 12 months at a time, although sponsors are free to grant authorization for shorter periods.

Students in good standing are eligible for on-campus employment authorization. Employment is limited to 20 hours a week except for official school breaks and the student's annual vacation, when it may be full-time. Like all employment in J-1 student status, on-campus employment must be authorized in advance by the RO/ARO of the program that issued the DS-2019.

The RO or ARO must approve the student employment before it begins. If the student's DS-2019 was issued by a sponsor other than the school (a sponsoring agency), the sponsoring agency's RO/ARO must provide the required employment authorization.

To request employment authorization, please fill out the J-1 Employment Request Form.

Short-Term Scholar Employment

A short-term scholar is permitted to participate in activities stated on his or her Form DS-2019. The primary site of activity and additional sites of activity must be reflected in SEVIS

Short-Term Scholars may also engage in activities that constitute occasional lectures or consultations, with prior written authorization from the RO/ARO, following the same general procedures as are used for Professors and Research Scholars. The occasional lectures or short-term consultations must:

  • Be directly related to the objectives of the exchange visitor's program;

  • Be incidental to the exchange visitor's primary program activities;

  • Not delay the completion date of the visitor's program; and

  • Be documented in SEVIS.

  • If wages or other remuneration are involved the exchange visitor must present to the RO or ARO:
    • A letter from the offer or setting forth the terms and conditions of the offer to lecture or consult including the duration, number of hours, field or subject, amount of compensation, and description of such activity; and
    • A letter from his or her department head or supervisor recommending such activity and explaining how it would enhance the exchange visitor's program.

The Exchange Visitors must follow any existing regulations for signing contracts, filling out I-9 forms etc., and are responsible for any tax payments.

To request authorization for additional employment, please fill out the J-1 Additional Employment Request Form.

Professor Employment

Professors or Research Scholars are permitted to work as described on the Form DS-2019 and may accept additional employment as authorized by the sponsor in accordance with the regulations.

Professors may also engage in activities that constitute occasional lectures or consultations, with prior written authorization from the RO/ARO. The occasional lectures or short-term consultations must:

  • Be directly related to the objectives of the exchange visitor's program;

  • Be incidental to the exchange visitor's primary program activities;

  • Not delay the completion date of the visitor's program; and

  • Be documented in SEVIS.

  • If wages or other remuneration are involved the Exchange Visitor must present to the RO or ARO:
    • A letter from the offer or setting forth the terms and conditions of the offer to lecture or consult including the duration, number of hours, field or subject, amount of compensation, and description of such activity; and
    • A letter from his or her department head or supervisor recommending such activity and explaining how it would enhance the exchange visitor's program.

The Exchange Visitors must follow any existing regulations for signing contracts, filling out I-9 forms etc., and are responsible for any tax payments.

To request authorization for additional employment, please fill out the J-1 Additional Employment Request Form.