found a seasonal job, how do i get visa

[ikibin 0]

Hi,

I am from Turkey. I am about to complete my first year at university. I have already been to the states on tourist visa twice, and its valid for 9 more years. I am not planning to migrate but i decided to do a seasonal job for the experience. I applied to a zoo in Minnesota online, got an interview, and the employer decided to hire me, but we are not sure about how to get the working visa. The work and travel sponsors ask for lots of cash and i already have an employer and a place to stay.

Does anybody know the options?

Thanks!

[Unlockable 7,314]

Welcome to the forum.

Is this a paid job or internship?

What will need to happen is the company or organization (in your case the zoo) must file the paperwork for a work visa for you. This is usually done by the org's lawyer. They file and pay the fees. The only thing you would do is provide the zoo with your personal information.

Remeber, you cannot work on a visitor visa. It is against the law. So you must have a work visa to come here and work that job.

Your next step is to have the zoo investigate the immigration requirements, fees, and application. The zoo must show that there are not able to find an American citizen for your job and need to migrate you here for the task.

Why is a travel sponsor asking you for money when you nor they will not be the one's filing the application?

[ikibin 0]

thanks for the answer, it is paid.
No worries, i am not looking forward to work illegally.
For work and travel visas, the agencies here ask about 700 - 800 dollars. They say it is for for application fees, health insurance and emergency contact. Is it a good deal?

Last week the employer said he was gonna look into it and inform me this Monday. I would not want them to change their minds for the fees.

[Unlockable 7,314]

ok, now I'm skeptical about this travel sponsor.

What application fees? You nor the sponsor will not be the ones filing the application for the work visa.The zoo will.

What insurance? Health insurance? Most US jobs (especially ones working with live animals) will offer you insurance. Or you can obtain your own private insurance.

Emergency contact? They need to be paid hundreds of dollars to have a close relative's name and address on file in case something happens to you?

If you have a job offer then the employer, the zoo, will be doing most of the leg work. I could be wrong but the last I heard was that work visas cost a company from $4,000 - $6,000.

Edited May 8, 2016 by NuestraUnion

[aleful 1,905]

hi

do not pay anything, everything should be paid by the employer

[ikibin 0]

I am to be working with visitors and kids rather than the animals, I thought they did not have enough applications so they considered hiring a foreign who is just qualified enough, but the employer did not know how the process works and how costly it is, so i suppose I am getting a negative e-mail tomorrow.

Somehow, I did a little google research and according to this website the employer wouldn't have to pay extra fees with J1 visa: https://www.interexchange.org/work-travel-usa/hire-j-1-visa-international-staff/hiring-international-students-program-overview/

I am now wondering if I should suggest this program to them and lower the costs to 700 - 800 from thousands.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

For a summer job for a college kid, yes, J1 visa is the visa for you. It is possible for college age people to come for the summers here and work at tourist attractions and things like that. I am not sure how it works, or who pays, though, and as I recall, the employer has to be set up as J-1 suitable somehow but my memory could fail me. Good questions for the agency that you found. Sounds like the zoo is not really ready to hire a foreign worker. Hopefully they can get ready. Good luck.

Edit: the website you found has a self-placement option for an employer who already knows who they want to hire. That sounds like the thing for you.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Harpa Timsah

[Unlockable 7,314]

Yes, let the employer investigate. Don't pay for anything.

J1 is an option.

[jan22 3,056]

What you are describing is a J1 visa program called "Summer Work Travel" (SWT). It is designed specifically for university students to come to the US and work for the summer and then return to their university studies at home. Contrary to other kinds of work visas where posters are saying you should not have to pay anything for a work visa, the SWT usually does have processing fees that the applicants need to pay to the program sponsors who are the organizations/entities that ensure you find a job, have housing, and meet all of the other requirements of the program.

Take a look at the various programs and what they offer:

http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/

http://j1visa.state.gov/participants/how-to-apply/sponsor-search/?program=Summer%20Work%20Travel&state=any (The program you found is one of the programs on the SWT list. There are links to all of the programs in this one site.)

SWT J1 visas require you to be selected by an approved program sponsor, who then lines up employers for the visa holders. If the zoo wants to offer you the position and become an approved SWT employer, they can take a look at how to do that:

http://j1visa.state.gov/hosts-and-employers/employers/

Edited May 8, 2016 by jan22

[abhi_meli 150]

something is fishy....

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Sounds like it's a job through an agency. Sketchy indeed

[Boiler 45,527]

Sounds legit, I know somebody bringing 3 Russian ladies on J1, local interest level is high.

[IguanaCouple 26]

I find it a little dubious. When I got my green card I applied to every single zoo in a 60 mile radius (I love animals); paid, voluntary, free whatever. I was also in school at the time so I applied for internships. I just wanted to get some experience to put on my resume.

It was extremely hard to get jobs/internships in zoos even after being a permanent resident. And I know a lot about animals of all kinds.

I find it a little too naive that a zoo would want to hire someone half the way across the planet just to speak with kids and visitors. There's a cart load of American college kids everywhere who would happily do that job for college credit and no pay.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I bet it's to do something less desirable, like sell popcorn or tickets, work in the gift shop, etc.

[ikibin 0]

I omitted some details, one of them is that the interview was actually at the zoo, it is an existing place so i guess that answers most of the concerns.

So I received an update from the employer. He said he learned that the sponsorship would cost a lot and the company doesn't do that, somehow they would hire me if i can get it myself. I suggested J1 visa which would not cost them and he said i could give the sponsor organisation his contact.

Tomorrow i am planning to call the organisations and find out what do they have to say. website asks 645 dollars and lists about 300 dollars of other costs. Also, requires me to have 500 in pocket at the arrival.

It is gonna be a very tough next week.