Employment Verification

InterExchange has compiled the following information as a general resource. Tax laws are subject to change. InterExchange program staff are not tax advisers and cannot assume any responsibility for tax issues a camp might have with its international participants. We encourage all camps to contact the IRS or a tax adviser for assistance and more up-to-date information.

Work Authorization

• Each participant is authorized to work legally under his or her J-1 Visa status.
• This visa allows the participant to work only between the dates listed in Section 3 of the participant’s DS-2019 Form. These dates are taken directly from the offer you sent the participant through your InterExchange account. If any date changes occur, we need to be notified to ensure that all necessary documents are updated.

Note: An InterExchange participant is only authorized to work at his or her assigned camp and is prohibited from working anywhere else during the program.

Documentation for Your Records

Upon your international staff’s arrival, you should make photocopies of the following documents and keep them on file. We suggest allocating some time during your staff orientation to organize this paperwork.

• Passport photo page
• Electronic I-94 arrival record (Can be located and downloaded here)
• J-1 Visa (sticker on passport page)
• DS-2019 Form
• Completed I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form

The information collected will serve as verification of the participant’s identity and his or her eligibility to work while in the United States. Keep all records on file for at least three years or as recommended by the IRS and U.S. Department of Labor.

Form I-9

All participants should fill out an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form after arriving at their camps. We have provided a sample of a typical I-9 for an InterExchange Camp USA student.

I-9 Section 1

All participants are legal aliens authorized to work. Admission numbers are located on their I-94 cards.

I-9 Section 2

Use a passport and electronic I-94 arrival record as a List A document. For List C documents, you should use the DS-2019 number and the program end date (DS-2019 form expiration date located in Box 3).

For complete information about filling out the I-9, please refer to the Handbook for Employers — Instructions for Completing Form I-9, published by the USCIS. You can download a PDF of the handbook from their website.