The Work Commitment
All students must be aware of their responsibilities as InterExchange Work & Travel USA participants. In addition to acting as cultural representatives of your country, it is also important that they fulfill their work commitments. When students are accepted to the InterExchange program, they also agree to fulfill all conditions of employment indicated in the job offer, including the hours they will work, appearance standards, and the duties of their jobs. By reading the application instructions and attending the orientation, students should be prepared for the terms of the work commitment.
Cooperators Must Support the Principle of the Cultural Component and Work Commitment
The importance of the cultural component and work commitment cannot be overemphasized. It is essential that you support InterExchange in conveying the seriousness of these concepts to all participants.
If many students from a particular country have broken their work commitments, employers often refuse to hire students from that country the following year.
Students should be discouraged from making a commitment that they do not intend to honor in hopes of obtaining a “better” job.
We can only continue with the Job Placement program if our students maintain their reputations as reliable, hard workers who stay through their contracts.
Students must be prepared to share their cultural experiences with InterExchange during monthly SEVIS check-ins.
Work Commitment Dates are Determined at the Interview
If students are unsure about how long they would like to work, they should be conservative and commit to a shorter length of time. Encourage students to be realistic and honest about the length of time that they will be willing and able to work.
Students must commit to working at least three months. The maximum period of work is four months.
Some employers will not make job offers to summer students who cannot work through at least until Labor Day or late September. For winter students, many employers expect students to stay through March, or even until mid-April. Students should only consider making this commitment if they are willing and able to honor it.
Changing the Work Commitment Date
Students can only change their work commitment dates in exceptional cases and if an InterExchange Regional Manager approves them. This approval is required whether the change occurs before the student comes to the U.S. or after being at the job.
If a student can no longer meet the minimum date requirements, he or she may be cancelled from the program.
InterExchange reserves the right to cancel a student who has jeopardized his or her job offer due to unnecessary changes in the work commitment.
Signing the Contract
Job Placement students will be offered a job through our online system. Participants must accept and sign or reject the job offer.
This form:
- Indicates exact work dates and restates the commitment to the specific employer.
- It will include job duties, salary, and housing information.
Violation of the Work Commitment
Students are considered in violation of the program if they do not make a good-faith effort to honor their work commitment. In such cases, the student’s legal status as an Exchange Visitor may be jeopardized. No student who has broken his or her work commitment will be considered for second-time participation. Exceptions will only be made if students have made acceptable arrangements with their authorized employers and received approval from InterExchange.
