Support Staff Program

Program Overview

The Summer Work Travel program allows eligible foreign students the opportunity to work at a US summer camp as a camp support staff for up to 4 months during the US summer camp season.  These work travel participants work alongside your US staff members, provide additional skill sets enhance the camp community, and offer the benefits of a cultural exchange experience.  Support staff include those employed in positions in kitchen, maintenance, office, laundry, housekeeping, and security to name a few.

Coordination

ACES is a designated J1 sponsor for the summer work travel program.  As a sponsor we screen and interview eligible candidates for the program and vet employment positions with eligible employers.  Upon approval, ACES provides visa sponsorship which is required for any candidate to obtain their J1 summer work travel visa.  Our coordination and support starts there and continues through a participant’s program.

Eligibility

Foreign candidates must be at least 18 years of age, be clear of any criminal convictions, be current students enrolled in post-secondary academic institutes in a physical classroom setting outside of the US, and be committed to adhering to the cultural exchange requirements of the program. International camp support staff are governed by the summer work travel program.

Program Duration

The term of employment and/or the internship are dictated by the summer work travel dates established by the participant’s home country and may be no less then three weeks, and may not exceed four months.  Participants are permitted to enter the US up to 30 days prior to their start date and are eligible to travel for up to 30 days after the employment end date if within their country’s summer work travel dates.

Visa Requirements

All participants must obtain a J1 visa through the US embassy.  ACES provides the sponsorship necessary in order to apply for the J1 visa. (Canadian citizens need only proof of sponsorship documentation and do not need to schedule an embassy interview.)  Receiving a J1 visa is not the end, but the beginning of the program. Participants are obligated to fulfill additional communication and reporting requirements.  Participants must report their arrival for validation purposes, must respond to any sponsor initiated communications within 10 days, must report any change in US residence immediately, and must have any alternate employment details submitted for approval prior to acceptance.  Participants must be committed to engage in cultural exchange activities and must provide proof of such activities.  Any violation of these guidelines require the sponsor to terminate the participant’s program which results in negative impact on future visa considerations. 

Recruiting

ACES is partnered with numerous recruiting groups from around the world.  Our unique partnership agreements, mean that employers have access to a wide variety of countries, with staff offering many different skill sets.