J-1 Employment
J-1 exchange visitors are permitted to work as part of activities outlined on their Form DS-2019. Any additional work requires proper authorization before the work begins.
Exchange visitors must contact their EVS advisor, and provide the following:
- Employment offer letter with detailed information about potential work activities
- Letter from current UF faculty sponsor granting permission to participate in additional work
Volunteering
Volunteering is often considered employment for immigration purposes. J-1 exchange visitors may volunteer while in the U.S., but must comply with all visa regulations.
- They can freely volunteer for charitable or philanthropic purposes, with some restrictions:
- They cannot participate in any fundraising activities, such as selling art or food.
- They cannot volunteer within their professional expertise under almost any circumstance (e.g., veterinarians cannot volunteer to care for animals). - They cannot volunteer in any other ways unless they have valid work authorization from the UF International Center and/or U.S. government.
- The work authorization is not verbal. Exchange visitors must obtain and physically possess an updated Form DS-2019 from EVS with authorization printed in Section 5.
- They must obtain authorization even if the volunteer activity is required by their degree or their program. - They must consult their EVS advisor before they begin any volunteer activity that may fall within their professional expertise, even for charitable purposes.
- If they might list an activity on their resume, consult EVS.
- If they are unsure if something qualifies, consult EVS.
If an exchange visitor violates these regulations, even accidentally, they may lose J-1 visa status or face other serious immigration penalties.
For more information, please contact EVS.