J1 2016

Dublin991

Hi,

I am planning on applying for the J1 programme for summer 2016. Originally I wasn't planning on using third party agency USIT, GOFORLESS, etc. However as you may know the J1 rules have dramatically changed and if I understand correctly students secure employment before they may even apply for the visa.


"Irish J-1 Work & Travel USA participants now must receive an offer of employment by a US employer before they will be issued the documents they need to apply for a visa."
(Quote: j1online.ie/)

Has any one got any advice on how to apply without using an agency?
Any advice on getting a job or employers details?
Advice on which city would be the best for getting work, specifically bar work?
Finally any advice on how much money be required to comfortable?

I'd really appreciate any advice.

Ayrtonf7

I was thinking about completing the application process myself as well but I am in my final year so I think it would be easier to just have USIT do all the hard work and for me to fill out forms as required. Also they have access to a lot of US jobs which should make it easier finding one.

Bar work should be easy enough to find in any city. Id recommend picking somewhere you want to visit as opposed to somewhere that has work. AS for finding them well you just have to start emailing places with a cover letter and CV id assume. Sorry I cant help more but its a first for me to!

lil_lisa

In order to get a J1 visa you must have a sponsor company. This is not a visa you can apply for by yourself. Since holding a position before obtaining the visa is a new law it will definitely be tougher to find a job as everyone will be seeking to get something before heading out to the US. Have you contacted USIT about placements? I'm sure they will start to build a list of positions in main cities as we get closer to next summer.

It will be interesting to see how this law pans out. Will it cut down on the #of J1 goers?

Dublin991

Dublin991 wrote: »

Hi,

I am planning on applying for the J1 programme for summer 2016. Originally I wasn't planning on using third party agency USIT, GOFORLESS, etc. However as you may know the J1 rules have dramatically changed and if I understand correctly students secure employment before they may even apply for the visa.


"Irish J-1 Work & Travel USA participants now must receive an offer of employment by a US employer before they will be issued the documents they need to apply for a visa."
(Quote: j1online.ie/)

Has any one got any advice on how to apply without using an agency?
Any advice on getting a job or employers details?
Advice on which city would be the best for getting work, specifically bar work?
Finally any advice on how much money be required to comfortable?

I'd really appreciate any advice.

Yeah I have been emailing employers directly, thinking now it will save a lot of hassle to just ally through an agency with all the new laws. Good luck with the search ☺

Dublin991

lil_lisa wrote: »

In order to get a J1 visa you must have a sponsor company. This is not a visa you can apply for by yourself. Since holding a position before obtaining the visa is a new law it will definitely be tougher to find a job as everyone will be seeking to get something before heading out to the US. Have you contacted USIT about placements? I'm sure they will start to build a list of positions in main cities as we get closer to next summer.

It will be interesting to see how this law pans out. Will it cut down on the #of J1 goers?

Yeah I have called into USIT but they were still working in 2016's programme at the time so the information they could provide was very limited. I will pay them another visit this week and see what else they can tell me about the job register etc.

Ayrtonf7

Irish J-1 Work & Travel USA participants now must receive an offer of employment by a US employer before they will be issued the documents they need to apply for a visa.

By securing a job in advance, students can travel to the U.S. assured they may start working immediately upon arrival, and will be able to focus on experiencing America to its fullest.

So this is all I could find on the USIT website about the changes for 2016, yet I found this on Joe.ie, which I'm a bit hesitant to believe. After reading Joes article I'm under the impression that you will be tied to the 1 job for the entrity of the J1 ?

Is there anywhere where I can read a summarys of the changes for 2016?

Dublin991

Not that I can find the only guidelines I've managed to find are on the USIT site.

lil_lisa

I thought I read it as a law as soon as I saw this thread but now I can't find it. Looks like its just a rule created by Interexchange and SAYIT as announced here which means any other group not using these won't require work before entering the country.

Dave1442397

Ri Ra have locations around the country. We eat at the one in Atlantic City, and all the J1 students I've talked to there said they like it.

http://www.rira.com/atlantic-city/about-ri-ra/jobs.html

Atlantic City has a nice beach and boardwalk, but is pretty sketchy once you get away from the Casinos. It's a nice location if you want to travel to NYC, Washington DC, or Philadelphia, as there are easy train connections and plenty of buses up and down to NYC.

It's also going to be fairly cheap to live there compared to many other US cities. My in-laws live at The Ritz (if you ever saw Boardwalk Empire, a lot of it was filmed there) and rentals are pretty cheap. I see a two-bedroom apartment listed for $4500 for the summer right now, and gas/electric/water are all included. The Ritz is the building next door to the Tropicana casino, where Ri Ra is located. It would take you less than five minutes to walk to work.

http://acboardwalkrealty.com/p/1910-rentals

castlebarian

When I called usit I was telling them I am looking to get a job which will benefit me for when I return to college in September and help me gain experience for when I go out working. (engineering work I almost have this job sorted).The guy on the phone told me that I am not allowed do that and that I have to get seasonal work if I am going to get the j1 visa the work can't be related to my college course what so ever. Is this statement true and is there any alternative visa I could get as I am a college student going from my 2nd-3rd year after the visa.

Thanks

Ayrtonf7

castlebarian wrote: »

When I called usit I was telling them I am looking to get a job which will benefit me for when I return to college in September and help me gain experience for when I go out working. (engineering work I almost have this job sorted).The guy on the phone told me that I am not allowed do that and that I have to get seasonal work if I am going to get the j1 visa the work can't be related to my college course what so ever. Is this statement true and is there any alternative visa I could get as I am a college student going from my 2nd-3rd year after the visa.

Thanks

100% true. I was surprised as well but after a quick read of USITs website it states that J1 work must be seasonal and must not take away work from a US citizen. AFAIK the whole idea of the J1 is to see america and get involved in their culture. The only reason you are able to hold employment is that a three month trip is out of most students means, especially while studying.

There is a year long visa which involves interning at a company in your chosen field, but I think that may be for graduates only?

lkcbo

Hey,

Myself and a group of friends want to go on a J1 next summer and we're trying to decide on a location. We'd like to go West Coast if possible and we've been looking at Long Beach or San Francisco. Just wondering if anyone could give recommendations on which of these would be better in terms of finding jobs, rent, lifestyle, expenses, etc. Or if anyone could suggest other places on the West Coast

Wompa1

lkcbo wrote: »

Hey,

Myself and a group of friends want to go on a J1 next summer and we're trying to decide on a location. We'd like to go West Coast if possible and we've been looking at Long Beach or San Francisco. Just wondering if anyone could give recommendations on which of these would be better in terms of finding jobs, rent, lifestyle, expenses, etc. Or if anyone could suggest other places on the West Coast

Go to Hawaii. Nobody seems to think bout it...It's the nicest part of America. If you're going to do a go nowhere crap job for damn all pay. Why not do it in the best part of the country?

noobsnow95

Hi, Myself and a few friends are hoping to travel to Montauk on J1 this year and have been trying to contact ann breyers cottages but haven't been able to get through to them. Has anyone had this problem or anyone know any other reasonable accommodation in Montauk?

Dublin991

noobsnow95 wrote: »

Hi, Myself and a few friends are hoping to travel to Montauk on J1 this year and have been trying to contact ann breyers cottages but haven't been able to get through to them. Has anyone had this problem or anyone know any other reasonable accommodation in Montauk?

Hi, are you planning on booking through an agency?

noobsnow95

Yeah, I have paid a deposit with SAYIT today it seems to be a gooD bit cheaper then USIT.

Dublin991

Still works out over 500 without flights...did they give u access to their job database yet? If so any use? That's the only reason i want to pay an agency 😕

noobsnow95

No not yet they send you an email as far as i know, should be tomorrow. Where do you plan on going ?

Ayrtonf7

USIT is around €399 at the moment without flights. They recently emailed me as well look for my resume so that they could start organising interviews.

Dublin991

Usit is 400 including everyone? Sayit are misleadingly advertising 189, that's just there fee ends up over 500 including embassy fees etc..

noobsnow95

sayit overall are turning out to be about 300 euro cheaper at the moment as far as I'm aware.

Ayrtonf7

Yeh I just logged onto my USIT account at the balance due now is close to €649 after taking away my €99 deposit (so in total it shouldve been close to €749). I availed of the Early bird (which was €399 and is suppose to cover holiday/work/visa process) so Im not sure where the additional €349 is coming from?

So at best the extra €349 is for my insurance (€249), Sevis (€35) & Postal charges (€15). But that still leaves me €51 short? Maybe I'm missing something here ... I've emailed USIT but I think I'm just gonna call them tomorrow.

Dublin991

Yeah, that's why I want to go without an agency so misleading with there advertisement should be out straight.

The cost of booking through an agency works out nearly the same as flights. So its gonna cost around 1200 before you even land.

I'm waiting until February if I don't land a job by then il be forced to use Sayit.

Dublin991

When does your remaining balance need to be paid?

Ayrtonf7

There saying I need to pay another €150 to process my application further which I need to do in order to get access to their job database, but Im going to ring them on Monday just to have it explained, because I'm completely lost where the extra money came from

Dublin991

Is there an option for refund if you fail to land a job through their database?

DeeTee100

With regards to the agencies, are any of them better/worse than the others? I was intending to sign up with USIT in the next few days, however Go 4 Less seem to be cheaper. I have heard reports of them being quite slow to process applications etc. does anyone know if there's any truth to this?

Also, what are the chances of finding work in the same area if you are going as a group?

Dublin991

I think that all depends on the area you choose to go to. Have you paid a deposit for your visa yet?

Does anybody know if it is still possible to get a walk in j1 visa; a "company" called travel bug Ltd are offering a walk in visa for 799 excluding embassy fees, seems very expensive but do they have address on their site so can't call in to have a chat anybody know if it's legitimate?

Backpack20

Hi all I've just returned from my j1 in Chicago ! I was originally planned to go to San Diego but jobs there are near impossible to get so I changed to Chicago . I would highly recommend Chicago it has a real Irish feel to the city , the transport system in Chicago is unreal it covers all parts of the city . Jobs in Chicago are really easy to get , navy pear is the spot for jobs ! Tons of restraints take on hundreds of Irish every summer you will have no issue getting a job in the city . The great thing about Chicago is that is has abit of everything , the weather is great high 30s most days , the beech just minutes walk away from the city and shops ! If your unsure on where to go I would recommend Chicago , I'm even thinking of returning again this summer !

whoopsadaisy

Hey everyone!

I had my heart set on doing a J1 summer 2016 but I've only just really realised that it's not so common to do it alone - which I was planning to. Has anyone done it on their own or is planning to go this year? Would be interesting to hear from a few people of how they got on as far as finding accomodation goes etc. If I do decide to go I'd hope to find accommodation with fellow J1ers. Would that be likely to happen if I go through an agency?

Thanks x

Ayrtonf7

whoopsadaisy wrote: »

Hey everyone!

I had my heart set on doing a J1 summer 2016 but I've only just really realised that it's not so common to do it alone - which I was planning to. Has anyone done it on their own or is planning to go this year? Would be interesting to hear from a few people of how they got on as far as finding accomodation goes etc. If I do decide to go I'd hope to find accommodation with fellow J1ers. Would that be likely to happen if I go through an agency?

Thanks x

Doing the J1 solo this summer! Well hoping to anyways. I've gotten as far as possible without securing a job/accommodation. I'm hoping to start hunting as soon as the new year settles in. Where abouts are you thinking of heading ?