| The J1 visa is used for many purposes including; | | | | been approved by a State Department approved |
| - High School Exchange Programs | | | | sponsor organization. So unlike the regular working |
| - Work and Travel Programs (WAT) for College | | | | visas like H1B, E3, etc., where your employer directly |
| Students (this is a strict requirement) | | | | sponsors your visa, here it these designated |
| - Au Pair | | | | organizations that are your sponsor and responsible |
| - Camp USA Programs | | | | for ensuring you meet requirements on the State |
| - Internship or Trainee Programs | | | | Department's behalf. |
| - Some Government and Academic Programs | | | | For J1 Work and Travel there are currently 71 |
| In other words it is a very versatile visa designed for | | | | approved sponsors listed on the State Department's |
| many practical purposes as far as the US is | | | | website including CIEE, Intrax and InterExchage among |
| concerned. | | | | others. |
| The Work and Travel program is designed for current | | | | As I mentioned you need to have organized a job prior |
| University/College students in their respective long | | | | to coming to the US. However this requirement is |
| holidays (so usually their Summer) to visit and be able | | | | loosely administered for some nations and vigorously |
| to work in the US for up to 4 months. The period of | | | | for others under the general unofficial guise of |
| the visa is usually determined by a combination of how | | | | students of certain countries being a greater risk to |
| long their work period is and how long the local US | | | | stay longer than their visa allows. |
| Consulate/Embassy is willing to give them. | | | | So some students look at this program as mainly just |
| Obviously depending on which part of the world you | | | | an extended holiday with the ability to work. Where as |
| come from this means you may be in the US in Winter | | | | others work a lot, travel very little, in the hope when |
| (South America and Africa), Spring (SE Asia) and | | | | then transfer money back home they will gain a lot |
| Summer (Europe, China, India, Middle East) depending | | | | from a strong US Dollar. As I said the earlier option is |
| on when your long holidays are at your University or | | | | officially disallowed and can have your sponsor |
| College. | | | | organization cancel your visa making you illegal in the |
| Officially the Work and Travel program requires you to | | | | country, but it administered loosely depending on where |
| have setup a job with a US employer which has then | | | | you are from. |