Employment

You should not assume that you are automatically eligible to work in the United States. Unauthorized employment is one of the most serious violations of F-1/J-1 student status. Any unlawful employment—even for one day—even if you did not know it was illegal—poses a serious threat to your ability to remain in or return to the United States. If you have any doubts, you should speak with an International Student Advisor before accepting any employment.

Definition of Employment

Employment is any type of work performed for services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, food or any other benefit.

Volunteering

U.S. Department of Labor laws prohibit an international student from choosing to be unpaid for work that would otherwise be paid to someone else. If engaged in activities that would normally be paid, you are considered to be working even if payment occurs at a later time (this means you can’t choose to volunteer until work authorization is approved).

Volunteer opportunities which may be permitted for an F-1 or J-1 international student would need to be:

not directly related to your field of study
unpaid / no compensation
in the public or humanitarian sector, or for a non-profit charitable organization
not involve tasks that could otherwise be defined as an "internship" or "employment"

ISSS encourages students to be very cautious and to consult with ISSS for general guidance before starting any position. ISSS is not able to judge the legitimacy of all unpaid or volunteer positions due to the intricate nature of U.S. labor laws.