Although originally J-1 visa was designed for cultural exchange between the American people and people from other countries, J-1 programs today offer a broad array of opportunities for foreigners. Specifically, there is a number of programs under the umbrella of J-1 visa that allow foreign workers to come to the U.S. temporarily for employment in hospitality industry, as nannies, summer camp counselors, restaurant workers and generally as skilled /unskilled labor sought to be employed by various American industries.

The most popular program that attracts young people, usually students seeking temporary employment in the United States is the work travel program. Thousands of young people arrive to the United States to work under the auspices of the sponsor organizations approved by the Homeland Security department.

 WORD OF CAUTION: While the majority of participants are satisfied with the working conditions and salaries provided by the sponsor employers, there is growing number of instances where many young people become victims of fraud and mistreatment at the hands of their employers. The typical situation that students/work travel participants face is that recruiters in their home countries promise participants high salaries and good working conditions and charge significant amounts of money to help applicants enroll into the program. Upon arrival to the U.S. however, young people face the shocking truth that their employer in reality is not the same employer that they’ve been offered originally; or that the employer is paying a lot less money promised; that the working conditions are extremely harsh and that their living conditions are substandard.  The disappointed young people face verbal abuse at the hands of the employers; at some locations they are not allowed to leave the premises (for example if they are in a summer camp they are not allowed to go to the neighboring city); some end up living in crowded dormitories in miserable conditions.

 IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU’VE BECOME A VICTIM OF ABUSE OR FRAUD BY YOUR EMPLOYER AND/OR YOU WANT TO SWITCH THE EMPLOYER, CHANGE YOUR STATUS TO STUDENT STATUS, APPLY FOR ASYLUM IN THE U.S. OR FILE FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY BASED ON MARRIAGE WITH YOUR FIANCEE WHO IS A U.S. CITIZEN DON’T HESITATE TO CALL US AT (213)637-5623 OR (213)820-0434 TO DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONS.

WITH CURRENT J-1 STATUS YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR STATUS TO STUDENT STATUS, ADJUST YOUR STATUS TO PERMANENT RESIDENT BASED ON MARRIAGE WITH A U.S. CITIZEN OR APPLY FOR ASYLUM WITHOUT LEAVING THE COUNTRY

EVEN IF YOUR J-1 STATUS ALREADY EXPIRED AND YOU ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF STATUS YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO FILE FOR ASYLUM IN THE U.S. WITHIN 1 YEAR UPON ARRIVAL TO THIS COUNTRY AND/OR ADJUST STATUS TO PERMANENT RESIDENCY THROUGH MARRIAGE WITH A U.S. CITIZEN.