Intern Work & Travel Programme USA
Crosscare Migrant Project – January
2019
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www.migrantproject.ie
What is the ‘Intern Work and Travel Programme’?
The Intern Work and Travel (IWT) Programme is a scheme that allows Irish and US
students and recent graduates to participate in internships and travel in each other's
countries for a period of up to twelve months.
The scheme allows Irish citizens who are eligible for the programme to enter the US on J-
1 Exchange Visitor visas and to live and work in any part of the US for up to 12 months.
Who can apply?
The Intern Work and Travel Programme is available to current post-secondary level
students and recent graduates only.
To be eligible for the programme you must meet all of the following criteria:
You must be a citizen of Ireland.
You must either be currently enrolled and participating in a post-secondary college or
university course, or you must have recently graduated from such a course (within 12
months of the start date of the proposed internship).
The course you are doing, or that you recently graduated from, can be full-time or part-
time, but it must lead to a degree or other qualification that is recognised as equivalent to
Level VI or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications Ireland.
What other conditions and requirements apply?
You do not need to have a job or internship lined up before you travel to the USA. The
job or internship you take up must be related to your field of study, and it must be
for a minimum of 32 hours per week.
You cannot work in unskilled or casual labour positions, or in positions that require
or involve childcare, elder care or any kind of position that involves medical patient
care or contact and the internship must not require more than 20 percent clerical or
office support.
You cannot hold any other employment apart from your internship while you are in
the US. As a participant in this programme you are not allowed to take up another
part-time position, such as bar work or waitressing to subsidise your living costs. This
applies even if the job or internship related to your study is unpaid.
You must have travel or health insurance in place by the time you enter the US that
meets the specific requirements of the US State Department. You should check these
requirements with your sponsoring organisation.
You must be able to provide proof of sufficient financial resources to support yourself
while looking for a job, throughout the exchange visitor program, and to get home.
You must not be accompanied by your spouse or other dependents.