§ 514.80 - Summer Student Travel/Work Program.

(a) The following criteria apply to United States organizations which have been designated by the United States Information Agency (USIA) to administer Summer Student Travel/Work Programs. These programs are designed to achieve the educational objectives of international exchange by involving students during their summer vacations directly in the daily life of the host country through temporary employment opportunities. The criteria require program sponsors to promote the exchange of United States and foreign students on a reciprocal basis thereby assuring that the operation of such programs will not have an adverse impact on labor opportunities for United States youth in the 18-23 year age bracket.

(1) Selection. The selection will be limited to bona fide university students screened for maturity and ability to get maximum benefit from Summer Travel/Work Programs. Priority consideration will be given to students who do not live in close proximity to the United States who would not be able to visit this country if temporary work permission were not authorized to help defray their travel expenses.

(2) Orientation. All students shall be provided with orientation, both pre-departure and upon arrival in the United States. The orientation should be designed to give the students a good basic knowledge of our country and its people. Students should be fully informed of the nature of the program in which they are participating. They should be provided with some type of identification card which includes the name and phone number of an official of the sponsoring organization as well as the number of the Exchange-Visitor Program in which they are participating. In addition, orientation should cover proper methods of obtaining and holding a job and the customary practices of giving employers adequate advance notice of resignation. Students should be fully briefed on the employment situation in the United States and advised not to seek employment in areas where a high unemployment situation exists.

(3) Supervision. Sponsors must be prepared to help their students at any time they have a medical, personal, employment, or other type of problem.

(4) Jobs. Each student sponsored on such a program must have a prearranged job before he or she comes to the United States, or firm appointments with prospective employers, or have sufficient personal funds so as to be financially independent if not employed.

(5) United States employment. Sponsors are required to check in advance with the Department of Labor to obtain information regarding areas or cities which have a high unemployment rate. Students should be advised to avoid such areas in seeking employment.

(6) Financial responsibility. Sponsors are required to ensure that all participants return home at no charge to the United States Government.

(7) Health and accident insurance. Sponsors shall ensure that every student has health and accident insurance coverage from the time of departure from home until the student returns to his or her home country. Minimum acceptable insurance is:

(i) Medical and accident coverage up to $2,000 per injury or illness; and

(ii) Preparation and transportation of remains to home country (at least $2,000). Coverage may be provided in one of the following ways:

(A) By health and accident coverage arranged for by the student.

(B) By health and accident insurance coverage arranged for by the sponsor.

(8) Geographical distribution. Sponsors shall develop plans to ensure that groups of students, especially those of the same nationality, are not “clustered” in certain areas or cities. Every effort should be made to have the students widely dispersed throughout the country.

(9) Arrival time. Students for whom the sponsors have arranged “preplacement” for jobs can begin their programs at any time. Travel for students who have not been “preplaced” should be delayed by the sponsors as late as possible, preferably after June 15. Such delayed travel will give American students who are interested in obtaining summer jobs from two to four weeks in a less competitive market.

(10) Reciprocity. Sponsors are required to administer Student Travel/Work Programs on a reciprocal basis. The number of foreign students a sponsor brings to the United States under this program shall not exceed, in any calendar year, the number of American students who were sent abroad by the sponsor on a Travel/Work Program. Should a sponsor fail in the realization of reciprocity in any given calendar year, the Agency may restrict the number of foreign students that the sponsor brings to the United States in the next calendar year to the number sent abroad by the sponsor in the preceding calendar year.

(11) Report requirement. Sponsors are required to submit an annual report, not later than January 31, on the United States students who were sent abroad the previous calendar year under Travel/Work Programs. The report should contain the following information: Name and United States address of the student, the country where the student was employed, name of employer and type of business, and the type and length of employment (dates). The report should also include an ongoing evaluation of both the incoming program for foreign students and the outgoing program for American students. Major problems encountered in the administration of the program should also be listed. Failure to submit the report by January 31 will result in the automatic suspension of the program. The program will not be reactivated until the report is received by USIA and the sponsor notified that suspension has been lifted.

(12) Unauthorized activities. Employment as servants, mother's helpers, au pair or other jobs of a domestic nature in private homes is not authorized. Employment must be of a commercial or industrial nature. Also, employment as a Camp Counselor is not authorized under the Travel/Work Program. All such unauthorized placements will be removed from the count of United States placements abroad which could reduce the number of foreign students which the sponsor will be permitted to bring into the United States during the following year.

(b) [Reserved]