As stated before, it is expected that you will have sufficient financial means to participate in an ISEP-Exchange without the need to work. Should you wish to obtain a job during your exchange, ISEP will consider a request for employment under the following circumstances:
- On-campus Assistantships or Fellowships. You may be employed on campus pursuant to the terms of a scholarship, fellowship or assistantship.
- Part-time On-campus Employment. During your placement
period, you may pursue part-time, on-campus employment if all of the
following conditions are met (Please note that some U.S. host institutions
do not allow visiting students to work on-campus.):
• This employment does not cause you to reduce your course load below full-time student status;
• ISEP has issued a formal letter authorizing employment for you before you begin work. - Part-time Off-campus Employment. During your placement
period, you may pursue part-time, off-campus employment if all of
the following conditions are met:
• Such employment is required by documented, urgent financial need which has arisen since you
entered the United States;
• This employment does not cause you to reduce your course load below full-time student status;
• ISEP has issued a formal letter authorizing employment for you before you begin work. - If you are authorized to work part-time during your exchange period, you may work full-time during vacation periods that fall within your exchange period. Work authorization is not granted beyond the end of your exchange period.
ISEP can authorize employment of up to 20 hours per week for employment during the academic year, when appropriate. During vacation periods, including summer vacations between academic terms, ISEP can authorize you to be employed on a full-time basis provided that the above criteria are met and that your period of ISEP study at your host institution will continue after the vacation period. If you are a full-time ISEP student during the summer, you may only be authorized to work 20 hours per week. Employment during the summer will not be granted for students whose ISEP exchange will not continue in the fall.
It is very important that you do not work unless employment has been granted by ISEP. U.S. government regulations impose serious penalties for hiring anyone without proper documentation, which in the case of ISEP participants, requires a letter of authorization from ISEP. Working without permission can jeopardize an alien's status in the United States as well as any future applications for entry to the United States.
Applying for Work Authorization
To receive permission to work, you must complete the Work Authorization
Request Form, which you can obtain from your host ISEP coordinator.
Your host coordinator should verify your nonimmigrant status and recommend
action at the bottom of the work authorization form. If employment authorization
is granted, ISEP will issue you a letter authorizing employment during
a specified period. It may take ISEP several weeks to process your request
for work and work authorizations will not be sent by fax.
Special Conditions for Students Who Work in the USA
If you are authorized to work, you are currently not subject to Social
Security (F.I.C.A.) tax, although you are subject to withholding and
payment of federal and state income taxes, unless exempted by a provision
of a tax treaty with your home country.
Social Security Number
If you obtain permission from ISEP to work, you will need to obtain
a social security number. Ask your host ISEP coordinator about application
details, or check the phone book under "U.S. Government, Health
and Human Services" for the number of the nearest social security
office.
Taxation
Income tax is deducted by employers for both federal and state purposes.
Between January 1 and April 15, you must file U.S. federal and state
tax returns for the previous calendar year if you earned income. In
many cases, you may be entitled to a refund of some of the money withheld
in taxes from your paycheck. Tax forms are available from banks, libraries
and post offices after January 1. Note: All ISEP participants must file
form 8843 regardless of whether they earned income.
If you finish your exchange in the middle of the academic year, you will have to file tax returns for the first part of that year if you have worked during that period. Check with the foreign student advisor to be sure you comply with these and other tax-related regulations before departure from your U.S. host institution.