Annually, nearly 30,000 international students provide cultural exchange as staff at camps in the United States.  International campers also provide an important aspect of cultural exchange as they live side-by-side in US camps with American campers.  

On March 11, 2020, a 60-day travel ban was placed on international exchange programs, including the J-1 program, by the Department of State. United States embassies around the world were also closed. The travel ban is set to expire on May 11. There is no official information at this time whether the ban will be lifted or extended or when US embassies will reopen to process new visas. The Department of State and your visa sponsors are still moving forward to facilitate the J-1 programs. 

It's ironic that I've spent this fall encouraging Americans to advocate for the White House not to drastically reduce or eliminate J-1 visas for camp cultural exchange programs while also keynoting at the 3rd China Camp Education Conference (CCEC) and representing ACA at the 11th International Camping Congress (ICC).

Get information about J-1 Visa Camp Counselor and Summer Work Travel Programs, as well best practices and resources for international camp staff and camp cultural exchange.

American Camp Association urges camps to abide by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ruling and obtain Social Security numbers for all international staff.

The most recent changes to Immigration Law in the US were enacted in 2013.  It is anticipated that the US Department of State will again consider J-1 Visa Cultural Exchange regulations in 2016.  Until then, consider the 2013 changes:

As the United States population becomes more diverse and camps employ more international staff, the issue of communicating and interacting effectively with people from other cultures becomes more important. Having respect for cultural differences and learning basic characteristics of other cultures can help you avoid misunderstandings and unintentionally offending others.