J-1 4 Month Internship Over, Employer Wants 50 Day Extension
Hi, I've been interning at the World Bank from mid-May until Aug. 30. I am on a J-1 visa (graduate student on scholarship) and as far as I know, I am only allowed to work legally for four months but I am needed for 50 more days as they are short-staffed. Can I accept the extension or do I need to change my visa status to G (thus needing to return to my home country for the visa change) or can I still work with this J-1 visa?
pubpolgrad
washington dc
Re: J-1 4 Month Internship Over, Employer Wants 50 Day Extension
J-1s are not all limited to 4 months; much is program dependent. Their HR department should be assisting you since it is at their request that you will be continuing there.
Re: J-1 4 Month Internship Over, Employer Wants 50 Day Extension
The program doesn't expound on it but says just "an internship" at organizations directly related to my course of study but I will also ask about that. Assuming it is "breaking the rules", is there a way for immigration or the State Department to find out that I worked those 2 extra months?
Re: J-1 4 Month Internship Over, Employer Wants 50 Day Extension
Of course that information is available via tax filings and return of I-94.
It would be foolish for you to consider working illegally; this is an immigration issue that will affect any future dealings with US immigration officials. Either obtain proper work authorization or return home as originally scheduled.
No one on a legal forum will assist you in violating US laws.
Re: J-1 4 Month Internship Over, Employer Wants 50 Day Extension
I still have a year to go and classes have just commenced. Sorry if I wasn't clear about that. That is partly the reason why I am contemplating whether I can have my cake and eat it too without changing visas and whether it was legal when one's internship period was supposedly over. Thanks anyway!