A working holiday in the USA: let’s make this dream come true!

Are you dreaming of spending a working holiday in the USA? It sure sounds fun and fulfilling! Visiting this amazing country during your gap year or for a few months for short term employment can fill you up with many experiences as you will interact with a new culture, meet new people, form friendships and explore a diverse and multifaceted country with a lot to offer!

Working holiday USA

But… there is always a but. The USA is one the most complicated countries to enter with a working visa. Especially if you are not invited by an employer to work there. Fear not, though! You just need to get your hands on a USA Working Holiday Visa and you can make your dream come true!

What is a Working Holiday Visa?

You probably know that in order to visit the US for a holiday, depending on the country you come from, you will need to issue a Visa at your local US embassy. This Visitor’s Visa does not offer you the eligibility to work in the US, though! To have the right to become employed in the USA short-term, you need a different kind of Visa, a Working Holiday Visa or J1 Visa, as it is officially called, or an H-2B Visa.

The J1 Visa

The J1 Visa is quite flexible in the sense that you don’t need to have a pre-arrangement for a specific job to get it and it also allows you to travel from state to state to work. The catch is that the eligibility criteria are a bit limiting:

You need to be over 18 years old.
You need to be a full-time university student, in which case you should visit the USA between two semesters, or have recently finished with your studies, in which case you should apply for the J1 Visa within 12 months of your graduation.

Remember that your J1 Visa allows you to work for up to 4 months, but it gives you an extra bonus: you are free to travel for 1 month extra after your 4-month employment, which will make you USA Working Holiday come true! The Visa will cost you $160 and you need to pass an interview at the US embassy in your country to get it. You also need to provide proof that you have sufficient funds to support yourself, in case you don’t have a job lined up.

The H-B2 Visa

This special type of Visa you can get regardless if you are a student or not. It is designed to help employers in the USA find international staff for seasonal jobs that have to do with agriculture, hospitality, tourism, theme parks, water parks, winter ski resorts, etc. You could find a job as a bartender, housekeeper, cook, waiter or kitchen assistant, for example.

Note that your employer should already participate in the H-2B program. You need to be over 18 years old, have basic English language skills and not work in a skilled profession.

Working holiday USA

Now that you have the information you need, you can start planning for your working holiday in the USA! Live your personal adventure, driving route 66, exploring the metropolis of New York City, skiing in Colorado, visiting Grand Canyon or relaxing at a beach in Miami! And if you need some extra jobs on the side while in the USA on your working holiday, you can always check out what you can do online with all kinds of platforms on AppJobs.

Check out holiday gig jobs under all kinds of categories in the USA in New York City, Chicago, Charlotte, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Miami, Orlando, Los Angeles, St. Louis or Indianapolis and other cities.

Appjobs Blog

Appjobs Blog

A working holiday in the USA: let’s make this dream come true!

What is a Working Holiday Visa?