We often hear from Job Seekers who live outside of the US who discover CoolWorks and want to know if they’d be eligible to apply for the cool opportunities that can be found here.
The short answer is: not directly.
We don’t say that to be discouraging or negative, but it is a reality that obtaining a job offer as well as permission to work in the United States is a difficult process for non-US citizens, and only a limited number of visas are issued every year.
It’s also important to note that the majority of the employers you find on CoolWorks use this website in order to recruit US citizens, and are not able to assist out-of-country applicants with obtaining the visas necessary to work in the United States or extend offers of employment to individuals who do not already have permission to work in the United States. For that reason, applicants who have not obtained permission to work in the Unites States should not contact employers directly or apply for jobs through CoolWorks, unless those employers explicitly state that they can assist you with the visa process. Because most employers will not be able to extend an offer of employment or help with visas, contacting them prior to obtaining permission in the US will likely result in a frustrating outcome for both parties.
However, there are some options if you are interested in learning about the opportunities available for working in the United States. For opportunities in the tourism, hospitality, and recreation industries (which are representative of many of the employers on CoolWorks), there are two primary options: the J1 Exchange Visitor Visa, and the H-2B Non-Agricultural Temporary Worker. Check out the articles to learn more about each program, and see if one of them could be an option for you!
