What it is
Summer Work Travel is a category of the J-1 exchange program of the U.S. Department of State. It allows university students to work temporarily during their vacation period and experience cultural immersion.
A major decision deserves complete answers.
If someone in your family is considering working and living in the United States for a summer, this guide explains what it involves, how ARCO supports participants, and what to review before deciding.
Behind ARCO is a shared experience.
Aldo and Perla founded ARCO after experiencing the exchange as participants. That experience led to a Mexican firm that prepares and supports people who decide to take that step.
We develop opportunities with employers, verify conditions, and stay involved throughout the season. Here you can learn what we do and what each party is responsible for.
Meet the people behind ARCO
Legal temporary work. Real cultural exchange. Defined responsibilities.
Who it is for
It is intended for actively enrolled university students who have completed at least one semester and have enough English to function in an English-speaking environment. ARCO currently works with Mexican students ages 18 to 26.
What it involves
Taking part means more than finding a job. It involves selection, preparation, interviews, regulatory approval, the consular process, and responsibilities throughout the season. ARCO manages that process; a Designated Sponsor formally authorizes participation within BridgeUSA.
What each party is responsible for.
The Designated Sponsor authorizes participation in the program. The consulate decides whether to issue the visa. The employer manages the job. ARCO plans and manages the participant’s experience across that system.
ARCO
ARCO works on the participant’s behalf: selecting and preparing candidates, developing and evaluating job opportunities, obtaining and verifying work, housing, and transportation conditions, coordinating formal approval with the Designated Sponsor, and staying directly involved before, during, and after the program.
Designated Sponsor
The organization authorized by the Department of State to administer the program. It evaluates and approves the participant, offer, employer, and worksite; issues the DS-2019 (the eligibility document used to apply for a J-1 visa), monitors the program, ensures required coverage is in place, and provides a 24/7 emergency contact.
Host employer
Manages day-to-day work, shifts, pay, and the conditions of the approved position. Must notify the Designated Sponsor of changes or situations affecting the participant. When a workplace issue needs attention, ARCO coordinates directly with the employer.
Consulate
Decides whether to issue the visa J-1. No firm, sponsor or employer can guarantee that outcome.
Participant
Provides truthful information and meets deadlines, document requirements, payments and program rules. Maintains active communication with ARCO and their Designated Sponsor, reports changes promptly and takes part in decisions affecting their experience.
How ARCO prepares for a safer experience.
Unexpected situations are part of international exchange. ARCO starts working before departure and stays involved throughout the season: checking the arrangements, making sure participants understand critical information, staying in direct contact, and coordinating a response when something changes.
Before arrival
ARCO develops the opportunity with the employer, obtains and reviews the terms, prepares the participant, and puts together the application file for formal approval by the Designated Sponsor. That work happens before the participant travels.
Housing and transportation
Before accepting an offer, the participant knows the material housing and transportation information: conditions, costs and responsible parties. If information needed to assess viability is missing, the offer is not yet complete. Before departure, ARCO confirms the arrangements and contacts with the responsible parties.
Coverage and emergencies
Program insurance is included in the price. Before departure, the participant receives proof of coverage, conditions and contacts. From departure through the season, ARCO maintains its own urgent support channel available 24/7, in addition to the sponsor’s contact. In an immediate emergency, call 911 or the appropriate local service first.
When something changes
ARCO takes the lead in managing the case: documenting what happened, contacting the responsible party, coordinating next steps, and keeping the participant informed until there is a clear way forward. Decisions reserved for the sponsor, employer, or a government authority remain with that party; ARCO coordinates with them to move the case forward.
Understand the cost before moving forward.
Program price
Includes ARCO’s services, the Designated Sponsor’s ordinary fee and the cost of program insurance. The total amount including VAT is provided in writing before signing.
When payments are due
The schedule is provided in writing before signing. Payments correspond to stages of the process. Review how much is needed at the start and what must happen before the next payment becomes due.
Official fees
The SEVIS fee (for the exchange program registration system), visa application fee, and any other applicable government charges are not included in the program price and are paid by the participant.
Travel and living expenses
Flights, housing, food, personal transportation and everyday expenses in the United States are outside the program price.
Planning the family budget
Review the program price, initial payment, and travel and living budget together. Each payment has prerequisites and deliverables; payment does not establish that all work has been completed or end our support. Applicable amounts and due dates are in the individual documents.
About the guarantee
ARCO is responsible for a Verified Assignment within the agreed timeframe for participants who meet the agreed conditions. If it fails to meet that commitment, the specified remedy applies, including a full refund. After assignment, Consular Support provides a refund of at least 80% of the amount paid in covered cases. These are separate protections; they do not guarantee a visa, continuous employment or recovery of the investment.
BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER
The ARCO process spans three stages.
Selection
We assess where you are in college, your English, your goals, your adaptability, and your fit for the program. Meeting the requirements is the starting point; the full assessment determines whether moving forward makes sense.
Preparation
We help you prepare as a candidate and get ready for interviews, develop job opportunities, organize your documents, and coordinate the process with the Designated Sponsor and consulate.
Deployment
Before departure, we confirm that the participant understands their work, housing, transportation, coverage and contacts. During the season, we maintain direct communication, manage changes and bring in the responsible party when needed.
Family can provide context. The decision and the experience belong to the participant.
The participant is an adult. Their information is handled under the Privacy Notice and does not become an automatic family report.
ARCO can answer general questions and help the family understand the system. File and season details are handled directly with the participant and shared with family only when the participant authorizes it or an applicable obligation requires it.
Questions every family should be able to ask.
How is the job chosen, and when will we know?
ARCO develops and evaluates opportunities with employers. The participant reviews and accepts a written offer with its conditions; the Designated Sponsor must formally approve it. The specific job becomes known during that process. Before acceptance, the job, housing, and transportation conditions must be clear.
How much needs to be paid at the start?
The initial payment amount appears in the individual proposal and schedule. The first call does not trigger a payment or reserve a place. Before entering an agreement, review how much is needed initially and how much to set aside for expenses paid separately.
Can several payments fall close together?
Yes, if stages progress close together. Payments are not necessarily monthly installments. Each payment requires its prerequisites and deliverables, along with the applicable review and payment period. An early offer does not remove those periods. Review the individual schedule before committing your budget.
What happens if the visa is denied?
The decision belongs to the consulate. After a Verified Placement, Consular Protection provides for a refund of at least 80% of the amount paid to ARCO in covered cases. It is not an automatic refund in every situation and does not include expenses paid directly to third parties. Scope and conditions are explained in the Placement Guarantee and Consular Protection policy and the individual documents.
Can earnings cover the cost of participating?
Recovering the cost through wages is not guaranteed. The outcome depends on the job, hours actually worked, and living expenses. Before deciding, review the budget without assuming savings or additional income.
Can I stay in touch with them during the trip?
You can stay in direct contact during the trip. Agree on times that account for work and the time difference. ARCO answers general family questions; details of the application and season are shared with the participant’s authorization or when required by an applicable obligation.
How long do we have to decide?
It depends on the participant’s dates and the available route. Before committing, ask ARCO to confirm the applicable deadline, what must be ready, and which payments could become due soon. This guide does not reserve a place or set a universal closing date.
THE STANDARD
Three guides to read at your own pace.
Support begins with understanding.
If a specific question remains, ARCO can review the facts and explain what we would do in that situation. If the program makes sense, the assessment starts with the participant.
