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International Student Employment Eligibility Guildelines

General Rules


  • F-1 and J-1 students are eligible to work on-campus provided they maintain immigration status by fulfilling full-time study requirements.
  • Students may work a maximum of 20 hours per week on-campus while school is in session.
  • Students may work more than 20 hours per week duringquarter breaks and during their annual vacation quarter.
  • Students are responsible for understanding the immigration regulations and their eligibility for an immigration vacation quarter.
  • Students are generally not allowed to continue working after completing their program of study. The last day they are allowed to work on-campus is the official ending date of their final quarter.
  • Students may obtain permission from ISS and Immigration to work after graduation.
  • Students must receive permission from ISS or Immigration before working off-campus.

Immigration Documents for I-9 Purposes


  • Passport
  • F-1 or J-1 student visa
  • I-94 Arrival/Departure Record
  • I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for nonimmigrant (F-1) Student issued by the UW
  • OR
  • DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status issued by the UW. Students in J-1 status may need an additional letter from ISS for employment permission if the hiring department is not already listed on the DS-2019.

Documents Validity and Employment Eligibility


  • Please use the expiration date in section #5 on the I-20 or section #3 on the DS-2019 form for employment eligibility, not the passport expiration date or visa expiration.
  • If an I-9 is expiring, it is likely that the student needs a program extension. Once ISS issues an extended I-20 or DS-2019, please collect a copy of the new document in order to update the I-9 accordingly.
  • The I-20 or DS-2019 must be valid while international students are in the U.S. Failure to maintain valid documents may result in ineligibility to work on-campus.
  • A student’s on-campus employment eligibility may end earlier than the expiration date on the I-20 or DS-2019 if the student graduates earlier or plans to leave the UW.

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