J-1 Camp Counselor Visa: Work at a US Summer Camp

The camp counselor category is part of the J-1 exchange visitor program. It brings young people from around the world to US summer camps, where they supervise campers, lead activities, and share their culture.

You must be:

• At least 18 years old.
• A post-secondary student, a youth worker, a teacher, or a person with specialized skills (for example in sports, arts, music, outdoor education, or working with children with disabilities).
• Proficient in English, well enough to supervise and interact with American children.

Sponsors interview every applicant in person and check references. Camps look for skills they can use, such as swimming, sailing, climbing, arts and crafts, drama, or music.

You work as a counselor, directly supervising and teaching campers. You may sometimes help with other camp tasks as part of camp life.

You cannot be placed as camp staff, such as:

• Administrative personnel.
• Cooks.
• Dishwashers, janitors, or other menial laborers.

Students who want support jobs at a camp (kitchen, cleaning, maintenance) usually apply through J-1 Summer Work Travel instead, if they qualify as full-time students.

• Camp counselors must get pay and benefits comparable to American counselors at the same camp. Most camps also provide room and meals.
• Your sponsor must tell you about your duties, your contract, and your pay before you leave home.
• Your sponsor must monitor you during the summer, give you a 24-hour contact number, and give you the State Department's emergency hotline number.
• Required health insurance must be in place for the whole program.

Camp work often means long days and shared cabins with campers. Ask the camp and sponsor about schedules, time off, and living arrangements before you accept.

• The program can last up to 4 months.
• After the program ends, you have a 30-day grace period to travel in the US or prepare to leave. You can't work during that time.
• You can take part more than once. To give new people a chance, sponsors must keep repeat participants who have already taken part more than once to no more than 10% of their placements.

Admission period. A DHS rule published on July 17, 2026 would replace "duration of status" with a fixed admission date for J-1 visitors (the program end date on your DS-2019, up to 4 years, plus 30 days). It was due to start on September 15, 2026, but a federal court in Massachusetts blocked it on September 14, 2026. For now, J-1 visitors are still admitted for duration of status. See fixed admission period status.

Proposed J-1 rule. On July 30, 2026, the State Department proposed stricter J-1 rules on program terminations, extensions, and fixing SEVIS errors. Comments close on September 28, 2026. It is only a proposal and is not in effect.

• Sponsor or placement agency fees. These vary, and some programs include flights or insurance. Ask for an itemized list.
• SEVIS fee (Form I-901): paid online to DHS before the interview. Au pairs, camp counselors, and Summer Work Travel participants pay a lower rate. See ICE's I-901 page for the current amount.
• Visa application fee: $185 as of September 2026 for J visas. Participants in certain government-funded programs are exempt.
• Visa integrity fee: A $250 visa integrity fee, created by a 2025 law, is charged when a visa is issued. As of September 2026, consulates have rolled it out unevenly, so check your embassy's fee page.
• Travel to the interview and to the camp.

Watch out for agencies that promise guaranteed placements for extra fees. See scam protection.

• No dependents: the camp counselor category doesn't allow J-2 family members.
• Two-year rule: Some J-1 visitors must live in their home country for 2 years after the program before they can get an H or L visa, a K visa, or a green card. It applies if your program was funded by the US or your government, if your skills are on your country's Exchange Visitor Skills List, or if you came for graduate medical training. Your DS-2019 and visa usually show whether an officer thinks it applies. Waivers are possible through the State Department's Waiver Review Division. Most camp counselors are not subject to it, but check your documents.
• After camp: the program does not lead to another status or a green card. Former counselors who want to return often look at J-1 Summer Work Travel, the J-1 au pair program, or studying on an F-1 visa.

• The officer doubts you will return home after the summer.
• Weak English at the interview.
• The role described is really a support staff job, not a counselor role.
• Earlier overstays or visa violations.

Since 2025, the State Department has asked F, M, and J applicants to set their social media accounts to public so officers can review them. See visa interview tips.

Travel ban. Proclamation 10998 took effect on January 1, 2026, and has no end date. It limits visas for nationals of 39 countries: for 19 countries it suspends almost all visas, and for the other 20 it suspends immigrant visas plus B, F, M, and J visas. USCIS is also holding many pending cases from these countries for extra review. Check Travel ban status before you pay fees or book travel.