Working Travel Insurance

If you're planning to work and travel in the U.S. on a J visa, securing the right working travel insurance is essential. The U.S. Department of State requires all J visa holders to have insurance that meets specific coverage requirements, ensuring protection against unexpected medical expenses during their stay. Whether you're working as a seasonal employee at a resort, amusement park, or retail store, having proper insurance helps safeguard your health while you experience life in the U.S.

The Work and Travel USA program allows international students to gain hands-on work experience while exploring American culture. However, since the U.S. does not offer universal healthcare, participants must arrange their own J visa-compliant insurance before arrival. Understanding what’s covered—such as medical emergencies, hospitalization, and repatriation—is key to choosing the right plan. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about working travel insurance for J visa holders, including eligibility, coverage requirements, and how to find an affordable, compliant plan.

Eligibility

All participants of the Work/Travel USA program must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Must be enrolled in a full-time college or university abroad program with a degree or diploma course that has a duration of at least two years.
• Be at least 18 years of age or older.
• Must be able to speak and understand English to an extent that allows for effective communication while in an English-speaking environment.
• Must have a valid passport. For many countries, the passport must not expire for at least six months beyond the intended length of stay.

Each participant must obtain a J1 visa. The sponsoring organization must issue a Form DS-2019.

This allows the participants to stay in the U.S. for up to four months, allowing the last month to be spent traveling and exploring the U.S.

Allowed Work

Many employers need seasonal employees during the summer months. This program allows employers to hire seasonal employees. Many participants work in a variety of professions such as lifeguards, cashiers, kitchen help, housekeeping, ride operators, counter staff, food servers, maintenance, waiters, retail staff, dishwashing etc. Work and Travel participants usually work at ski resorts, retail stores, hotels, restaurants, national parks, amusement parks etc.

Work/Travel program participants are not allowed to work as nannies, au pair, housekeepers or help in a private home, in medical fields such as in hospital, work related to airplanes or door-to-door sales.

J Visa Insurance

Unlike other countries, there is no universal healthcare in the U.S. In the U.S., everyone is expected to buy their own medical insurance if not provided by their employer.

The U.S. Department of State requires that all J visa holders have J visa insurance that meets the minimum requirements. It may also be helpful to look into Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance if all other requirements are satisfied with a medical insurance policy.

It is important to keep in mind that short-term travel medical insurance will generally cover new medical conditions, injuries or accidents that occur after the effective date of the policy. It will not cover pre-existing conditions, routine maintenance, maternity, birth control, dental, vision or preventive checkups.

Sponsoring or Sending Organization

As insurance for J visa holders is mandatory, sponsoring organizations or sending organizations are routinely looking for compliant insurance at the lowest cost, and we understand that these organizations are price-sensitive.

We have over 25 years of experience in dealing with J visa insurance.

You can look at our Group J visa insurance program.

If you are looking for a customized insurance plan, we can provide you with one based on your specific requirements. The price will depend upon your prior claims experience and loss ratio. We will find you the best quotes from all of the major U.S. based insurance providers that are in the J visa insurance market.

All of our J visa insurance plans participate in a PPO network that has providers all across the U.S., allowing your participants the ability to show their insurance card and have their claims directly billed to the insurance company.