By Debbie McGoldrick

“My son and daughter will soon be traveling to the U.S. on J-1 visas. They have jobs lined up already, and accommodation, but if they do not like what they are working at, can they switch jobs, or do they have to come home? My daughter was told that she would have to stay in the same job no matter what. Also, can they work two jobs if they like? And will the Social Security number they receive be good for life?”

Your kids can definitely switch employers if the jobs they have don’t work out to their liking. That’s one of the attractive features of the J-1 summer visa program — visa holders are not tied to any particularly employer.

They will also have no problem if they wish to hold down two jobs during their time here.

All J-1 visa holders can register for a Social Security number, and it will be good for life. If your kids ever came back to the U.S. in the future, they would still be able to use the number they’ll be issued with this summer.