J-1 student workers essential for summer hiring

Yahoo

2 days ago

Jun. 1—There were murmurings of different languages amongst stacks of suitcases at the Xanterra office in Columbia Falls. It was a cool, rainy day, and J-1 student workers from around the world were getting their first impression of Montana.
Assistant Director of Human Resources Christine Wright said it's an exciting time of year as they welcome the student workers into the fold.
"I love it when they arrive and it's all new to them. They're so excited and they've done tons of research.
"But they get here, and it's still just like, 'Wow, all the pictures and information I looked up still doesn't tell the whole story," she said.
The J-1 visa, also known as the Exchange Visitor Visa or J student visa, is for anyone outside of the U.S. who wishes to take part in study and work-related exchange programs. The program aims to foster global understanding through educational and cultural exchanges, according to BridgeUSA, the agency which oversees J-1 visas for the U.S. Department of State.
Companies in Northwest Montana see bringing in J1 student workers as a win-win: students from abroad get a taste of American culture and a chance to work in beautiful scenery, while companies fill necessary positions before the hustle and bustle of summertime.
To participate in the Exchange Visitor Program, foreign nationals must be sponsored by one of the State Department-designated sponsors, according to BridgeUSA. Sponsors are responsible for screening and selecting those eligible for participation in their designated exchange visitor program, as well as supporting and monitoring exchange visitors during their stay here. Once someone obtains a DS-2019 form from a sponsor, they can apply for a J-1 visa at their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
According to BridgeUSA, Montana had more than 2,700 J-1 workers in 2023, the latest available data. While Montana boasts many job opportunities in tourism, states like California and New York saw around 27,000 J-1 workers that same year. The agency reports that J-1 visa participants come to the U.S. from more than 200 countries and that 54% of them are female.
Director of Human Resources Victoria Nix said Xanterra works with companies that operate in student's home countries, which collaborate with American sponsor agencies to advertise the Visitor Exchange Program abroad.
"We don't talk directly to the universities or to the students at first, those in-country agencies are working with our sponsor to do all of that first recruiting and talk about the program. Then there's almost like a job board, where we create profiles and share information about our jobs, and they can select us as a host employer from those lists," she said.
Xanterra is hiring 240 student workers for the upcoming summer season in Glacier National Park. Nix said these employees cover a critical time during the shoulder seasons, when college students haven't arrived yet in May and when they leave in August to return to school. There is a big effort to hire domestically too, as that's where they hire the majority of their employees. But, having J-1s to cover the beginning and end of the season is critical.
"I don't think that we would be able to remain open without our BridgeUSA students. We have about 750 seasonal employees, so we're still hiring about 600 domestic employees every summer, but those students supplement all of our operations," she said.
Whitefish Mountain Resort has been hiring J-1 workers since 2005, according to Public Relations Manager Chad Sokol. He said part of the process of hiring J-1s is showing the State Department that the company has tried to hire domestically.
"There's a variety of factors, including application patterns from current and past seasons, so we know which departments tend to have the biggest staffing needs. We're very often in need of housekeepers, for instance," Sokol said.
He said the program helps fill positions that would otherwise go unfilled. It's why Whitefish Mountain Resort Human Resource Director Kristi Hanchett wrote a letter to congressional representatives earlier this month asking them for continued support of the program.
She wrote that without a doubt, if the resort wasn't able to hire J-1 visa holding employees in the future, the needs of guests would not be met. She referenced the summer of 2021 when the resort only hired eight J-1 employees and had to close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays due to lack of staff.
"It's been an incredibly rewarding program for us, our business and the visiting students, many of whom choose to return for multiple seasons. They are valued members of the Whitefish Mountain Resort team, and we appreciate the wealth of experiences they bring to the mountain," Sokol said.
The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration has brought up questions about the future for the Exchange Visitor Visa program.
While Xanterra is watching the issue closely, Nix said there hasn't been an increase in visa denials, just the occasional question from applicants. Sokol said the resort hasn't had any hiring issues either.
"I think our students coming in are still really excited ... but I definitely think this is an important year to continue advocacy for the program," she said.
Working with CIEE, Whitefish Mountain Resort hired 40 J-1 visa holders from Jamaica, Spain and Romania for the summer season. Typically, the resort hosts about 75 visa holders each winter and has begun the hiring process for the 2025-26 ski season, Sokol notes.
The country that sends the most students to work for Xanterra in Glacier National Park is Thailand, according to Nix. She said that's because the dates available best match what applicants are looking for and that it's a good fit culturally.
Glacier National Park is also known to go viral on TikTok, which helps with hiring — Nix said it's something candidates often bring up in interviews.
Though Thailand is the top sending country, the company also works with students from Bulgaria, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Romania, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine, among others.
Nix said Xanterra hiring staff have gone on several trips to the top sending countries in recent years, where they learned more about cultures and met potential hires face-to-face. Some of the students show up and immediately look for Nix, because they are eager to see a familiar face.
"A lot of times they bring us gifts from their countries, which is really cute, like a little tea or candy, something small," she said. "But yeah, it's a really fun reunion when we get to see them again. Two girls that were checking in this morning poked their head in my office and were like 'Hi, Victoria! Do you remember us?' I was like, 'Yeah!'"
Preferences of the workers are considered during placement within the park. Nix said those who are very eager to hike and backpack typically love Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, while those who want to be a little closer to town prefer Lake McDonald Lodge. There's a draw in working at the beautiful Many Glacier Hotel for some hires, and Nix said it's one of the most requested locations.
Once they arrive, summer starts rolling fast for these exchange workers. Students are taken to rodeos and firework shows on the Fourth of July, among other activities, to show-off American culture.
But the exchange goes both ways with U.S. employees learning about their coworker's culture.
It's the kind of closeness that comes with working side-by-side all summer long, Nix said.
"It's always a 'cry-fest' on our check out days, because everyone forms really strong friendships. They're working with everyone every day," Nix said. "So, on big checkout days, if you drive up on property, you'll just see hordes of employees, both domestic and international, all hugging and crying and maybe kissing — whatever the nature of the relationship was."
While they occasionally get homesick, Nix said the students generally have good sentiments about their time in Glacier National Park. They may be happy to come back another summer or already have plans with their coworkers to come visit them in their home country.
While the Visitor Exchange Program may solve a lot of logistical issues for hiring managers in Northwest Montana, Nix said her favorite part of the program is the connections made by employees.
"It's really beautiful to see another human being, person-to-person, and to maybe learn their country's games or share food with them or tell stories around a campfire," Nix said. "So, I think it's good for global diplomacy and global citizenship, because it's bringing people from all over the world together in a beautiful place like Glacier."
Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4440 or by emailing [e-mail].