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Frequently Asked Questions: Guidance for Travelers to Enter the U.S.

Updated Date: April 21, 2022

Since January 22, 2022, DHS has required non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon request.  On April 21, 2022, DHS announced that it would extend these requirements. In determining whether and when to rescind this order, DHS anticipates that it will take account of whether the vaccination requirement for non-U.S. air travelers remains in place.

These requirements apply to non-U.S. individuals who are traveling for essential or non-essential reasons. They do not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals.

Effective November 8, 2021, new air travel requirements applied to many noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily. These travelers are also required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. All air travelers, including U.S. persons, must test negative for COVID-19 prior to departure. Limited exceptions apply. See  CDC guidance  for more details regarding air travel requirements.

Below is more information about what to know before you go, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions about cross-border travel.

Entering the U.S. Through a Land Port of Entry or Ferry Terminal

Q. what are the requirements for travelers entering the united states through land poes.

A:  Before embarking on a trip to the United States, non-U.S. travelers should be prepared for the following:

• Possess proof of an approved COVID-19 vaccination as outlined on the  CDC  website.
• During border inspection, verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status. 
• Bring a  Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative  compliant border crossing document, such as a valid passport (and visa if required), Trusted Traveler Program card, a Department of State-issued Border Crossing Card, Enhanced Driver’s License or Enhanced Tribal Card when entering the country. Travelers (including U.S. citizens) should be prepared to present the WHTI-compliant document and any other documents requested by the CBP officer.

 Q. What are the requirements to enter the United States for children under the age of 18 who can't be vaccinated?

A:  Children under 18 years of age are excepted from the vaccination requirement at land and ferry POEs.

Q: Which vaccines/combination of vaccines will be accepted?

A:  Per CDC guidelines, all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and authorized vaccines, as well as all vaccines that have an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO), will be accepted.

Accepted Vaccines:

• More details are available in CDC guidance  here .
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose COVID-19 vaccine;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart.

Q. Is the United States requiring travelers to have a booster dose to be considered fully vaccinated for border entry purposes?

A:  No. The CDC guidance for “full vaccination” can be found here.

Q: Do U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land POEs and ferry terminals?

A:  No. Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation.

Q: Is pre- or at-arrival COVID testing required to enter the United States via land POEs or ferry terminals?

A: No, there is no COVID testing requirement to enter the United States via land POE or ferry terminals. In this respect, the requirement for entering by a land POE or ferry terminal differs from arrival via air, where there is a requirement to have a negative test result before departure.

Processing Changes Announced on January 22, 2022 

Q: new changes were recently announced. what changed on january 22.

A:  Since January 22, 2022, non-citizens who are not U.S. nationals or Lawful Permanent Residents have been required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States at land ports of entry and ferry terminals, whether for essential or nonessential purposes. Previously, DHS required that non-U.S. persons be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States for nonessential purposes.  Effective January 22, all non-U.S. individuals, to include essential travelers, must be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request. DHS announced an extension of this policy on April 21, 2022.

Q: Who is affected by the changes announced on January 22?

A: This requirement does not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. It applies to other noncitizens, such as a citizen of Mexico, Canada, or any other country seeking to enter the United States through a land port of entry or ferry terminal.

Q: Do U.S. citizens need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land port of entry or ferry terminals?

A: Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. Citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation. 

Q: What is essential travel?

A:  Under the prior policy, there was an exception from temporary travel restrictions for “essential travel.” Essential travel included travel to attend educational institutions, travel to work in the United States, travel for emergency response and public health purposes, and travel for lawful cross-border trade (e.g., commercial truckers). Under current policy, there is no exception for essential travel.

Q: Will there be any exemptions? 

A: While most non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States will need to be vaccinated, there is a narrow list of exemptions consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Order in the air travel context.

• Certain categories of individuals on diplomatic or official foreign government travel as specified in the CDC Order
• Children under 18 years of age;
• Certain participants in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials as specified in the CDC Order;   
• Individuals with medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine as specified in the CDC Order;
• Individuals issued a humanitarian or emergency exception by the Secretary of Homeland Security;
• Individuals with valid nonimmigrant visas (excluding B-1 [business] or B-2 [tourism] visas) who are citizens of a country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability, as specified in the CDC Order
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of age) as specified in the CDC Order; and
• Individuals whose entry would be in the U.S. national interest, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Q: What documentation will be required to show vaccination status?

A:  Non-U.S. individuals are required to be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request regardless of the purpose of travel.

The current documentation requirement remains the same and is available on the CDC website . Documentation requirements for entry at land ports of entry and ferry terminals mirror those for entry by air.

Q: What happens if someone doesn’t have proof of vaccine status?

A: If non-U.S. individuals cannot present proof of vaccination upon request, they will not be admitted into the United States and will either be subject to removal or be allowed to withdraw their application for entry.

Q: Will incoming travelers be required to present COVID-19 test results?

A: There is no COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers at land border ports of entry, including ferry terminals.

Q: What does this mean for those who can't be vaccinated, either due to age or other health considerations? 

A: See CDC guidance for additional information on this topic. Note that the vaccine requirement does not apply to children under 18 years of age.

Q: Does this requirement apply to amateur and professional athletes?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions.

Q: Are commercial truckers required to be vaccinated?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions. These requirements also apply to bus drivers as well as rail and ferry operators.

Q. Do you expect border wait times to increase?

A:  As travelers navigate these new travel requirements, wait times may increase. Travelers should account for the possibility of longer than normal wait times and lines at U.S. land border crossings when planning their trip and are kindly encouraged to exercise patience.

To help reduce wait times and long lines, travelers can take advantage of innovative technology, such as facial biometrics and the CBP OneTM mobile application, which serves as a single portal for individuals to access CBP mobile applications and services.

Q: How is Customs and Border Protection staffing the ports of entry? 

A: CBP’s current staffing levels at ports of entry throughout the United States are commensurate with pre-pandemic levels. CBP has continued to hire and train new employees throughout the pandemic. CBP expects some travelers to be non-compliant with the proof of vaccination requirements, which may at times lead to an increase in border wait times. Although trade and travel facilitation remain a priority, we cannot compromise national security, which is our primary mission. CBP Office of Field Operations will continue to dedicate its finite resources to the processing of arriving traffic with emphasis on trade facilitation to ensure economic recovery.

Q: What happens if a vaccinated individual is traveling with an unvaccinated individual?  

A:  The unvaccinated individual (if 18 or over) would not be eligible for admission.

Q: If I am traveling for an essential reason but am not vaccinated can I still enter?

A:  No, if you are a non-U.S. individual. The policy announced on January 22, 2022 applies to both essential and non-essential travel by non-U.S. individual travelers. Since January 22, DHS has required that all inbound non-U.S. individuals crossing U.S. land or ferry POEs – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination upon request.

Q: Are sea crew members on vessels required to have a COVID vaccine to disembark?

A:  Sea crew members traveling pursuant to a C-1 or D nonimmigrant visa are not excepted from COVID-19 vaccine requirements at the land border. This is a difference from the international air transportation context.

Entering the U.S. via Air Travel

Q: what are the covid vaccination requirements for air passengers to the united states  .

A:  According to CDC requirements [www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html | Link no longer valid], most noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily must be fully vaccinated prior to boarding a flight to the United States. These travelers are required to show proof of vaccination. A list of covered individuals is available on the CDC website.  

Q: What are the COVID testing requirements for air passengers to the United States?  

A:  Effective Sunday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. ET, CDC will no longer require pre-departure COVID-19 testing for U.S.-bound air travelers.

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Working in the United States

Many noncitizens want to come to the United States to work. This page provides a summary of employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa classifications and other categories of noncitizens who are eligible for employment authorization. Each classification provides a link to more detailed information on its requirements.

A common way to work temporarily in the United States as a nonimmigrant is for a prospective employer to file a petition with USCIS on your behalf. The Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Workers webpage describes the main nonimmigrant temporary worker classifications.

If you have the right combination of skills, education, and/or work experience, you may be able to live and work permanently in the United States by seeking an employment-based immigrant visa. The Permanent Workers webpage describes the five employment-based immigrant visa preferences (also called categories).

If you live outside the United States and want to work here, you generally must apply for a visa from the U.S. Department of State (DOS), unless a visa is not required for people from your country of nationality. You may visit DOS’ Travel Without a Visa page for more information.

In many cases, USCIS must approve your petition before you are eligible to apply to DOS for a visa or seek admission at a port of entry. Before entering the United States, you must present yourself to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer and receive permission to enter the United States and engage in your proposed activity.

If you are in the United States in a lawful nonimmigrant status that does not provide employment authorization, you generally may apply for:

• A change of status to a nonimmigrant classification that provides employment authorization; or
• An adjustment of status to become a lawful permanent resident. This may be a concurrent filing with an immigrant visa petition or, depending on the circumstances, may require an applicant to obtain an approved immigrant visa before applying for an adjustment of status to become a lawful permanent resident.

Depending on the classification you seek, your change or adjustment of status application might require a U.S. employer or other qualified requestor to file an application or petition on your behalf to establish your eligibility before we approve your application. However, if you apply based on certain classifications (for example, an alien with extraordinary ability or as a nonimmigrant E-1 or E-2 principal treaty trader or investor), you may be eligible to self-petition, which means filing an application on your own behalf.

Additionally, if you are in the United States, including if you are an applicant for permanent residence or a certain family member of an alien who has lawful nonimmigrant status, you may file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , to request employment authorization and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You may also apply for an EAD that shows such authorization if your immigration status authorizes you to work in the United States without restrictions.

The conditions you must meet and how long you can work in the United States depend on the type of immigration status the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants. You must comply with all conditions of your employment authorization and the terms of your admission to this country. If you violate any of the conditions, you could be removed from or denied re-entry into the United States.

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How To Apply For Work And Travel

Ready to begin your American adventure? Let us help you find a job in the United States – just as we do for more than 15,000 international students each year. 

The first step is to connect with the CIEE international representative closest to you. If you can’t find a CIEE representative in your country, you can apply directly to CIEE. Send us  an email  to learn more.

Find a Representative by Country

EBLA Educational Business Links Albania     +355 67 20 77 990   [email protected]    blink-al.com

Integral Albania    [email protected]    integral.al

Kouzon    00355695417369   00355695417385   [email protected]    kouzon.mk

Tandek Exchange your mind    +355682060277   [email protected]     tandek.al

WEUSA    +(5411) 4773-7327   [email protected]    www.weusa.com.ar/

BUNAC    +61 3 9119 5252   infobunac.org    bunac.org

Work and Travel Group     066/375-888   [email protected]    workandtravelgroup.com

Kouzon Work and Travel BiH    387 66 533 030   [email protected]    kouzon.com.mk

Integral    359 28050600   [email protected]    wat.integral.bg

Usit Colours    359 29811900, ext 306   [email protected]    gotousa.bg

WEUSA    (+56) 2 2378 7083   [email protected]    www.weusa.cl

Raising Culture    +8618610165402   [email protected]    raisingculture.com

SunnySky Intl Cultural Exchange    +8602981707357   [email protected]     sunnyskyicec.cn

Servicio Educativo Internacional    +57 (1) 2745798   [email protected]    servicioeducativo.com

Smaller Earth Colombia    smallerearth.com/us/

SEP Costa Rica    +506 2253 4007   [email protected]    sepworkandtravelcr.com

Integral    385 1 4683 381   [email protected]    integraledu.hr

Work and Travel Group    097 720-12-56   [email protected]    workandtravelgroup.com

Applimates Educational Consultancy Service    +357-22669757 and +90-548- 853-9714   [email protected]    applimates.com

WYSE TRAVEL    +35725345273    [email protected]    www.workandtravel.cy

Czech-us    +420 773 960 963   [email protected]    www.czech-us.cz

Smaller Earth Czech Republic    +420 702 060 336   [email protected]    smallerearth.com/cz

Student Agency Czech Republic    +1800 100 300   [email protected]    studentagency.cz

The North-West Passage    +16199720555   [email protected]    thenorth-westpassage.com

ODTE    +1 809 686 3333   [email protected]    odte.org/

OFIT    +1 809 535 4881   [email protected]     ofit.com.do

APEX… tu camino    +593 (2) 2460484   [email protected]    apextucamino.com

Ordex    +201093699639   [email protected]     exegypt.org

EX Egypt    +201030117310   [email protected]     exegypt.org

Star Travel Georgia    +99532 2967799   [email protected]     workandtravel.ge

Work and Travel Group    +30 210 822 0015 [email protected]    workandtravelgroup.com

Student and Youth Travel Organization    +233 (0) 302 769157   [email protected]    sytoghana.org

Smaller Earth Hungary    (36) 20-662-5938   [email protected]    smallerearth.com/hu/

Work and Travel Group     +36 70 270 2211   [email protected]    workandtravelgroup.com

Speedwing Training (Asia) Pte Ltd    +65 62567555   [email protected]    www.speedwing.org

Global Insight    +1 (876) 9788098   [email protected]    globalinsightexchanges.com

International Recruiting Staffing Solutions    +1 (876) 7541836   [email protected]    irssworktravel.com

International Travel and Cultural Exchange    +1 (876) 3783876   [email protected]    goitce.com

Divan Student Travel    +96265511950   [email protected]    divanintl.org/a>

Travel Gates    962 79 691 5148   [email protected]    travelgatesjo.com

AirTravel International    +87(17)262-5745    [email protected]    airtravel.kz

Kazakhstan Council for Educational Travel (KCET)    +7 727 2723722,   +7 747 2507777,   +7 705 249 7337   [email protected]    kcet.kz

ABC Universe Kazakhstan    +77075619621   [email protected]    www.workandtravelus.kz

Jaunimo Keliones    370 604 13172   [email protected]    jaunimokeliones.lt

Lithuanian World Center for Work Experience and Studies Abroad    +370 37 223355   [email protected]    www.lwc-wt.lt

Kouzon & Co.    389 2 3238 801   [email protected]    kouzon.com.mk

Infinity Abroad    +6012 321 0397   [email protected]    https://infinity-abroad.com/

OOTB Personal Development Sdn Bhd    60 3 2164 5407   [email protected]    outofthebox.com.my

Speedwing Malaysia S/B    +65 6526 7555   [email protected]    www.speedwing.org

International Cultural Exchange    +52 1 3312462744   [email protected]    ice.org.mx

Smaller Earth Mexico    (52) 222-211-0956   [email protected]    smallerearth.com/us/

Kouzon    0038268271671   [email protected]    kouzon.mk

Work and Travel Group    +382 20 / 675 164   [email protected]    workandtravelgroup.com

WAT Montenegro    069 450 405, 067 357 377   [email protected]    watmontenegro.com

Phi S.A.    505-8424-0314   [email protected]

BUNAC    +64 9 883 2525   infobunac.org    bunac.org

International Working Holidays    +64 9 6660192   [email protected]    iwh.co.nz

Internship New Zealand    +64 (4) 920 7646   [email protected]    internshipnz.com

Almatur    48 22 826 23 56   [email protected]    almatur.pl

The Best Way    48 61 622 95 51   [email protected]    tbw.pl

Business Travel Club    BTC - stany,pl   +48 726 020 050   [email protected]    stany.pl

Camp Leaders Poland    (48) 81-532-34-64   [email protected]    resortleaders.com/pl

GTS International Romania    +4021.313.4545   [email protected]    gotosua.ro

IntegralEdu Work & Travel    +40 737 069 011   [email protected]    worktravelusa.ro

Student Travel    40 756068541   [email protected]    studenttravel.ro

STM Acord Travel    +40784433555   [email protected]    acordtravel.ro

Global Vision    +7 812 970 06 25   [email protected]    global-vision.ru

Star Travel    +7 495 797 95 55   [email protected]    startravel.ru

Divan International    +966126676161   [email protected]    divanintl.org

Agencia Kouzon I Ko doo    381 18 523374   [email protected]    kouzon.com.mk

IUVIA NGO    00381113035788   [email protected]    gpa.rs

Work & Travel Group    00381 11 40 56 198   [email protected]    posloviamerika.com

Smaller Earth Slovakia    (421) 0918-935-622   [email protected]    smallerearth.com/sk/

Student Agency Slovakia    420 5 42 42 42 42   [email protected]    studentagency.cz

CIEE Study Center Seville    (+34) 954-412-002   [email protected]    usa-internships.org

Foreign Study League    34-917-819-910   [email protected]    fsl.es

Travelingua    34-965.12.38.12   [email protected]    travelingua.es

StudyZone (Advis Educational Counseling)    +90 (212) 3938296   [email protected]    studyzone.com.tr 

Armada Grandee Education Consulting    +90 (312) 4192121   [email protected]    armadagrandee.com

United Towers    +90 (212) 2445005   [email protected]    unitedtowers.com

Coliseum    38 (044) 239-1919   [email protected]    workandtravel.org.ua

Star Travel Ukraine    +38 0443834112   [email protected]    startravel.ua

Student Travel    (+380) 99 940 49 62, (+380) 93 271 70 20   [email protected]    studenttravel.ua

BUNAC    +44 333 014 8484   infobunac.org    bunac.org

IST Plus    44 (0) 207 788 7877   [email protected]    istplus.com

Parenthèse    33 1 43 36 37 07   [email protected]    parenthese-london.co.uk

WEUSA    +(5411) 4773-7327   [email protected]    weusa.com.ar

Speedwing Training (Asia) Pte Ltd    +65 6256 7555   [email protected]    www.speedwing.org

If you can’t find a CIEE international representative in your country, you can apply directly to CIEE. Send us an email to learn more.

How Does the Program Work?

You will be welcomed as a visitor with a U.S. Department of State J-1 visa. This visa allows you to live and work in the United States for up to four months during your university summer break. It also gives you the possibility to travel for an additional 30 days after your job ends.

Visitors with J-1 visas require a sponsor. As a student in the CIEE Work & Travel USA program, CIEE is your sponsor. We’re responsible for making sure you are prepared to live in America, have access to a good job with a responsible employer, and have a meaningful cultural exchange experience. We also monitor your health, safety and well-being while you are in this country.

You will be working for one of thousands of employers located all across the United States. Your representative can tell you all you need to know about your employment options.

Are You Eligible?

To be eligible for the CIEE Work & Travel USA Program, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old (check with your local representative for specific rules)
• Be registered as a full-time university student
• Be able to function in English, both at work and in a community
• Have a pre-arranged job (CIEE can help)
• Have at least $800 to support yourself upon arrival in the United States

We welcome students who wish to come back. Ask your CIEE international representative, or contact CIEE for further details to find out if you are a candidate for a second visit.

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Visit our Newsroom for information about the current status of visa services and visa restrictions related to the COVID-19 global pandemic

What is a U.S. Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport, a travel document issued by the traveler’s country of citizenship.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the requirements for visa-free travel. The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States.

(Note: U.S. citizens don’t need a U.S. visa for travel, but when planning travel abroad may need a visa issued by the embassy of the country they wish to visit. In this situation, when planning travel abroad, learn about visa requirements by country, see country information in the International Travel Section section of this website.)

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The type of visa you must obtain is defined by U.S. immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel.

Please visit our Visa Wizard to find out what visa type is appropriate for you.

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Check the estimated wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Note: Please check the individual Embassy or Consulate website to determine if your case is eligible for a waiver of the in-person interview.

Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times.

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Work and Travel in United States

Help us grow. share what you know about getting work in united states for travellers., volunteer and paid work opportunities in united states for travellers.

Work in United States All Year Round Work and travel in the United States is a dream that many harbour in order to extend their time in North America. Luckily, if you want to work in America there’s no better country when it comes to the diversity of work. The sheer size of the country means you’ll easily find work of all kinds in winter, summer, autumn, and spring. There are jobs in the USA for skilled working travellers and non-skilled working travellers. You can teach English in the US state of Florida, you can engage in environmental volunteer work around the Great Lakes and the various national parks around the country, or you can take charge of kids in a country with a wildly popular summer camp culture. This guide to work and travel in the USA is going to introduce you to the sort of work you can take advantage of in the US and what you need to actually get there.

VOLUNTEER WORK VISA / PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR UNITED STATES

People wonder whether they need a green card or whether they have to struggle through US immigration to legally volunteer in the United States. If you want to work in America the process is relatively easy. Your original tourist visa is sufficient for all nationalities to perform the vast majority of short-term work in America. The only exception is if you are planning to volunteer for more than 90 days. In this case you will be required to apply for a B1 or B2 visa before you enter the country. Take note that the definition of volunteering is performing work without expecting any form of compensation. This doesn’t include basics like lunch and your bed. The difficulty for some nationalities who want to volunteer in the USA will be getting into the country in the first place. Most EU nations, including the UK, have agreements where you can enter the USA without applying for a visa for up to 90 days. This also applies to Australians and volunteers from New Zealand. There are some exceptions for European nations, though. Russian citizens, for example, will have to apply for a visa prior to arriving in the United States. It isn’t necessary for Russians to apply for a separate permit to perform volunteer work in the USA, though.

SEASONAL BACKPACKER SKILLS NEEDED IN UNITED STATES

Spring work.

Spring jobs in the USA are in abundance because it’s actually the biggest hiring period, even eclipsing the number of summer volunteer jobs in America. The main seasonal jobs in spring revolve around parts of the local, state, and national parks. If you want to make a difference to the environment this is the place to go during spring. You do need qualifications in relevant fields, but if you’ve just left university with a relevant science degree this could be the work and travel job for you. There are a range of positions in national parks, including water quality research testers, replenishing stocks of plants, and even managing the maintenance of hiking trails. But there are still jobs to be found outside of national parks. For example, you could spend the spring maintaining gardens on a permaculture farm in Florida. The far north of the country will still have snow on the ground, so there may still be work in ski resorts, but a lot of places carry over their winter volunteers into the early months of spring.

SUMMER JOBS

Part of the culture of the USA is that during the long summer holidays the kids go away to summer camps. You might think that the volunteers there are exclusively drawn from the local community, but that’s not the case. You’ll find plenty of summer camp volunteering opportunities for both qualified and unqualified working travellers. If you love young people, this is the job for you. There are a fair share of both international programs and local positions available, so make sure you do your research. The majority of summer jobs revolve around the hospitality industry as hotels and hostels begin the busiest period of the year. You can easily find work and travel positions ranging from simple receptionist work to gardening and babysitting. You may even want to look into housesitting at this time of year. With most people taking a holiday they will be looking for reliable people to watch their homes. This is an all-year job in the United States, but you’ll notice an explosion in the number of opportunities during the summer.

Autumn is the harvest time. The hospitality industry is starting to wind down and the kids are going back home to start the new school year. This is also the time of year where picking jobs are in abundance. Farmers in the likes of Wyoming and Oklahoma are always searching for help during the busiest time of the year. And they’re willing to take on working travellers who’re willing to put in a hard day’s work. The work will depend on what you’re needed for. For example, you could be out in the fields or you could be taking care of household duties whilst everybody else manages the farm. One type of seasonal work in the United States you might have heard of is cannabis plant trimming. The trimming industry is one that has always been a favourite for travellers. You need to beware of which state you work in because in many areas it’s still illegal. Dave’s Travel Corner details how he worked in Northern California as a trimmer. Take note it’s still illegal here. We recommend sticking to Southern Oregon trimming jobs, where the legal marijuana industry has come into being. Colorado and Washington are other states where you can get legal seasonal jobs like this from September until November.

The primary seasonal job in the USA for working travellers is volunteering at a ski resort. The season usually runs from December to February, but can run longer if you’re in the far north. Alaska is always a favourite for skiing, but the majority of Americans stick to the Rockies mountain range. The ski resorts in Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah are amongst the best in the country. You can also ski in the Sierra Nevada through California, but skiing here is less popular due to the fact snow is wetter and heavier. If you want to work and travel in America on the Atlantic coast you can find ski resorts in the states of New York and Vermont.

ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING IN UNITED STATES

The attitude to foreigners working in the USA is generally warm and welcoming. It’s extremely common to see travellers volunteering so local people are more than used to it. Leave the big cities and you’ll be treated extremely well by locals who rarely greet working travellers.

Recent Contributors

• Edited on Jul 24 2017 by Artem

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Raise your uni holiday game. If you’re 18-30 and a full-time student, have the ultimate summer working and travelling in the USA. Earn money, make friends, discover America.

What’s the Work USA J-1 summer program?

If you’re a full-time student, then the J-1 visa allows you to work anywhere in the USA for up to four months over your summer holidays – plus travel around America for 30 days afterwards. On our Work USA program, we’ll help match you with a summer job before you go, provide the sponsorship you need to apply for your J-1 visa, and support you throughout the whole process.

Ordinary jobs in extraordinary locations: you’ll earn a salary, experience America like a local, and have the summer of a lifetime. (Until next year, when you go back and do it again. You can do Work USA every summer you’re studying, up to three times in total!).

So, what did you do over the holidays?

Not much. Worked in a hotel on Catalina Island in California, went hiking in the Hollywood Hills and surfing in the O.C. at weekends, road tripped along Route 66 at the end of the summer with my new work mates. Just your average summer with Work USA, then. Book now for summer 2023.

Earn over USD $8,000* next summer

Make your summer work for you. Depending on the job and location, you can earn over USD $8,000 including tips working in America over the summer. Plus, you’ll add international job experience to your CV and show future employers you have the confidence to live and work abroad.

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Type of work

Our Work USA program is designed to do seasonal work, usually in hospitality or tourism. Think those iconic all-American summer jobs – working in hotels, country clubs and restaurants: working as a lifeguard, server, bartender, spa attendant or groundskeeper.  It might not be your dream career, but you’ll be working in your dream location. Read on.

Where you'll work

Our employers need staff for a reason – they’re located in America’s most popular summer spots. Think the whale-filled waters of Cape Cod, the golden beaches of California, and the mountain trails of North Carolina. Working alongside students from all over the world, you’ll have more fun in the sun than you can handle – exploring new places with new friends.

Who can apply

All passport holders can apply, but you must be 18-30 and a current degree level student registered at a UK, German, Austrian or Swiss university. Your course must be a minimum of two years for undergrads, and one year for postgrads. You can do our Work USA program between academic years, or in the summer immediately after you graduate.

How long for

The J-1 visa allows you to work in a pre-arranged job for up to four months, and you can enter the USA to start work from the 1 st June. The J-1 visa is a cultural exchange visa and is designed for international students to experience everything America has to offer, which is why you’re given a 30-day grace period after your job to travel around the States.

BUNAC presents Ordinary jobs in extraordinary locations

18-30 and a student? America needs you. Official sponsors of the all-American summer since 1962: we provide the sponsorship, job support and visa assistance you need to spend your summer Stateside.

“If you’re thinking about doing Work America, stop thinking and do it! It's life-changing. It has given me the confidence for my future and I have memories to last a lifetime. You’re only young once and we only live once. Make the most of it, you will not regret it.”

“I was hesitant to take part in this program at first – I was young and slightly scared of the world. The thought of rewinding two years and making the decision not to do Work America and missing out on this chance makes me feel sick! I’d say jump in and just enjoy it.”

“I would say that this is the best thing you could do. Travelling and exploring a new culture comes with a lot of benefits. You learn a lot from the experience and also from the people you meet – when you go back to your country you take home with you the most wonderful memories.”

Book with travellers. Expert job hunters, visa translators and parent whisperers – all our team have worked or volunteered abroad.

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*All figures are based on the available jobs, advertised salary and accommodation costs for our Work USA 2022 program. This example is based on working 40 hours a week over the 12-week summer period. To see how this figure is calculated and what you can earn in other roles, please visit our c ost and inclusions page. BUNAC is not liable for any differences in these salaries, directly or indirectly related to your performance. This should be used as a guide only.

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What is Work and Travel program?

“Summer Work and Travel USA” program is a cultural exchange program exclusively for students. The program has been approved and supported by the American government and it enables students to work in the USA during the summer break within a period of 4 months and after that, if they want, to use the fifth month for traveling. The aim of the program is to gain great experience, improve English language, meet the culture, customs and lifestyle, as well as, to get new friends.

What do we offer?

Summer Work and Travel Program is a complex program. Therefore, it is important that you have safety and all the program segments organized.

1. Safe job – interviews with the employers 2. Meeting the representative of the sponsor companies in the USA authorized by the State Department before departure to the USA. 3. Transport to the location of the employer or accommodation 4. Organization and help with getting SSN number in the USA which you cannot work without 5. Continuous support during your stay in the USA

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Welcome to 'The Land of Opportunity'.

America Overview

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Work Abroad in the USA

The United States has long been the original work and travel destination. Whether  summer camp  staff, expats, or summer work and travel professionals, millions have had their own adventures in the U.S. for decades, with many more millions preparing to do the same in the coming years.

White jaw-dropping landscapes such as the Rocky Mountains, iconic destinations such as New York City, and adventure aplenty across all 50 states of the U.S., there's a wealth of unforgettable opportunities in city and rural locations.

Whether you work a  summer season  or you decide to take a full year (or more) there, working abroad in the USA allows you to live the 'American Dream', participate in cultural exchange, and forge lifelong connections.

What do I need to work abroad in the USA?

The J1 visa is a work permit that allows you to work and participate on an approved cultural exchange program in the US, with a much simpler application process compared to applying for permanent residency. It covers the duration of your chosen program, as well as 30 days free travel after.

There are numerous benefits to securing a J1 Visa! These include the shorter application process in comparison to other visas as well as the 30 day free travel that is included with it.

Eligibility for the J1 is determined for various factors. This includes things such as the applicants ability to speak English, which country they are applying from the insurance and the insurance they have among other things.

Learn more about the U.S.

If you want to work abroad in the USA, you'll find a host of opportunities and unforgettable experiences come hand in hand. This vast country is home to a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures, and environments, meaning each interesting area is as different and as vibrant as the next. Coupled with the fact this huge country has 50 states and covers multiple time zones, you start to realise how truly massive it is. If you're looking for your new American home and to find jobs abroad in America, today's the day to delve deeper into where's perfect for you.

• Population: 335.9m
• Number of States : 50
• Capital: Washington, D.C.
• Currency: U.S. Dollar
• Area: 9.834m km2
• Yearly Tourists: 60 million (approx)

Major Cities

• Washington D.C. (Capital)
• New York City. New York
• Los Angeles, California
• Chicago, Illinois
• Boston, Massachusetts
• San Francisco, California
• Houston, Texas
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

As 'The Land of Opportunity', people have flocked to the United States for centuries. It's become a melting pot of nationalities, cultures, and languages, especially in major cities. Italian, Chinese, Irish and many other cultures influence areas, boasting proud and thriving communities. You'll also find towns and suburbs throughout this vast country which display quintessential American values: a welcoming and warm nature, a kind and helpful, close-knit feel, and a proud sense of national identity from families who have been in the area for generations.

America is sport crazy. Yes, you have the huge, top-level sports, with the likes of the NFL in American football, the NBA in basketball, and the MLB in baseball, all representing the highest level of American sports. Yet you'll also find a passionate following of these sports beneath the elite level, with college sports teams often having crowds of 60,000 plus, showing this country's incredible thirst for sport. For those wanting to be involved in sports whilst on a placement, America is definitely one of the leading countries to visit.

From country music to the blues, America has a firm imprint on world music, which continues to influence popular culture to this day. It is 'the' place to be if you want to have a seminal impact on world music, but it's also a hotbed of talent. For every Taylor Swift or Eminem, there are countless up-and-coming stars influenced by the U.S.'s musical past, with thriving music scenes anywhere from New Orleans up to New York. Music is unique to every individual, and you're sure to find what works for you in the USA.

Environment

The United States is an incredibly vast and expansive landscape, being home to the equivalent of multiple countries in one. It is home to piercing mountain ranges such as the Rocky Mountains or the Appalachian Mountains and great river systems such as the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers. For those who love the great outdoors, there are very few countries like it.

New York Highlights

New York can be a pricey place, but if you do it correctly, you can see all the best spots at a fraction of the price. One such thing you absolutely have to see is the Statue of Liberty, which can cost over $30 to go to the actual island. If you're trying to save the pennies, then consider getting the Staten island ferry instead. On this, it's free, and it sails right past the Statue of Liberty, giving great views to see it and for pictures. Just make sure you're on the right hand side of the ferry on the way out, as everyone will flock there when they realise that's the side it's on!

Times Square is a place that engages all the senses and one which needs to be seen to be believed.

It definitely solidifies New York City as the  'city that never sleeps' . Large neon signs drape every skyscraper and corner of the area, meaning your eyes are drawn upwards more than just in front of you.

When you do get a moment to look down, you'll find an eclectic mix of street performers, tour operators, and food vendors lining its bustling streets, all among the thousands of visitors who flock to experience it.

If you're coming to New York City, you won't be able to leave until you see Times Square.

Central Park is the green jewel in the middle of New York's crown.

Nestled in the middle of Manhattan's sprawling concrete jungle is this green paradise, one which has deservedly been immortalised through major film and TV shows for nearly a century.

While we typically associate New York City with bright lights and towering skyscrapers, Central Park disrupts this association with its picturesque greenery, beautiful lakes, and stunning fountains. In a city of millions, it almost feels surreal to find such a large green area homed directly in the middle, yet it's there and waiting for you to explore each corner.

From museums and galleries to a famous zoo, Central Park has plenty to do.

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You must complete the CBP Declaration Form 6059B . CBP Declaration Form 6059B provides us with basic information about who you are and what you are bringing into the United States, such as agricultural and wildlife products and whether or not you have visited a farm prior to traveling to the United States. If you are traveling with other immediate family members, then you can complete one form for your entire family.

Some travelers (such as refugees, asylees or individuals with parole documents) will need to complete CBP Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record .

If you have questions about your form, please don't hesitate to ask a CBP officer for help.

Sample Customs Declaration Form 6059B (English)

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U.S. citizens traveling abroad

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If you are a U.S. citizen planning to travel abroad, you may need a visa to enter a foreign country. Learn how to find your destination's visa requirements.

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Find out what to do in an emergency in another country, including assistance, money and more.

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
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Entry requirements

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel. 

The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK .

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering the US.

Passport validity requirements

To enter the US, your passport must be valid for the length of your planned stay.

If you’re travelling through another country on your way to or from the US, check the entry requirements for that country. Many countries will only allow entry if you have at least 6 months validity remaining on your passport. 

Dual nationals  

US law requires US citizens to enter and exit the US using a US passport. Contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK for more information.

Visa requirements

To enter or transit through the US, you must have either an  Electronic System for Travel Authorisation ( ESTA ) visa waiver  or a visa .

The US State Department has more information on visas .

Applying for an ESTA visa waiver 

Apply for an ESTA visa waiver through US Customs and Border Protection. You can also apply using the ESTA Mobile app .

You cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you have:

• been arrested (even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction)
• a criminal record
• been refused admission into, or have been deported from the US
• previously overstayed under an ESTA visa waiver

You cannot normally apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you were in the following countries on or after March 2011: 

• North Korea

You cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you travelled to or were in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021. 

If you are not eligible for an ESTA , you must instead apply for a US visa.

Applying for a visa

The US Embassy in London has information on how to apply for a visa .

US visa appointments

Visa appointments at the US Embassy in London are limited. Plan your application as far ahead as possible before travel. If you need to travel urgently, you can request an expedited interview through the US Embassy’s appointment service provider.

The US Embassy has more information on visa appointments .

Children and young people

Anyone aged 17 and under must:

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The US authorities can stop you entering the country if they have safeguarding concerns about a child. If this happens, the US authorities will take the child into their care, and their return from the US could take months. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) cannot speed up the return of British nationals aged 17 and under from the US.

The US government has information about children travelling to the US . If you have questions, contact the US Embassy in the UK .

Vaccine requirements

For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s US guide .

Customs rules 

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of the US . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Global Entry programme

The US Customs and Border Protection programme Global Entry allows pre-approved travellers through border control faster at some US airports. If you’re a British citizen, you can  register to get a UK background check . If you pass the background checks, you’ll be invited to apply for Global Entry.

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The 15 places in America where people travel the most for work

Posted: December 7, 2023 | Last updated: December 7, 2023

Metros with the highest share of business travelers and their top destinations

Whether emerging tech hubs or venture capital havens, business travel destinations are about as diverse as the travelers' origins. Like so many other industries, though, business travel has changed in the post-pandemic era, with new traveler itineraries and destinations, transportation protocols, and frequency of travel.

In the mass shift to remote work, many businesses welcomed virtual meetings as sufficient alternatives to in-person ones requiring costly travel. And some companies let employees choose whether or not to attend business trips in person.

Those trends continue, even as businesses nationwide further reduce travel budgets in the name of sustainability. Deloitte estimates that by 2025, 3 in 10 companies will have reduced their travel budgets by more than 11%. Though a return to pre-pandemic spend volume by around late 2024 is likely "adjusting for lost growth and inflation indicates that in real terms, corporate travel will likely be smaller than it was prior to the pandemic," according to a 2023 study by Deloitte . Business travel remains a vital component of entrepreneurship, providing opportunities for in-person networking, market research, and dealmaking

Using data from the Federal Highway Administration's National Household Travel Survey , TravelPerk determined which metro areas recorded the most long-distance business trips in 2021, the latest year for which data is available. Metros are ranked by the share of work trips 300 miles or greater and rounded to the nearest 10th of a percent.

Where business travelers are coming from

During the COVID-19 pandemic, American workers gravitated away from major metro cities such as Los Angeles and New York City, in part to avoid areas with high population density and transmission rates.

That exodus also reflected a shift in priorities as the proliferation of remote work led residents to hunt for larger, more affordable homes. Some cities that welcomed relocators are now home to those who travel the most for work, including Las Vegas and Denver .

#15. Ann Arbor, Michigan

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.0% (708,930 trips) - Top destination: Raleigh, North Carolina (166,155 trips)

Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, renowned for its research programs. The institution is the top employer in the city , followed by its accompanying health care system. Thus, it is no surprise that Raleigh, one-third of North Carolina's Research Triangle, is the top destination for Ann Arbor workers.

#14. Albuquerque, New Mexico

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.1% (2,124,090 trips) - Top destination: Chicago (922,579 trips)

The largest city in New Mexico is home to a variety of diverse industries, including agriculture in the Rio Grande River valley and military research and development at the Kirtland Air Force Base. The city is also home to New Mexico's primary international airport, the Albuquerque International Sunport, which operates an average of 415 daily takeoffs and landings.

#13. Cape Coral, Florida

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.1% (1,927,728 trips) - Top destination: Chicago (174,559 trips)

Cape Coral is a southwestern city in Florida near the Gulf of Mexico, making the tourism industry a popular employment choice. The top employer, however, is Lee Memorial Health System , one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the state.

#12. Kauai County, Hawaii

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.1% (248,506 trips) - Top destination: Hawaii County, Hawaii (148,207 trips)

Kauai County is home to a thriving tourism industry. The top four employers in the city are hotels and resorts, led by the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa. Located 305 miles away, Hawaii County hosts an annual tourism conference that draws industry professionals from inside and outside the state.

#11. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.2% (1,518,998 trips) - Top destination: New York, New York (77,495 trips)

Many of the top employers in Myrtle Beach revolve around tourism, as the beach city attracts nearly 19 million visitors a year. However, the city is also home to an emerging aerospace workforce—an industry that has grown exponentially in the past decade —and hosts the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics training location.

#10. Orlando, Florida

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.2% (7,686,644 trips) - Top destination: Atlanta (1,101,956 trips)

Home to Disneyland and Universal Studios, Orlando has a heavily tourism-dependent economy and workforce. The city's top employer, Walt Disney World Resort,  employs over 58,000 residents . The top destination for business trips of Orlando workers is Atlanta, home to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world.

#9. Panama City, Florida

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.2% (693,145 trips) - Top destination: Atlanta (129,748 trips)

The economy in Panama City, Florida, is largely driven by the military—the top two employers in the city are the Tyndall Air Force Base as well as Naval Support Activity Panama City. The top destination for business travelers, Atlanta, is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the United States' population.

#8. Crestview, Florida

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.2% (960,107 trips) - Top destination: Dallas (79,798 trips)

Crestview in Okaloosa County is home to a large military presence, attracting related industries such as defense contractors and research and development. The city is just north of the largest U.S. Air Force facility in the world, Eglin Air Force Base.

#7. Juneau, Alaska

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.2% (94,311 trips) - Top destination: Anchorage, Alaska (40,248 trips)

Nearly half of Juneau's workers are employed by the federal government since the city serves as the regional headquarters for several agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service and NOAA Fisheries. The top destination for business travelers from Juneau is also in Alaska—Anchorage, home to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

#6. Salt Lake City

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.3% (3,902,861 trips) - Top destination: Chicago (384,788 trips)

Salt Lake City is home to the University of Utah, the city's top employer with over 20,000 workers. The state's economy, overall, is one of the most diverse in the country , according to the Hachman Index of Economic Diversity.

#5. Mobile, Alabama

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.3% (1,495,069 trips) - Top destination: Chicago (822,025 trips)

Mobile, Alabama, features a thriving trade-based economy thanks to its designation as Alabama's only seaport. The city is also home to the first of only two U.S.-based Airbus manufacturing plants.

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.3% (8,779,905 trips) - Top destination: Chicago (553,969 trips)

Denver is driven by a diverse workforce comprised of professionals in emerging fields such as fintech, bioscience, and energy. The city is experiencing rapid startup growth and is ranked 12th in the country for its startup ecosystem , according to Startup Genome.

#3. Las Vegas

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.4% (7,699,779 trips) - Top destination: San Francisco (439,540 trips)

Apart from a nearby military base, the city's police department is the top local employer for Las Vegas residents , followed closely by a myriad of hotels and other tourism-related companies. The top business travel destination, San Francisco, is well known among professionals and entrepreneurs for its venture capital and investment opportunities.

#2. Carbondale, Illinois

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.6% (516,989 trips) - Top destination: Chicago (451,258 trips)

Southern Illinois University and its accompanying medical system employ the most local residents by far, providing jobs to over 10,000 people. Business travelers tend to gravitate toward Chicago, home to the McCormick Place convention center, one of the largest in the country, and a go-to spot for large conferences and trade shows.

#1. Ketchikan, Alaska

- Share of business trips over 300 miles: 1.7% (55,461 trips) - Top destination: Seattle (32,290 trips)

Driven largely by the state's natural resources and wildlife, Ketchikan's economy serves as a transportation hub and the main source for local fishing canneries. The small city is home to the Ketchikan International Airport, which jets passengers to cities around Alaska and over to Seattle, the most popular destination for the city's business travelers.

Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Curtis Yee. Photo selection by Ania Antecka.

This story originally appeared on TravelPerk and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

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Has remote work changed how people travel in the US?

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The prevalence of remote work since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed urban transportation patterns in the U.S., according to new study led by MIT researchers.

The research finds significant variation between the effects of remote work on vehicle miles driven and on mass-transit ridership across the U.S.

“A 1 percent decrease in onsite workers leads to a roughly 1 percent reduction in [automobile] vehicle miles driven, but a 2.3 percent reduction in mass transit ridership,” says Yunhan Zheng SM ’21, PhD ’24, an MIT postdoc who is co-author of a the study.

“This is one of the first studies that identifies the causal effect of remote work on vehicle miles traveled and transit ridership across the U.S.,” adds Jinhua Zhao, an MIT professor and another co-author of the paper.

By accounting for many of the nuances of the issue, across the lower 48 states and the District of Columbia as well as 217 metropolitan areas, the scholars believe they have arrived at a robust conclusion demonstrating the effects of working from home on larger mobility patterns.

The paper, “ Impacts of remote work on vehicle miles traveled and transit ridership in the USA ,” appears today in the journal Nature Cities . The authors are Zheng, a doctoral graduate of MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a postdoc at the Singapore–MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART); Shenhao Wang PhD ’20, an assistant professor at the University of Florida; Lun Liu, an assistant professor at Peking University; Jim Aloisi, a lecturer in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP); and Zhao, the Professor of Cities and Transportation, founder of the MIT Mobility Initiative, and director of MIT’s JTL Urban Mobility Lab and Transit Lab.

The researchers gathered data on the prevalence of remote work from multiple sources, including Google location data, travel data from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and the National Transit Database, and the monthly U.S. Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitudes (run jointly by Stanford University, the University of Chicago, ITAM, and MIT).

The study reveals significant variation among U.S. states when it comes to how much the rise of remote work has affected mileage driven.

“The impact of a 1 percent change in remote work on the reduction of vehicle miles traveled in New York state is only about one-quarter of that in Texas,” Zheng observes. “There is real variation there.”

At the same time, remote work has had the biggest effect on mass-transit revenues in places with widely used systems, with New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia making up the top five hardest-hit metro areas.

The overall effect is surprisingly consistent over time, from early 2020 through late 2022.

“In terms of the temporal variation, we found that the effect is quite consistent across our whole study period,” Zheng says. “It’s not just significant in the early stage of the pandemic, when remote work was a necessity for many. The magnitude remains consistent into the later period, when many people have the flexibility to choose where they want to work. We think this may have long-term implications.”

Additionally, the study estimates the impact that still larger numbers of remote workers could have on the environment and mass transit.

“On a national basis, we estimate that a 10 percent decrease in the number of onsite workers compared to prepandemic levels will reduce the annual total vehicle-related CO2 emissions by 191.8 million metric tons,” Wang says.

The study also projects that across the 217 metropolitan areas in the study, a 10 percent decrease in the number of onsite workers, compared to prepandemic levels, would lead to an annual loss of 2.4 billion transit trips and $3.7 billion in fare revenue — equal to roughly 27 percent of the annual transit ridership and fare revenue in 2019.

“The substantial influence of remote work on transit ridership highlights the need for transit agencies to adapt their services accordingly, investing in services tailored to noncommuting trips and implementing more flexible schedules to better accommodate the new demand patterns,” Zhao says.

The research received support from the MIT Energy Initiative; the Barr Foundation; the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise program; the Research Opportunity Seed Fund 2023 from the University of Florida; and the Beijing Social Science Foundation.

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Delta’s people-first culture continues to be recognized, earning the airline a spot on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For ® list for the fifth year. Delta is the only airline included on the 2024 list.  

Great Place To Work, an esteemed expert in workplace culture, supports the selection process each year for Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. Employee feedback is a key driver in the process, which recognizes employers who provide a great company culture. Read more on  Delta's Great Place to Work page .  

“Delta people fuel our success and are the reason we are the most-awarded airline,” said CEO Ed Bastian. “This recognition is a testament to what we can achieve by listening and working as a team to continuously improve the workplace experience for all 100,000 Delta people.”  

The input Delta people provided through last year’s GPTW Trust Index Survey was crucial to earning this coveted recognition. This feedback, along with GPTW’s evaluation, highlights the many ways Delta invests in its people.  

Delta is committed to providing industry-leading total rewards for industry-leading performance and regularly invests in employees’ financial, emotional, physical and social wellbeing. Recent examples include: 

Earlier this year, Delta paid out $1.4 billion in profit sharing to employees worldwide. The Shared Rewards program provides the opportunity to earn up to $1,200 annually based on meeting operational goals.   

Delta’s Emergency Savings Program helps boost emergency savings with up to $1,000 in contributions from Delta. 

All Delta employees and their household members have access to mental health support at no charge through Spring Health. 

Partnerships with Maven and Progyny provide family building and comprehensive fertility benefits to support family-building journeys. Progyny has supported nearly 1,700 Delta people on their fertility and family planning journeys, and since January 2023, 88 children have been born. 

By implementing a skills-first approach and eliminating college degree requirements, Delta people have more equitable career growth opportunities. 

“Delta’s culture of care starts with our people,” said E.V.P. and Chief People Officer Joanne Smith. “When we take care of our people, they extend that care to our customers, who become loyal to Delta, which takes care of the company and Delta’s shareholders. It’s the virtuous circle in action that helps us keep climbing.”  

GPTW Trust Index 

A randomized sample of approximately 25,000 U.S.-based Delta people with representation across divisions and functions were asked to participate in the 2023 Trust Index survey administered by GPTW. The independent survey asks employees to share their voice and provide their honest opinions about different aspects of working at Delta. This survey assesses Delta’s strengths and challenges and complements our internal surveys to help us continuously improve the work experience for our people. 

America’s most awarded airline 

Delta is consistently recognized for excellence in workplace culture, customer experience, operational performance and more. The airline continues to earn accolades, with other recent recognition including:    

Earning a spot on  Fast Company’s list of the Most Innovative Companies  for the fifth time in seven years.  

Ascending to No. 11 on this year’s list of  Fortune’s Worlds Most Admired Companies , ranking higher than any other airline on the Top 50 list. Delta also was ranked No. 1 among the list of Most Admired Airlines.  

Being named to the 2024 Forbes Customer Experience All-Stars list. The coveted list recognizes the top brands that consumers ranked highest with respect to the company’s products, services and treatment of customers.   

Being rated No. 1 by travel pros in the annual Business Travel News Airline Survey for the thirteenth year in a row.   

LEARN MORE :  Awards & Recognition    

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Solar Eclipse Will Pass Over Every US City Named Nineveh on April 8, 2024?

A total solar eclipse is caused by the moon and the sun being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time., published april 6, 2024.

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For a couple of minutes on April 8, 2024 , in a narrow, curved band across North America, one of the greatest spectacles in nature will occur: a total solar eclipse. Being in that path at exactly the right time is the only way people on the continent will be able to look directly at the sun without damaging their eyeballs until the next North American eclipse in 2044, and so millions of people from around the world will flock to cities in the path of totality, including Dallas and Indianapolis.

Eclipses do not discriminate, so anyone in the path of totality will be able to see the sun fully obstructed by the moon. However, some people  have claimed online that there's one interesting coincidence about the eclipse's path of totality: It will pass through every city in the United States named Nineveh. That name is shared by an ancient city in modern-day Iraq that was described in the bible as "evil." 

Snopes received an email from a reader who requested that we check the claim about cities named Nineveh in the eclipse path. In our research, we discovered that many of the people making the claim were Christians who were interpreting the eclipse as a bad omen . 

Contrary to the claims, Snopes discovered that the path of totality in the eclipse does not pass through seven cities in the United States named Nineveh — it passes through just two. But before counting places named Nineveh, we must first briefly clarify how eclipses work.

How Eclipses Work

A total solar eclipse is caused by the moon and the sun being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. The moon fully blocks the light from the sun, casting a large shadow on the earth.

Those completely inside the moon's shadow, called the umbra, are the only ones who will be able to look directly at the sun without eye protection. It's the small path of the umbra that people travel to in order to see the total solar eclipse. The website GreatAmericanEclipse.com created a visualization of the shadow's path across North America.

Outside the umbra, in a much larger area where the moon blocks only some of the sun, viewers will experience a partial solar eclipse, where the sun looks like it has a giant bite taken out of it. You cannot view a partial solar eclipse without special eclipse glasses. The entirety of the continental United States will be able to see a partial solar eclipse on April 8, just as the entirety of the United States (even Alaska and Hawaii) was able to see a partial solar eclipse in  2017 . 

The cool part (partial) of an eclipse can be seen from a very large area, as long as you wear eclipse glasses. The really cool part (total) of an eclipse can be seen only in a small area. It is the total eclipse that people have thought held religious significance since practically as long as humans have had eyes to see and religions to follow.

To quote the essayist Annie Dillard :

A partial eclipse is very interesting. It bears almost no relation to a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him, or as flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane. Although the one experience precedes the other, it in no way prepares you for it. 

Places Named Nineveh

We started with Wikipedia's list of places named Nineveh to get a general idea of where to look. Of course, we cross checked those results with more-reliable sources of knowledge, including Google Maps and data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Wikipedia listed just six places in the U.S. named Nineveh, which made our claim of seven dubious to begin with. Checking the locations of those places on Google Maps, we found that three were actually townships, a term used for county subdivisons in some states. 

The first was the largest, Indiana's Nineveh Township (south of Indianapolis), which contains a small hamlet of the same name. Both the township and the hamlet will indeed fall in the path of the total eclipse.

Next, Wikipedia listed two townships in Missouri — one in Adair County (about halfway between Kansas City and Davenport, Iowa) and one in Lincoln County (about an hour northwest of St. Louis). But neither of the two townships contained a village named Nineveh on any of the maps we looked at. Furthermore, neither of the townships fell in the path of the total eclipse. 

The fourth place on Wikipedia's list, Nineveh, New York, is about 30 minutes east of Binghamton. We found it marked on maps but, again, it did not lie in the path of totality.

Fifth: Nineveh, Pennsylvania, roughly halfway between Pittsburgh and Morgantown, West Virginia. This Nineveh was marked on maps, but it was also outside of the total eclipse. It was also the last Nineveh listed by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sixth, we found Nineveh, Virginia, an hour and a half west of Washington, D.C. This was the easiest to check: Nobody in the state of Virginia will be able to see full totality during the eclipse. We did not find a label for Nineveh on maps, and buildings located in the area had their postal addresses listed as White Post, Virginia.

That completed the Wikipedia list, but various posts about the supposed line-up listed two more Ninevehs located in the U.S.: one in Texas and one in Ohio.

Nineveh, Texas, was not marked on maps, nor did it have a post office. It was located not far off of Interstate 45 halfway between Houston and Dallas. This one was close, but we eventually confirmed that it would be outside of the zone of totality by referencing nearby cities that also were outside of totality.

Nineveh, Ohio, was a similar story: not found on maps, no post office, no Census data. But this Nineveh, 30 minutes northwest of Dayton, was finally our second hit.

In total, we counted two places named Nineveh in the United States that could be found in the path of totality.

2024 Total Eclipse . https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

"A Total Eclipse Is near. For Some, It's Evidence of Higher Power. For Others It's a Warning." USA TODAY , https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/23/2024-total-solar-exclipse-religious-implications/72869724007/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

April 8, 2024 Eclipse Will Pass Over 7 United States Cities Named Nineveh . www.youtube.com , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n6dp85XynY. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

April 8 Eclipse and Third-Day Events in Scripture . https://www.biblejournalclasses.com/blog/april-8-eclipse-and-third-day-events-in-scripture-2. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Dawson, Brandon. "THE JONAH ECLIPSE - 40 DAYS - GODS URGENT WARNING TO AMERICA!" Tribe of Christians , 2 Mar. 2024, https://www.tribeofchristians.com/single-post/the-jonah-eclipse-god-s-great-warning-to-america-april-8th-2024.

Dillard, Annie. "Total Eclipse." The Atlantic , 8 Aug. 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/08/annie-dillards-total-eclipse/536148/.

Eclipse 2017 . https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Mark, Joshua J. "Nineveh." World History Encyclopedia , https://www.worldhistory.org/nineveh/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

"Nineveh (Disambiguation)." Wikipedia , 29 Oct. 2023. Wikipedia , https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nineveh_(disambiguation)&oldid=1182408744.

Noah. "The Upcoming U.S. Eclipse Just Got Even Stranger!" WLT Report , 4 Mar. 2024, https://wltreport.com/2024/03/04/upcoming-u-s-eclipse-just-got-even-stranger/.

The APRIL 8, 2024 ECLIPSE & The 7 Cities Named Nineveh | The APRIL 8, 2024 ECLIPSE & The 7 Cities Named Nineveh | By Messiah GuguFacebook . www.facebook.com , https://www.facebook.com/100067092253715/videos/the-april-8-2024-eclipse-the-7-cities-named-nineveh/397509926249711/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

The April 8 2024 Eclipse and the 7 Cities Named Nineveh . www.youtube.com , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLkxKT65IFc. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

"Total Solar Eclipse 2024 US." Great American Eclipse , https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

By Jack Izzo

Jack Izzo is a Chicago-based journalist and two-time "Jeopardy!" alumnus.

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• Solar Eclipse 2024

10 Surprising Facts About the 2024 Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse will sweep across North America on Monday, April 8, offering a spectacle for tens of millions of people who live in its path and others who will travel to see it.

A solar eclipse occurs during the new moon phase, when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on Earth and totally or partially blocking our view of the sun. While an average of two solar eclipses happen every year, a particular spot on Earth is only in the path of totality every 375 years on average, Astronomy reported .

“Eclipses themselves aren't rare, it's just eclipses at your house are pretty rare,” John Gianforte, director of the University of New Hampshire Observatory, tells TIME. If you stay in your hometown, you may never spot one, but if you’re willing to travel, you can witness multiple. Gianforte has seen five eclipses and intends to travel to Texas this year, where the weather prospects are better.

One fun part of experiencing an eclipse can be watching the people around you. “They may yell, they scream, they cry, they hug each other, and that’s because it’s such an amazingly beautiful event,” Gianforte, who also serves as an extension associate professor of space science education, notes. “Everyone should see at least one in their life, because they’re just so spectacular. They are emotion-evoking natural events.”

Here are 10 surprising facts about the science behind the phenomenon, what makes 2024’s solar eclipse unique, and what to expect.

The total eclipse starts in the Pacific Ocean and ends in the Atlantic 

The darker, inner shadow the moon casts is called the umbra , in which you can see a rarer total eclipse. The outer, lighter second shadow is called the penumbra, under which you will see a partial eclipse visible in more locations.

The total eclipse starts at 12:39 p.m. Eastern Time, a bit more than 620 miles south of the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean, according to Astronomy . The umbra remains in contact with Earth’s surface for three hours and 16 minutes until 3:55 p.m. when it ends in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 340 miles southwest of Ireland.

The umbra enters the U.S. at the Mexican border just south of Eagle Pass, Texas, and leaves just north of Houlton, Maine, with one hour and eight minutes between entry and exit, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tells TIME in an email.

Mexico will see the longest totality during the eclipse 

The longest totality will extend for four minutes and 28 seconds on a 350-mile-long swath near the centerline of the eclipse, including west of Torreón, Mexico, according to NASA.

In the U.S., some areas of Texas will catch nearly equally long total eclipses. For example, in Fredericksburg, totality will last four minutes and 23 seconds—and that gets slightly longer if you travel west, the agency tells TIME. Most places along the centerline will see totality lasting between three and a half minutes and four minutes.

More people currently live in the path of totality compared to the last eclipse 

An estimated 31.6 million people live in the path of totality for 2024’s solar eclipse, compared to 12 million during the last solar eclipse that crossed the U.S. in 2017, per NASA .

The path of totality is much wider than in 2017, and this year’s eclipse is also passing over more cities and densely populated areas than last time. 

A part of the sun which is typically hidden will reveal itself

Solar eclipses allow for a glimpse of the sun’s corona —the outermost atmosphere of the star that is normally not visible to humans because of the sun’s brightness.

The corona consists of wispy, white streamers of plasma—charged gas—that radiate from the sun. The corona is much hotter than the sun's surface —about 1 million degrees Celsius (1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit) compared to 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,940 degrees Fahrenheit).

The sun will be near its more dramatic solar maximum 

During the 2024 eclipse, the sun will be near “solar maximum.” This is the most active phase of a roughly 11-year solar cycle, which might lead to more prominent and evident sun activity, Gianforte tells TIME.  

“We're in a very active state of the sun, which makes eclipses more exciting, and [means there is] more to look forward to during the total phase of the eclipse,” he explains. 

People should look for an extended, active corona with more spikes and maybe some curls in it, keeping an eye out for prominences , pink explosions of plasma that leap off the sun’s surface and are pulled back by the sun’s magnetic field, and streamers coming off the sun.

Streamers “are a beautiful, beautiful shade of pink, and silhouetted against the black, new moon that's passing across the disk of the sun, it makes them stand out very well. So it's really just a beautiful sight to look up at the totally eclipsed sun,” Gianforte says.

Two planets—and maybe a comet—could also be spotted

Venus will be visible 15 degrees west-southwest of the sun 10 minutes before totality, according to Astronomy. Jupiter will also appear 30 degrees to the east-northeast of the sun during totality, or perhaps a few minutes before. Venus is expected to shine more than five times as bright as Jupiter. 

Another celestial object that may be visible is Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks , about six degrees to the right of Jupiter. Gianforte says the comet, with its distinctive circular cloud of gas and a long tail, has been “really putting on a great show in the sky” ahead of the eclipse.

The eclipse can cause a “360-degree sunset” 

A solar eclipse can cause a sunset-like glow in every direction—called a “360-degree sunset”—which you might notice during the 2024 eclipse, NASA said . The effect is caused by light from the sun in areas outside of the path of totality and only lasts as long as totality.

The temperature will drop 

When the sun is blocked out, the temperature drops noticeably. During the last total solar eclipse in the U.S. in 2017, the National Weather Service recorded that temperature dropped as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. In Carbondale, Ill. for example, the temperature dropped from a peak of 90 degrees Fahrenheit just before totality to 84 degrees during totality.

Wildlife may act differently 

When the sky suddenly becomes black as though nighttime, confused “animals, dogs, cats, birds do act very differently ,” Gianforte says.

In the 2017 eclipse, scientists tracked that many flying creatures began returning to the ground or other perches up to 50 minutes before totality. Seeking shelter is a natural response to a storm or weather conditions that can prove deadly for small flying creatures, the report said. Then right before totality, a group of flying creatures changed their behavior again—suddenly taking flight before quickly settling back into their perches again.

There will be a long wait for the next total eclipse in the U.S.

The next total eclipse in the U.S. won’t happen until March 30, 2033, when totality will reportedly only cross parts of Alaska . The next eclipse in the 48 contiguous states is expected to occur on Aug. 12, 2044, with parts of Montana and North Dakota experiencing totality.

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