J-1 Students Employment
Getting a Job
Eligibility |
International J-1 visa students with active SEVIS record and enrolled in the Visiting Students course at Northeastern University and maintain legal J-1 status. |
Job Types |
Part-Time on-campus with the sponsoring staff or faculty member. Federal Work-Study funding is not available for international students. |
End day |
On-campus employment authorization is canceled if a student completes their program, fails to maintain J-1 status, or transfers to another school. |
Pre-Hire Paperwork
1. Receive a job offer (Typically, students do not complete their pre-hire paperwork until they have received a job offer)
2. Complete I-9 Section 1 online through Workday
3. First time U.S. employees must apply for a Social Security Number
4. Present Supporting Documents at the Student Employment Office
5. Wait for processing to complete the I-9 Section 2 (Up to 3 business days)
Do you have questions regarding the Form I-9?
Attention!
Please note that the student must present their own documentation; parents, guardians, or any other representatives are not permitted to submit documents on a student’s behalf.
Employment Authorization
All J-1 students need to request employment authorization for each position from the Office of Global Services by submitting the J-1 On-Campus Authorization Request before they begin working. If the J-1 student’s program sponsor is an outside organization, the student will need to obtain employment authorization from the sponsoring organization.
Apply for a Social Security Number
Once receive a job offer from an approved employer, the student must obtain OGS Employment Authorization and apply for an SSN. If a J-1 student already has an SSN, they still need to request employment authorization. Following are the steps to apply for employment authorization and SSN. You can also refer to the handout.
1. Submit J-1 On-Campus Employment Authorization Request
2. Please allow 15 business days for OGS to review. The authorization letter will be sent to your Northeastern email address.
3. Prepare supporting documents (On-Campus Employment Authorization, I-20, I-94, Passport, Visa, SSN Application)
4. Visit your nearest Social Security Administration Office to present the supporting documents.
5. Once you receive an application receipt, please visit the Student Employment Office at 375 Richards Hall to complete Section 2 of I-9.
6. Once you receive the SSN, email seoi9help@northeastern.edu to update your I-9 with your SSN information.
Learn more about Social Security Number (SSN)
Getting Paid
1. Enroll in Direct Deposit (All on-campus student employees and all off-campus work-study student employees are required)
2. Paychecks will be deposited into the account you designate
3. Submit Working Timesheet (each week before Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on Workday)
4. Your supervisor is responsible for reviewing, approving, and forwarding your timesheets by Monday at 10:00 a.m
5. Students will be paid on a bi-weekly schedule
For semi-monthly paid research assistants or teaching fellows
Pay Date: 15th and the last day of the month (Please submit the information before the payroll deadline)
How to Enroll in Direct Deposit
1. Log into the Student Hub
2. Click on the Resources on the top bar
3. Click on the Financial Services
4. Click on the Direct Deposit Form in the list
5. Fill in the routing number & account number (Please be sure to use the paper and electronic routing number provided by your bank)
6. Wait up to 3 business days for your bank to process the request
7. Paychecks will be deposited into the account you designate.
Learn More
How to Submit Your Timesheet
1. Go to Workday
2. Click on the Menu in the top left corner
3. Click on the Time in the menu
4. Click on This Week
5. Click on the time you worked
6. Fill in the form with details
7. Click on the Review button on the bottom right
8. Click on the Submit button
Payments
Pay Type |
Hourly |
Maximum Hours |
20 Hours Per Week (40 hours during official university break) |
Hourly Wage |
Depending on experience and position, at least the state minimum wage or above |
Wages
Student employees must be compensated for their work in accordance with the following pay range descriptions.
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
California, U.S.
Canada
MA Payment of Wages Law
The Massachusetts Payment of Wages Law indicates:
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All hourly employees must be paid at least weekly or biweekly.
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All employees must be paid within six days of the end of the pay period.
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If an employee resigns, they must be paid for all hours worked on the next regular payday following the end of employment. If an employee is discharged, they must be paid all wages owed on the day of termination.
Tax Information
The US tax system follows a “pay as you go” model, meaning that taxes are deducted from each paycheck.
For students working in the U.S., you will receive the W-2 Tax Form by January 31st which summarizes your earnings and the taxes you have paid the prior calendar year (January to December). You may access the W-2 tax document from Workday.
The W-4 Form indicates how much in taxes will be withheld from your paycheck. You will only be required to complete the form once after you’ve been hired, but you can update it anytime you wish on Workday. Completing W-4 on Workday takes the place of the paper form and allows you to make any necessary changes electronically.
Learn more about tax forms
Steps to find W-2 Tax Form
Go to Workday → Menu → Pay → My Tax Documents → External Tax Documents
Steps to complete W-4 Tax Form
1. Go to Workday
2. Click on the Menu in the top left corner
3. Click on the Pay in the menu
4. Click on the Withholding Elections
5. Click on the Federal Elections tab
6. Click on the Update button on the bottom
7. Select Single as your marital status. (We understand that you may be married, but for tax filing purposes in the US, you are required to select ‘Single’)
8. Skip Steps 2 and 3
9. Select the Nonresident Alien box
10. Select the I Agree box
On The Job
Responsibilities
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Show up on time. If you are going to be late, contact your supervisor to let them know.
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If you need to request time off or a change to your schedule, speak to your supervisor as soon as possible.
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If you need to quit your job, let your supervisor know as soon as possible. You should give your supervisor at least two weeks’ notice before your last day.
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Ask your supervisor to know what work needs to be done. If you have ideas about how to improve a process, share them!
Your Rights
Student Work Hours
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Students may not work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session. During university break periods, students may work up to 40 hours per week. Read more...
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Student workers may not work during their scheduled class times.
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Massachusetts state law requires that an unpaid break of at least 30 minutes be taken after six consecutive hours of work.
Equal Opportunity Employment
The university is committed to providing a living, learning, and working environment free of discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all members of the university community when acting on behalf of the university, whether on or off campus, as well as to contractors, parents, and visitors when they are on university property.
Read more...
Reasonable Accommodation
Northeastern University (the university) recognizes that individuals may be entitled to reasonable accommodation in respect of a legally protected characteristic to participate in employment.
Read more...
Pregnancy & Pregnancy-Related Conditions
The university recognizes that employees who are pregnant or have a condition related to pregnancy may need a reasonable accommodation to have equally effective opportunities to participate in employment.
Read more...
Report a Concern
If you have a concern related to your workplace, you can request to speak with a staff member to discuss your reporting options.
Or you can access the following resources directly
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply for jobs?
Go to Workday → Menu → Jobs and Career Hub → Student Employment → Click on the on-campus jobs or off-campus jobs.
For co-op opportunities, please check NUworks.
Why is my application automatically rejected?
Students may be rejected from a job if they are not qualified, or if another candidate was more suitable for the position. Hiring managers make the final hiring decision.
If you believe your applications are being rejected in error, please contact us.
When can new students apply for jobs?
Incoming students will be given access to Workday 20 days prior to the start of their program.
Am I allowed to start working while my I-9 documents are processing?
Students should not start working until their hire has been confirmed in Workday, to avoid any possible delay in pay if there are issues with the hire request or I-9 processing.
I do not have my original documents for Section 2 of the Form I-9. Can I present a scan, picture or photocopy?
No, we can only accept the true, physical document. We cannot accept scans, pictures or photocopies of I-9 supporting documents.
I will not be on campus prior to my start date to submit my I-9 documents in person. Can I complete a remote I-9 or email the documents to you?
No, we cannot verify your I-9 supporting documents remotely. For the safety of your identity, please do not email scanned copies of your Section 2 documents. Please bring original documents to the Student Employment Office once you arrive. Our office will be open during move-in week.
How can I view my paystubs?
To view your this year's paystub history, go to Workday and search “My Payslip” in the search bar.
To access paystub history prior to this year, please navigate to Student Hub → Resources → Financial Services → Student Employee Self Service, and search “Pay Slips”.
Why am I unable to submit a timesheet?
Students are paid on a bi-weekly pay schedule. Every pay week, the timesheet will be temporarily locked for processing payroll. If you have trouble entering time, please try again on Friday. Make sure you enter your hours by 10 AM Sunday morning every week so you can get paid on time.
Can I keep my part-time job while going on Co-op?
If your Co-op position is on-campus, please make sure you receive approval from your Co--op advisor regarding any possible program restrictions and communicate closely with both your Co-op supervisor and part-time supervisor, and make sure they are aware of your other on-campus positions and hours entered. There will be overtime charges if your total hours (Co-op + part time) exceed 40.
Do I need to wait until I receive my SSN before I can complete Section 2 of the I-9 and begin working?
No, you do not need to wait until you receive your SSN before completing the I-9 and starting work. Our office only requires you to present your SSN application receipt and On-Campus Employment letter from OGS in addition to the I-94 and passport to complete Section 2.
I am an international student, what is my next step after I received my SSN card?
Please DO NOT send your Social Security Number or a scan of your SSN card over email to anyone. You can send an email to seoi9help@northeastern.edu to request access to your Form I9 so that you can add your SSN to it. You will then receive two emails: one with your account number and password, and another with the link to the I9 Service Center. You will be able to update your Form I9 with your SSN once you log in with the password provided in the first email.
Am I eligible for Work-Study?
Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for work study funding. When searching for jobs on Workday, please exclude work study jobs from your search.