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International Student Hiring Process

There are additional requirements that must be met for international students, attending UWF under an F1 or J1 visa, to be permitted to work on campus. These international students must be cleared by the International Affairs Office and must have applied for, and received, a Social Security card before they can begin employment.

Hiring Department Responsibilities

  • Review the hiring process by visiting the J-1 and F-1 Student Employment Confluence business process page.
  • Departments should complete and submit the F-1 and J-1 Student Employment Form each time they process a New Hire, New Appointment, or Reappointment on an F-1 or J-1 student. This alerts International Affairs Office and HR so they can review the student’s current employment eligibility status and notify departments and students of actions required.
  • Print the F-1 and J-1 Employment Checklist, give it to the student, and instruct them to visit the International Affairs Office.
  • Submit the New Hires Needing Essential Documents Form to Human Resources for all new hires needing to complete paperwork. The new hire essential documents will be collected by Human Resources and are required before they can be placed in the payroll system.

Student Responsibilities:

  • Visit the International Affairs Office in Building 71 to have your documents verified and to receive additional documents (if necessary) to apply for a Social Security card.
    • Students without a Social Security card: Visit the Social Security Administration at 411 W. Garden Street, Pensacola, FL 32502, to apply for a new or updated card. Once the Social Security card is received, proceed to the next step.
    • Students with a Social Security card: Respond to the email received from Human Resources to set up an appointment to complete all new hire essential documents.

In order to complete the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, you must bring all of your original, unexpired work authorization documents to your appointment. Copies of these items are not acceptable as Human Resources must verify the authenticity of them per the Department of Homeland Security, USCIS. These items include your foreign passport, visa, Social Security card, I-94, and depending on your visa category, Form I-20 or DS-2019. Lastly, all international student employees must bring a completed Foreign National Information Form to the meeting.

Human Resources Responsibilities:

  • Reach out to the student to set up an appointment to complete all new hire essential documents.
  • Verify the student’s work authorization documents and complete the Form I-9.
  • Notify the hiring department via email to confirm that the student is clear to begin employment.
  • Process the new hire in our payroll system once everything has been received (Personnel Action Form, new hire essential documents, Form I-9).

Important Information:

  • Hiring departments should never allow F-1 or J-1 students to begin working until confirmation of work authorization is received from Human Resources.
  • International students may not customarily work more than 20 hours per week (all jobs combined) during the Spring and Fall semesters. However, they may be eligible to work additional hours per week during the Summer and semester breaks. (Note: UWF does not allow students to work 1.0 FTE (full-time) and remain in a student position.)
  • International students are responsible for maintaining their own legal status and for complying with employment guidelines.
  • F-1 and J-1 students who are graduating in a given semester cannot work past the last day of the semester listed on the University's Academic Calendar even though their work authorization date/program end date may be a few days later.