Helping international camp staff travel to camp
International staff bring a lot to camp, and they also face the hardest journey. Most come through a visa sponsor organization, which handles the visa side. What the camp controls is everything around it: clear information, early answers and a good welcome.
Before they fly
- Work with their sponsor. Most international camp staff in the US come on a J-1 visa through a sponsor organization. Follow your sponsor's rules and timelines for paperwork, arrival dates and check-in; they are the authority on visa questions, not the camp.
- Flight details, early. Collect the itinerary as soon as it's booked: arrival airport, date, time and flight number. Ask them to tell you the moment it changes.
- Tell them exactly what happens when they land. Who meets them, where, and what to do if no one is there. Include the camp's full address and a phone number they can reach on Wi-Fi.
- Explain the time difference. Give arrival times in local time, and remind them their phone may show home time until it updates.
- Packing for your climate. Summers in the mountains can be cold at night; say so. Add the plug adapter they'll need.
Phones, money and staying in touch
- Wi-Fi first. Many arrive without a local phone plan. Make sure camp information and messages work over Wi-Fi.
- A local SIM or eSIM. Tell them what works at camp, since coverage in rural areas varies by carrier.
- Money. Explain how and when they're paid, and whether they'll need cash in the first days.
- Family back home. Give them a simple way to tell family they've arrived safely, and a camp contact their family can use in an emergency.
The first week at camp
- Sponsor check-in. Sponsors usually require staff to confirm their arrival within a set time. Build it into the first day so no one forgets.
- Payroll paperwork. If your payroll needs a Social Security number or other forms, plan when and how staff will apply, following your sponsor's guidance. Keep these documents out of email.
- A camp buddy. Pair each new international staff member with a returner for the first few days.
- Explain the unwritten rules. Tipping, driving, drinking age, what "rest hour" means. What feels obvious to you is new to them.
Days off and leaving camp
International staff often want to travel on days off and after camp ends. Share safe options for getting to the nearest town, and ask for their departure plans early so you can arrange rides to the airport or bus station. Their visa sponsor sets how long they may stay after the program ends, so point them to their sponsor for that.