Every summer Ocean City, Maryland, depends on college students from other countries to fill seasonal jobs through the State Department’s Summer Work Travel program.
“This international student exchange program has been a real asset to employers here in Ocean City for 20 years,” Amy Thompson, president and CEO of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, told WTOP.
Through the program, about 3,600 international students came to work in the Maryland beach town last year.
This summer, however, it could be tougher than usual for students to get J-1 visas. Those are visas granted to individuals approved to work or study in exchange visitor programs.
Thompson said one reason has to do with the need to check the social media accounts of applicants for red flags.
“The consulates are finding that (doing) a thorough job vetting the social media is taking six times longer than it used to,” she said.
Also, the State Department is offering prioritized visa appointments for soccer fans coming to the U.S. to attend the World Cup tournament in June and July.
“What’s happening in certain countries, due to staffing constraints, is that the availability of appointments for visa interviews is potentially reduced,” Thompson said.
These issues were anticipated, however, so work to get international students to Ocean City for high season started extra early. Thompson is also asking members of Congress for help.
“If we turn the spigot off or slow it down, that slows down the economy, which is not good. That’s the argument that we’re taking to our federal partners to get some assistance to help alleviate some of these bottlenecks,” she said.
Thompson said while she doesn’t “have a crystal ball,” visitors to Ocean City may not see a different level of seasonal staffing.
“In my estimation, our employers are doing everything that they can to ensure that they are staffed as forecast,” Thompson said. “I don’t know that visitors to our area really think about it, but if they’re interacting with one of these J-1 visa students, it’s actually a form of diplomacy.”
“Remember, they’re someone else’s kids. We want to take care of them. We want to make them feel welcomed. When they return to their country, we want them to say that their experience in the United States was fantastic, and every visitor can be a part of that,” she added.
According to the State Department, Ocean City’s 3,635 participants in the SWT program last year were more than any other destination in the country.
The Maryland town edged out Orlando, Florida, which landed at No. 2 with around 3,500. Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, ranked third. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was fourth and rounding out the top five was Sandusky, Ohio.
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