Employers wishing to hire international students as part of INSCOPE or have hired students will need to submit some documentation of the work opportunity. Although most opportunities will be approved, please keep in mind the INSCOPE program was developed as an opportunity for international students to gain PRACTICAL experience in their field of study. All NEW INSCOPE work authorizations are subject to approval and may be denied if there is little or no evidence of a learning opportunity involved in the work assignment.

Please read the information below and complete necessary paperwork as indicated. If you have questions, please send an email to Leonard A. Williams and you will get a response within a few hours (during normal business hours).

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)allows students in the United States on a Student Visa the opportunity to gain practical experience in a given fied of employment while they are in school. The experience is defined by USCIS as

…alternate work/study, internships, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the institution.

Subsequently, the Office of Career Development is required to certify that all work opportunities meet the guidelines listed above before a student is given permission to work. Students working in a capacity that does not meet the above guidelines are in violation of federal regulations and could have their work permit revoked and/or denied continuance of a Student Visa which could result in deportation. Additionally, the Office of Career Development will qualify INSCOPE opportunities for approval if they meet the following guidelines:

• That the company presents itself as a legitimate, registered business within the United States and that its image meets normal business practices expected of sites providing a learning atmosphere for University of New Orleans students.
• There is clear evidence that the internship is in fact an internship and that learning will take place.
• That the student is not being hired to be a contract worker or a fill-in employee.
• That the student will not be providing a significant, substantial enhancement to the company by way of intellectual, physical or service related labor that would result in the student being held accountable for their outcome if not completed.
• That the opportunity will allow for learning errors and the student will take more from the opportunity than the company will take from the student.
• That the pay scale for the opportunity is within normal pay expectations related to an internship at similar companies.

If in fact the Office of Career Development deems the work opportunity to not meet the minimum set of requirements related to the criteria listed above, then the internship will not be eligible for INSCOPE.

Employers wishing to hire an international student from the University of New Orleans using the INSCOPE program are asked to do the following:

1. Submit an email with your contact information and your intentions to hire a UNO student for INSCOPE. Your email should include all pertinent contact information including company name, your name, email address, phone numbers, fax number, company website address, and any specific contacts that will be working with the student to secure the internship opportunity.

2. Submit a job description by email. Please create a Word form and you MUST include the following information: title of position, supervisor, location of employment (i.e. City and State), listing of at least 5 learning outcomes (e.g. "Student will learn how to...."), criteria necessary for student to be eligible for this internship.

3. Submit a copy of the Offer Letter on company letterhead. Your Offer Letter must include the following information: specific dates of internship (e.g. January 30, 2006 - May 1, 2006), amount of compensation (e.g. $8.00 per hour), number of hours per week student will work with your organization (no more than 35 per week, 7 day week). Please email the offer letter as indicated to Leonard A. Williams in the Office of Career Development. If you are unable to scan and email the offer letter, please send an email as well to discuss faxing options. You may also ask your potential student intern to bring a copy of the Offer Letter to the Office of International Students and Scholars in their temporary location in the College of Education, Room 110. The Offer Letter should follow the sample here:

Once requested information has been submitted, you will be contacted with additional information whether or not your internship opportunity was approved for INSCOPE. If approved, you will be required to sign a company and student agreement and return the original to the Office of Career Development.