A simpler way to staff your season
Every year, seasonal businesses across the U.S. struggle to fill short-term roles. The J-1 Work & Travel program brings motivated international university students to fill that gap — but navigating it for the first time can feel complicated.
That's where Emplora Group comes in. We connect you directly with established Work & Travel agencies abroad, who handle student recruitment and visa documentation through their official sponsors. You get reliable seasonal staff; we handle the introductions and guide you through the process.
See the process
Three steps from first conversation to a fully staffed season
Tell us what you need
Share your seasonal roles, timing, and how many students you're looking for. We'll confirm whether your business is a good fit for the program.
We make the connection
We match you with one of our trusted Work & Travel partners. They recruit and prepare students, and their official sponsor handles all visa documentation, including the DS-2019.
Welcome your team
Selected students arrive in time for your season, ready to work — and you stay supported throughout.
Built by people who've worked inside this program
We understand how the program operates, what employers worry about, and what makes a placement succeed — because we've seen it firsthand.
Vetted partners
We work with agencies that have an operating history and an official sponsor relationship — not one-season intermediaries.
Right-sized matching
Roles, season dates and student numbers are matched before anyone commits — so you're not left with gaps or surplus.
Clear on the rules
Emplora is a connector. Sponsorship, DS-2019 and visa documentation stay with the agency's designated sponsor, where they belong.
One point of contact
You talk to us. We handle the back and forth across time zones so introductions don't stall in an inbox.
Whichever side you're on, we start the conversation
For U.S. Employers
Seasonal roles filled by university students who arrive motivated, prepared, and legally documented through designated sponsors.
- We confirm program fit before anything moves forward
- Introductions to agencies that recruit for your role type
- Guidance through timing, housing expectations and season dates
For W&T Companies
Employer relationships you don't have to develop from scratch — sourced, screened and ready for your students.
- Pre-sourced U.S. employers in seasonal tourist regions
- Role, timing and capacity details confirmed up front
- We stay neutral — no exclusivity to any single agency
We've been on the inside
Emplora Group is built by people with years of experience in the Work & Travel sector. The J-1 Summer Work Travel program is administered by the U.S. Department of State and used by American businesses across the country each season.
We know where placements go wrong: unclear job descriptions, mismatched season dates, and introductions that die in translation. Our job is to remove those failure points before they cost you a season.
Start a conversationThe things employers ask first
No. Emplora Group is a connector. Student sponsorship and all visa documentation, including the DS-2019, are handled by the U.S. Department of State–designated sponsor working with our partner agency.
Seasonal businesses in tourist regions — hotels, resorts, restaurants, amusement and water parks, retail, and recreation operations with defined summer or winter peaks. We confirm fit in the first conversation.
Earlier than most employers expect. Recruitment, interviews and documentation all happen months before arrival, so conversations that start in autumn give you the widest choice of candidates for a summer season.
Not always, but it changes how attractive your roles are. If you can't provide housing, we'll discuss what local options look like before students are matched — this is one of the most common reasons placements fail.