F-1 and J-1 Student On-Campus Employment

All in-status F-1 and J-1 students are eligible to engage in part-time work (no more than 20 hours) on-campus. It is not necessarily difficult to find student jobs, and the best place to search is through WVU Career Services employment search engine Handshake. Employment in Computer Labs, the Libraries, tutoring centers, and Dining Services are typical options. It is also possible that various academic departments have non-federal jobs. Student employment is only available to students in good standing with the university. US regulation limits employment to 20 hours per week on-campus while school is in session, 40 hours on-campus otherwise.

U.S. Immigration Regulations (8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(9)(i) state that on-campus employment must not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session. Violation will result in immediate termination of student’s legal status in the US. More information can be found here - https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/working-in-the-united-states.

Payroll Processing

(Please read all directions. Each step must be followed in order).

Missing steps and completing steps out of order or not following ISSS or Social Security Administration (SSA) procedure WILL lead to delays in processing for you. To avoid this, we highly advise that you make sure you are enrolled full-time in courses, read the directions completely, and do not visit the SSA Office until steps 1-4 are complete with all of the required documents in hand. Otherwise, you will be turned away at the SSA office until you receive the required documents. Not submitting appropriate documents to ISSS or following directions will also lead to delays.

Please first see below which scenario regarding a social security card applies to you:

Scenario 1: What if I am an F-1 or J-1 student who already has a valid Social Security Card?

• F-1 Students – After completing steps 1 and 2 below, please then proceed to steps 6 and 7.
• J-1 Students - Only for those who already have a SSN and need additional work authorization time/extension. Please login to the WVU ISSS Request Portal and under "Requests and Documents, you will need to click on the icon for "On Campus Work Authorization Extension", complete the steps in the request, and submit.
  
  

Scenario 2: What if I am an F-1 or J-1 Students without a social security card?

                                    Please proceed to each step below and complete them in order :

Steps for Processing for Payroll if a Social Security Card is Needed:

1. Enroll full-time -
   
   12 credit hours for undergraduate students and 9 for graduate students. We cannot process additional steps until you are enrolled full time.
   
   
   
2. Complete SEVIS CHECK-IN -
   
   SEVIS Check-in can be completed online by visiting the International Student Services Request Portal. YOU MUST BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE U.S. TO COMPLETE SEVIS CHECK-IN.
   
   Please go to the "Requests and Documents" section once you login to the request portal and select the request "SEVIS Check-In".
   
   - SEVIS Check-in fulfills the requirements under US federal regulations for students to check in with their DSO. You do not need to arrive to the ISS office to complete SEVIS Check-in with a DSO. 
   
   - SEVIS Check-In will require you to provide contact information that includes a U.S. Physical address.
   
   - SEVIS Check-In will require you read and indicate understanding of pre-arrival information.
   
   - Please be prepared to upload copies of these documents: I-20/DS-2019, I-94, Passport, Visa, and entry stamp (if provided).
   
   - Please do not complete the request again if you already submitted them prior. It may take several days to process. 
   
   - Please complete SEVIS Check-in online using the directions above. While waiting for SEVIS check-in to be completed by ISSS, you may proceed to STEP 3. 
   
   - Once SEVIS Check-in is complete, you will receive a notification from ISSS to you @MIX e-mail and THEN you will have access to the Social Security Letter request in STEP 4. Please do not attempt to complete further steps until steps 1-3 are completed.
   
   *Please allow 2-5 business days for SEVIS Check-in to be completed by our staff.
   
   
   
3. Obtain an Employment Verification Letter -
   
   Use the following link to the template, Employment Verification Letter, to obtain a letter from your supervisor or hiring department on official WVU department letterhead.
   
   - You MUST use the the template for the letter found in the link above - grad assistantship offer letters, contracts, or emails from supervisors WILL NOT be accepted by the SSA office and we require that you submit the proper document that the SSA office will need.
   
   - Make sure to use only the link to the template above and that the supervisor who is filling out the information does not alter the template, fills it out completely and accurately, and be sure the supervisor ensures that the letter is printed on the hiring department's official WVU letterhead.
   
   - We cannot accept any other versions of employment verification other than what is described above and an actual start date is needed - filling out the start date as " ASAP " cannot be accepted.
   
   - You must also have an original, ink signed copy of this template letter for the Social Security Administration on department letterhead. Please provide these directions to your supervisor if needed when filling out the template.
   
   *** Do not proceed unless steps 1-3 are complete. Doing so will delay your processing time. You will not have access to STEP 4 until SEVIS Check-in is complete and you are notified by ISSS.
   
   
   
4. Submit a Request for a Social Security Letter
   
   Submit this request by visiting the International Student Services Request Portal. Please go to the "Requests and Documents" section and select "Social Security Letter" and complete the steps.
   
   We do not guarantee turnaround times, but normally, we strive to process these letters in 3-7 business days at most if not sooner. We cannot expedite requests and do strive to complete the request as soon as possible.
   
   The length of time to process depends on how many requests are received in queue and if the above steps have been followed by the student making the request. If you already have a Social Security Card, please proceed to steps 6-7.
   
   ***If you do not have a social security card, you will upload a copy of your Employment Verification Letter (STEP 3) from your supervisor/department to the request in the appropriate section.
   
   You may submit a digital copy of this employment verification letter in order for us to process STEP 4, however the Social Security Administration office must have the original, ink signed copy of the letter.
   
   Once the Social Security Letter is ready, our ISSS will email you at your @MIX email when your letter is ready for pickup with an original signature. PLEASE REMEMBER AND TAKE NOTE:
   
   - You must wait to visit the Social Security Administration (SSA) office until you have both an original, signed Social Security Letter from ISSS and an original, signed Employment Verification Letter from your hiring department. The SSA office discourages visiting the office in advance before all documents are obtained.
   
   - You cannot forgo SSA procedure and we cannot expedite requests for letters. Letters are processed and sent in the order that they are received to be fair to all students seeking employment with similar start dates, especially at the start of a semester where there are many requests for these letters.
   
   - The SSA will not issue a Social Security Number for employment that begins more than 30 days in the future.
   
   - J-1 students must have additional work authorization documents from ISSS for payroll purposes.
   
   - If you feel you will experience a delay in your employment start date while awaiting your letter and cannot visit the SSA office until it is ready, please alert your department as soon as possible. Our staff will work as quickly as possible to assist you, but may also be assisting others in queue and need time to process every request in the order they are received. It is expected that your hiring department is aware of possible delays and to expect realistic timeframes for processing and to adjust expectations as necessary.
   
   - The applicant’s documentation must be the originals. SSA cannot accept photocopies or pdf documents printed from an email. This includes letters from the employer as well as the social security letter from the DSO/ARO.
   
   - If you were issued a digital I-20/DS-2019, the electronically signed/printed copies of this electronic I-20/DS-2019 are acceptable according to the SSA office. Please email us at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu if you encounter an issue where the SSA office states directly to you that an electronic signature on the I-20 or DS-2019 is unacceptable.
   
   - Since DHS and WVU payroll has moved to acceptance of electronic I-20s, an original copy with DSO ink signature of the I-20 is typically not needed for most situations. J-1 Students with DS-2019's may still need an ink signature and may request an updated, original copy with ink signature for pick up at our office by submitting a "Reprint DS-2019" request through the International Student Services Request Portal.
   
   We recommend e-mailing us at isss-students@mail.wvu.edu if you have questions about any of the steps above.
   
   ***DO NOT PROCEED UNLESS STEPS 1-4 ARE COMPLETE AND YOU RECEIVE ALL DOCUMENTS FROM STEPS 3-4 ABOVE.
   
   
   
5. Apply for a Social Security Card -
   
   Once steps 1-4 are completed and you have all of the required documents, apply for a Social Security Card (if you do not already have a US Social Security Card) with the US Social Security Administration (SSA). You must have a Social Security Number (SSN) to work in the US. Please read below for helpful and need to know information about applying for a social security card and visiting the SSA office.

• You must use the Morgantown, WV SSA office to process for a social security card. The SSA office in Morgantown has recommended not to travel to other offices or use alternate service locations in order to expedite the process and to only be processed in the Morgantown office.
  
  
• Appointments at the SSA office are no longer necessary. Do not call to make an appointment.
  
  
• The SSA office in Morgantown is currently open to the public. No quarantine time is required once arriving in the U.S. before visiting their office, however...
  
  
• When visiting the office, you may be asked to undergo a health screening and may be asked to leave if you are sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If sick, please wait to visit the SSA office until you are well enough to do so. A well-fitting mask that covers completely your mouth and nose may still be mandatory and required to be worn at all times while visiting the SSA office. Please prepare accordingly.
  
  You may begin the SSA process for a social security card in one of two ways:
  
  I. Online by visiting https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ . Afterwards, you must visit the SSA office with all of your required documents within 45 days of finishing an online application. Please be sure to follow all of the online directions and bring any printout required to the SSA office once the online process is complete. This includes any receipt or receipt number of the online filing.
  
  II. In person. You will also need to have your SS-5 form completed with your current, accurate address included prior to arriving to the SSA office.
  
  
• For either option, you will need to bring original copies of all of your immigration and employment documents: I-20 (acceptable if signed electronically) or DS-2019 (needs ink signature or printed ink signature), I-94, Employment Verification Letter, graduate assistantship letter (if applicable), social security letter from ISSS, passport and visa, SS-5 form or any applicable online form needing printed.
  
  Please remember: When filling out your address on any form, you must include an apartment # if applicable - failing to do so may cause further delays if documents are mailed to you from the SSA .
  
  Do not show up to the SSA office without all of your required documents ready and in hand as this will only cause further delays and you will be turned away.
  
  
• More information can be found here - Social Security Numbers for Noncitizens . The Social Security Administration Office will process your application and provide you with an application letter/receipt. Please direct all questions about card processing to the SSA office.
  
  
• The Social Security Administration’s phone number is 1-866-770-2055 and their address in Morgantown is: 3596 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505
  
  After processing with the Social Security Office: