Volunteer and Unpaid Interns
To be considered volunteering for immigration purposes an opportunity has to meet the following criteria:
-
There should be no expectation of compensation;
-
The volunteer cannot displace a genuine employee;
-
The services provided by the volunteer should not be the same services for which they were previously paid and/or expect to be hired and paid for in the future;
-
The services are performed for a non-profit organization for public service, religious or humanitarian objectives.
Work at a for-profit entity is considered employment and must be for pay. The only exception is made for training programs where the trainee functions, to some degree, like an employee, but is under close supervision and provides no significant measurable work for the employer. The trainee must not take the place of a paid employee.
International students are permitted to volunteer in the United States without special authorization from DePauw.