Student Perspective: Wingate’s international students face delays in campus employment

By Indhiana Gonzales Almonte

Contributing Writer

Starting work on campus has been a slow and challenging process for many international students at Wingate University this semester. Immigration requirements, Social Security applications and university approvals have left many students waiting weeks before they can earn an income.

Unlike domestic students, international students cannot begin working right away when the semester starts. The process begins when they find an on-campus job and request an official offer letter from their employer. After that, the letter must be submitted to Wingate’s International Programs Office. This office reviews and approves the letter before issuing a second letter addressed to the Social Security Administration. Only with this documentation can students apply for a Social Security number, which is required for legal employment in the United States.

Even after they receive work authorization, federal rules limit international students to 20 hours per week of on-campus work during the academic year. Off-campus work is not allowed without special permission, which is rarely granted. Many students have shared their frustration with the long procedures and limited opportunities compared with their American classmates.

“The rules are so strict and the process takes so long,” said one student, pointing out that the delays add financial and emotional stress at the start of the semester.

For the International Programs Office, helping students with these requirements has become routine. One staff member refers to it as a “never-ending process,” especially during the first weeks of each semester when new students are adjusting to campus life. However, they expect requests for help to decrease in the coming weeks as most students complete their paperwork and settle into their classes.

Still, for many international students, the complicated employment process serves as a constant reminder of the challenges of studying far from home.

The writer is a senior international student at Wingate from the Dominican Republic majoring in Communication.