International Employees
Squaw Valley is always looking for enthusiastic employees and we enjoy welcoming international students and applicants each season. All international applicants are required to get a work visa. There are two types of visa programs that Squaw Valley works with: J-1 Visas and H2B Visas.
The information below is for the WINTER SEASON 09/10.
J-1 VISAS (students)
For temporary work in the United States, the most popular visa secured by students is a "cultural exchange" Visa (J-1) that permits you to work for a period of 4 months, and allows for 1 month of travel on the end (total of 5 months). In order to be eligible for a J-1 Visa you must currently be a student between the ages of 19 and 30, and must be a full-time student for at least one semester of the same year that you are applying for, or have deferred status.
If you would like assistance in securing a J-1 work visa, you should contact any of the following J1 Companies however it is best to come to one of the CCUSA Job Fairs and interview with us. We will be hiring students from these job fairs FIRST. Interviews will be in the following cities: Lima-July 10, 2009, Santiago-July 12, 2009, Buenos Aires-July 15, 2009, Sao Paulo-July 17, 2009 and Rio de Janero-July 19, 2009. We will be hiring exclusively at these job fairs. We will not be accepting any independent J1 visa applications.
International Exchange Programs
or a few of the companies that offer these visas.
These agencies are not affiliated with Squaw Valley and generally charge a fee for their services.
NEW 12-MONTH J1 VISA-New this year, Squaw Valley will be offering the 12 Month Visa to citizens of Australia and New Zealand through CCUSA. For more about the program and to see if you qualify, visit www.ccusa.com. Come visit and interview with us and get a job offer on site at the Australia Job Fairs with CCUSA.
H-2B VISAS (non-students) and H-2B Extensions:
AS OF JULY 1, 2009 WE ARE FULL FOR ALL H-2B APPLICATIONS.
Squaw Valley sponsors a limited number of H-2B visas each season for certain specialized jobs. The H-2B nonimmigrant program permits employers to hire foreign workers to come to the U.S. and perform temporary nonagricultural work, for the entire winter season. These visas are applied for by Squaw and if approved, the certification is issued to Squaw, not the worker, therefore the visa cannot be transferred to any other job. The dates of employment must be for the winter season which means arriving before the Christmas Holiday and stay until the end of the winter season-usually in May. This visa is NOT for students.
Once the information is received, our H2B Coordinator will contact you via email for a phone or email interview if the job is available. It may take up to ten days to hear a response back. Make sure you make note on the application if you are looking for an extension and are in the US working now.
General Information about the H2B Visa: H2B Visas are subject to approval by the US Department of Labor, United States Homeland Security, the United States Immigration-USCIS and the United States Consulates. These visas are not guaranteed until we have this approval. Employees on an H2B must commit to working for the duration of their visa. There are new regulations regarding which countires we can hire applicants from for H2B's. We will be interviewing limited candidates from New Zealand, Australia, UK, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil.
As of July 1, 2009 we are no longer accepting any H-2B applications.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
SEASONAL WORK/WEATHER DELAYS
Please consider carefully that our business is largely dependent on snow. While Squaw usually receives plenty of snow, sometimes mother nature does not cooperate and the winter season can get off to a slow start. If we experience low or delayed snow, we may be unable to open all or part of the ski area as scheduled. In that event, Squaw cannot guarantee hours. Start dates may be postponed, hours may be reduced and sometimes work may not be available to you.
Please keep in mind that we request that our international employees work the full season. Please do not apply if you cannot commit to working the full season.
HOUSING
Finding a place to live is probably the hardest thing you will have to deal with on your entire trip, and it's not really that bad. Many people try to arrange housing before they arrive, but you will find that to be fairly difficult.
If you want to try, visit the housing section on this web site. It will give you the names of rental companies around North Lake Tahoe. That is a good place to start. Be prepared to pay first, last and a security deposit too. We have found that the internet can be a useful tool in securing housing.
Most international employees fly into Reno, Nevada (Reno Tahoe International Airport). If you are arriving at night we encourage you to stay in Reno and plan to arrive at Squaw the during the next day. If you are traveling in a group, it is easier to find housing, but if you are alone, don't worry. You will meet lots of people when you arrive and you may find a place to live very easily.
TRANSPORTATION TO SQUAW
There is a bus company called Greyhound that brings a bus to Truckee every day. You can visit them at www.greyhound.com. The ride is about 50 minutes and the cost is approx. $15.00. North Lake Tahoe Express offers shuttles to and from the Reno Airport, www.northlaketahoeexpress.com.
In Truckee you have to change buses to a TART (Tahoe Area Regional Transit) bus. The ride to Squaw Valley takes 25 minutes and the cost is approx. $2.50. Click here for the TART schedule
WHAT TO BRING
Please keep in mind that it will be winter when you arrive and it will be cold so you will need warm clothes.
Jackets: A water proof jacket will be very important. If you don't have one you can buy one as soon as you arrive. We suggest that you wear layers to keep warm in different weather. A water proof outer layer or shell works well if you have good layers to wear underneath. Fleece jackets and vests work very well as inner layers.
Temperatures: The temperatures here range from -20°C when it is very cold, to 10°C or warmer on a warm day. It may sound cold to you now, but believe me, you will get used to it and grow to love it here! A typical morning is about -6°C and it warms to about 4°C. Remember, it has to be 0°C to snow.
There are some great stores in Reno with good prices. Most of your shopping for clothes will be done in Reno as there is more variety with regards to selection and price.
Boots: You will also need warm footwear. Hiking style boots are not warm enough. Good snow boots may not be easily available in South American cities but they are easily obtainable once you arrive. Many grocery stores or "supermarkets" sell them for around $50.00, and sporting goods stores in Reno sell all manner of them from $30.00 to $200.00 depending on what you want. You should be able to get a good pair of waterproof snow boots for $50.00 or less.
Gloves: Gloves are available everywhere. If you are working as a lift operator you should expect to wear out gloves. Many Lift operators go through two or three pairs of gloves in a season.
We look forward to working with you!
If you have specific questions, please contact the personnel office at:
Offices: (530) 581-7112
An Equal Opportunity Employer
