J-1 Visa Program Creates, Not Takes Jobs

In response to Freeholder Candidate Gregory Wall’s recent statement that the J-1 Visa Summer Work Travel program for international students takes jobs away from  Cape May County residents, the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce would like to provide factual information regarding the benefits of this program to all residents of the county. This response is offered based on Cape May County’s tourism industry and should not be misinterpreted as a political statement.
The Summer Work Travel (SWT) program is tremendously important to our tourism industry and without it, many businesses would be forced to reduce hours of operation, cutting local resident hours, and ultimately lay-off local employees due to lost revenues. The Chamber has been informed by some businesses that they would be forced to close locations and/or cut back their schedule from April – October to June – August.
These cuts would snowball, affecting not just the businesses that employ SWT students but wholesale suppliers, distributors, back office personnel, realtors, grocery stores, retailers, and all other businesses in the county.  Simply stated, the elimination of the SWT program would drastically and negatively impact Cape May County’s $6.3 billion industry which employs over 26,000 Cape May County residents and is the backbone of our economy.
Employers participate in the SWT program to supplement hiring with a preference given to local residents. Cape May County’s population of 92,000 year-round residents is not sufficient to fill the number of seasonal jobs created by our tourism industry. 
These international students fill a need in order for our businesses to open in early spring and stay open into the fall. Local school and college calendars prevent many employees from working when businesses are open and in need of staff. 
These exchange students benefit our communities in multiple ways. A recent study estimates that the average student spends up to $5,300 during their time here, infusing the Cape May County economy with $14 million spent on housing, food, transportation, necessities, and entertainment expenses. 
The Chamber agrees with Wall that there is a great need to develop job opportunities for Cape May County residents. However, the SWT program is a benefit to our economy and is necessary to sustain seasonal employment, maintain our robust tourism economy, and enable our businesses to invest, expand and grow year-round employment.
The author is president of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce and president of the New Jersey Tourism Industry Association.