International Student Advisor

Engineering a world of possibilities

The International Student Advisor, “Advisor” focuses on the needs of approximately 800 international students and scholars participating the F-student and J-exchange visitor categories. The advisor will be responsible for a range of student services including high-touch immigration advising for F and J visa holders with heavy emphasis on employment advising, incoming student orientations, workshops, and other activities in support of international student success. The advisor will maintain knowledge of current interpretations of immigration regulations and serve as a liason among the university, students and scholars, and the agencies of the federal government that oversee immigration as well as social security, driver’s licenses offices and the local community.

Our ideal candidate for this integral position will have a working knowledge of immigration regulations for F and J visas and be confident in advising on complex employment benefits for F and J visas. This person will have the ability to take into account existing and sometimes conflicting guidance, a student's specific circumstances, institutional liability, and potential future changes in regulation when arriving at possible solutions for a student or scholar. Additionally, they'll need the ability to navigate sensitive conversations with a variety of stakeholders in a multi-cultural environment.

This role works primarily on campus with the opportunity to work remotely one day per week as the office strives to support work-life balance. This is a fast-paced environment with competing timelines and deadlines; the ability to multi-task and prioritize work will be key to success. This office engages in high-touch impactful advising with students and scholars. If you enjoy working on your own, yet value and nurture professional relationships with colleagues, apply today!

Primary Responsibilities:

Student Advising

• Provide direct, comprehensive, and culturally sensitive advising to approximately 800 students and exchange visitors on complex immigration requirements, benefits, petitions, and applications for up to 3 years post-completion of degree.
• Provide students with appropriate guidance and options as well as documentation and authorize specific benefits allowed by regulation, including practical training authorization, reduced course loads, changes of status, medical leave, and economic hardship and various types of employment authorization
• Conduct F2 and J2 dependent advising
• Determine eligibility and issue forms I-20 and DS -2019 for incoming student populations
• Research, interpret and apply US immigration and labor law, involving student, institutional, and government needs and policies with Director support
• Provide timely messaging to F1 and J1 student populations regarding immigration status maintenance.
• Develop and lead campus programming for international students including orientations, cultural programming, tax and employment workshops, and other programming as needed.
• Maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures for processing student requests
• Maintain accurate student records and advising documentation in TerraDotta software
• Update Terra Dotta Request forms and templates as needed
• Keep current on regulatory and policy changes in the field, utilizing NAFSA and other international higher education resources

SEVIS/SEVP Reporting

• Serve as Designated School Official and Alternate Responsible Officer
• Report on F1 and J1 students in SEVIS as required by federal regulations
• Monitor SEVIS alerts and actively notify students of upcoming reporting requirements
• Maintain F1 and J1 student records in SEVIS and serve as backup for J1 scholar status maintenance
• Serve as contact point for Federal Departments including SEVP, ICE, CBP, U.S. State Department and USCIS on student immigration status issues.

Department & Campus Support

• Develop and lead International Student Orientation and workshops focused on employment regulations and processes (CPT, OPT, AT) in coordination with the Director and campus partners
• Support Global Education as needed on all initiatives.
• Advocate for the unique needs of the international student population through committee work
• Collaborate with campus partners on programming and support for international students
• Attend professional development opportunities and report out key information
• Attend campus events as representative of ISSS unit.

Minimum Qualifications                                                                    

Education and Experience:

• U.S. Citizen
• Bachelor’s degree and at least one year of work experience related to F and/or J visa advising, regulations, and pr