Orkila International Staff Info!
This page is for staff and applicants who are coming to the United States as a part of the J-1 visa program.
*Information on this page is for Summer 2025
We are so excited that you are interested in working at Camp Orkila in Eastound, Washington for the summer of 2025! Please read through the following information to learn more about how to apply to work at Camp as an international staff member.
To learn more about what it’s like to work at Camp Orkila, please see our Orkila Staff Info and Frequently Asked Questions pages.
If you have any additional questions, please email OrkilaSummer@seattleymca.org
J-1 Visa Program
At Camp Orkila, we hire international cabin staff through the J-1 Camp Counselor program and international support staff the J-1 Summer Work Travel program. Please make sure that you understand all program eligibility requirements before you submit your application.
The Camp Counselor Program enables post-secondary students, youth workers, and teachers to share their culture and ideas with the people of the United States in camp settings throughout the country.
In the Summer Work Travel Program, College and University students enrolled full time and pursuing studies at post-secondary accredited academic institutions located outside the United States come to the United States to share their culture and ideas with people of the United States through temporary work and travel opportunities.
Hiring Process
1. YMCA Camp Orkila Application
To start the process, please apply through one of our job links. If you are applying as a support staff member (for example, Kitchen, Housekeeping, Store, or Laundry) please apply for the International Support Staff role.
For all other positions, including Cabin Counselor, Program Counselor, Trip Leader, Unit Director, etc., please apply for the International Cabin Staff role.
At this time, we encourage you to review the visa agencies that we work with and decide which one you would like to work with. You do not need to create an agency profile at this time.
We work with three visa agencies:
2. Interview
After we review your application, if we think you might be a good fit, we will send you information to schedule an interview. When you schedule your interview, you will be able to write down what positions you are interested in. We are happy to talk with you during your interview about multiple positions!
3. Job Offer
If we determine that you will be a good fit with Camp Orkila, we will send you a job offer and inform you of the next steps depending on which agency you have selected to work through.
The offer letter that you receive directly from the YMCA of Greater Seattle is your official contract and will include information about your employment dates and payrate. This job offer will be contingent on you completing the agency application and visa process.
4. Agency Application
Once you have your offer letter, you can begin your agency application. This process will be dependent on several factors, and we will guide you through the process.
5. Travel
Once your visa has been approved, you can begin to plan your travel to the United States. We provide transportation from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Camp Orkila, typically the day before your first day of work.
Due to the schedules of the ferries and buses that will get you from the airport to Camp Orkila, we will typically have you arrive to the airport within a specific date and time frame. We recommend that you wait to finalize your travel until we have informed you of when we will be providing transportation for you.
