Work Camping: Please excuse my nose!

[Buddy Tott]

Just one additional comment...Visitors Visas are not required Canadian Citizens visiting the US (in most cases) as well as over 20 other countries, but an I-94 / I-95 must be completed on arrival (and turned in on departure) and the visitor must have a valid passport.  Neither of those items satisfy the 'proof to work' requirement.  The only way to legally 'work' is to change Immigration status from 'Visitor' to one of the many other categories of alien.  Typically a very lengthy process and much longer than the six months usually permitted for the initial visit. 

BT

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You seem very sure that your interpretation is the official INS policy, but I haven't seen any evidence, pro or con, that INS considers unpaid volunteer positions to be "employment".   Employment is different than performing a personal service. For example, visitors do such things as assist  on charitable drives or cultural lectures and receive room & board, travel expenses, etc. and these are not typically considered "work".

I would imagine the first line on the Camp Host position Application Form would be, "If not a US Citizen or legal resident, please provide proof of authority or permission to work."

I've never seen such an application form in my 9 years of workamping experience.    I'm sure there are employers such as the Corp of Engineers who have such a thing, but most campgrounds are small businesses that don't run to anything as sophisticated as an application form. But if there is any formal pay involved, they will surely request a social security number and that's a show-stopper for any non-citizen.

 

[Tom]

Many small businesses hire folks who can't work here legally. It's not legal for those companies to do so, but it's easy to conceal and tough to enforce. Periodically, we hear of a case in the media, but that's the exceptional case where some employer got caught. My take is that the INS sensationalizes those cases in an attempt to scare other small employers into requiring proof of legality to work here.

[quote author=RV Roamer].... they will surely request a social security number and that's a show-stopper for any non-citizen.[/quote]

A 'minor' correction Gary, there is no citizenship requirement to obtain a SS number; All that's required is proof to work in the US legally, e.g. one of various work visas or a green card. I'd venture to say there are millions of non-citizens with a SS number and working legally in the US.

 

[Wendy]

We had to provide a social security number when camp hosting in Death Valley where we received a free FHU campsite in exchange for a certain number of hours per month. IIRC I had to provide an SSN when I volunteered at Hovenweep, San Antonio Missions and Biscayne. At Biscayne, I got $6/day, at the other places I got nothing. Don't know if it's standard or not at federal sites to require a social security number.

Wendy
Anza Borrego Desert State Park

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Most federal agencies scrupulously comply with the employment laws and no doubt err on the side of caution by requiring an SSN from everybody, whether "employed" or "volunteer". On the other side of the coin, I've had work camping jobs where the pay was cash under the table and the employment interview consisted of helping the owner cut timber for an afternoon. He figured if we could work together for an afternoon, we would do ok as employees.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You can also get a taxpayer ID number in lieu if an SSN, if you are employed and not eligible to be covered by Social Security, e.g. a non-resident international. I assume, but do not know, that someone on a visitor visa would have some difficulty getting either an SSN or a taxpayer id. On the other hand, illegal aliens can get SSNs and collect benefits, so who knows?

 

[Buddy Tott]

Gary
My reference to the issue is one of strict legality, first-hand experience and the opinion of an ex-labor law/immigration attorney (my son).

Sure there are any number of non-resident aliens working in the US both with SSN and without.  It's really up to the employer to check and run the risk of hiring an individual who does not have legal authority to work.    The fact that someone performs a duty for another and receives some benefit for performing that duty - even if cloaked in the term of 'volunteering' - is still employment pursuant to INS regulation.  That would be prohibited for the holder of a 'visitors visa' or one who enters the country legally as a visitor.  Of course ther are various hypotheticals and degrees of what might constitute employment Vs. Volunteering and that would be up to a INS hearing Judge to decide, if it went that far. 

Even if the 'visitor' came into the US and conducted business, i.e. made some kind of business deal which would benefit them either in their native country or in the US, they (legally) would be required to hold a B1 / B2 visa allowing such practice.  I'm sure when our Canadian visitors come to the US and complete the I-94 form on entry, it clearly asks "purpose for visit"  - "business or pleasure"    If the 'business' box is checked then the visitor would likely be asked to provide an appropriate visa in support.  Checking the 'pleasure'  box infers no employment or business will be conducted.    Though Canada and the US are conjoined by NAFTA, it is not like the European Economic Trade agreement, where workers are permitted to go to any number of countries and begin employment without visas etc.

In actuality INS Investigators are few and far between and have a lot more on their plate than to go after one or two 'visiting' individuals volunteering at a campsites in the middle of nowhere...but that doesn't make it legal.

BT

 

[mariekie]

Buddy Tott, is absolutely 100% correct on this issue. Speaking of experience - jumping through all those immigration hoops. It is not a very easy process to immigrate to the USA and coming as a visitor is not a matter of just presenting a passport and voila everything is honky dory!!!!

As a visitor I would use caution and not get involved in a worker program - that is a very slippery slope.

Mariekie

 

[ZuniJayne]

Greetings, gang!

All legalities aside, there are some ways to deal with some logistics without moving your rig while you are workamping. If you really, really want to stay someplace, there ARE options.

If you are towing with a rig that will do so, or tow a vehichle that can, carry a container (even up to 50 gallon plastic barrels like I can in the pickup truck) for fresh water and one for waste water.  You may be able to use a large propane tank on site, about 120 gallons, if you can have someone deliver.  Or haul a 40 gallon tank in your pickup truck.  Most states will not allow you to haul anything larger than a 7 gallon propane tank in an enclosed vehicle.  The "extend-a-stay" is good for motorhomes, since they have a permanently mounted tank.

Otherwise, haul all in the back of your tow/towed vehicle.  Some places sell a water bladder so you don't need a barrel for water.  You can use a water transfer pump set up with a regular 12v water pump to bring water in and a 12v macerator pump to take the waste out to an appropriate place if you do not have one on site. (These macerator pumps will pump waste through a garden hose about 300 ft and you can get 'em for $160) Or haul waste out in a "blue boy."  "Blue boys" are horrendously expensive vs plastic barrels, though.

I have workamped/hosted where all I got was my site and had to haul in/out.  My solar panels, batteries  and small generator provided plenty of power for running vacuum, power tools, big DirectTV, and satellite internet on a PC.  I was not "roughing it." <bg>