UNH is enriched by foreign visitors involved in diverse activities including teaching and research, lectures, seminars, workshops and consultations. However, under current U.S. immigration law the employment and/or compensation of persons who are not U.S. citizens is governed by the specific immigrant or non-immigrant visa category or status held by the individual. In order to ensure that the University will legally be able to compensate its international visitors, the OISS and other offices must be notified well in advance of the proposed activity. In addition, the visitor will be required to provide the University with either a U.S. Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in order to receive payment. These numbers can be obtained after arrival in the U.S. (or at UNH) but payment will be delayed until a number is issued. Failure to comply with the regulations could result in severe penalties for the institution as well as serious implications for a visitor's future ability to enter the U.S .
Employing or Compensating Canadian Citizens
Although Canadian citizens do not need to obtain a visa to enter the United States , they are subject to the same employment and compensation laws as citizens of all other countries. Canadians travel freely to the U.S. and are seldom questioned about the intent or purpose of their visit. However, the U.S. government considers these entries to be for tourism purposes only. Tourists are not permitted to work in the U.S. There is no exception to this law for citizens of Canada.
The University is prohibited by federal law from issuing payments of any kind without documentation of a foreign national's legal immigration status. We are also required to verify that the foreign national entered the U.S. in a visa category which permits employment, payment of honoraria, or reimbursement of travel expenses.
In order for a citizen of Canada to be employed in the U.S. he or she must be admitted in one of the visa categories which permit employment such as the J-1 Exchange Visitor, H-1B Temporary Worker, or TN.
Reimbursement of Expenses for International Visitors in "B" Visa Classification
Activities Which Require Payment of Honoraria or Travel Expenses
If a UNH department wishes to invite a Canadian citizen to campus to participate in a "usual and customary academic activity" for which honoraria or reimbursement of travel expenses will be offered, the Canadian visitor must enter the U.S. as a B-1 Visitor for Business . This will require the Canadian visitor to present him/herself to an immigration officer at the port of entry and to declare the business nature of the visit (consultation, short-term lecture, collaborative research, attendance at a meeting or conference, etc.).
At the port of entry, the Canadian citizen must also request to be issued Form I-94 (Record of Arrival and Departure) as a B-1 visitor. There is a small fee for issuance of this document.
For the university to issue payment to the Canadian visitor, s/he must present Form I-94, Record of Arrival and Departure, to the UNH department. The department should make a copy of Form I-94 and attach it to the request for reimbursement along with copies of travel and other expenses receipts. Form I-94 marked B-1 will serve as documentation that the visitor has entered the U.S. in an appropriate visa category for payments of this nature. Under no circumstances is the Canadian visitor permitted to be paid a salary or wage while in B-1 or B-2 visa status.
If a department wishes to employ a Canadian citizen (or a foreign national from any other country), it must contact the OISS in advance to discuss visa options which permit employment.
