Hiring Foreign Nationals
Process
All invitations to foreign nationals must be coordinated through the Slater International Center and all foreign national faculty hires must be centralized through the Office of the Provost. Individual faculty members cannot sponsor foreign nationals or sign immigration petitions on behalf of the college.
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Verify Citizenship
The first step for departments working to appoint a prospective international scholar/faculty member is to verify the individual’s citizenship. If the individual is not a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, the sponsoring/hiring department will have to make plans in advance and take some additional steps in the hiring process to ensure that the foreign national is in the appropriate status to conduct research, teach and/or be employed at the college as well as to ensure that the College is in compliance with Department of Homeland Security regulations.
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Confirm Position
Research Scholars and Lecturers
Although Wellesley College does not have a formal Visiting Scholar Program, individual faculty members and departments at the College typically invite 5-10 international scholars/researchers per year to conduct research and/or teach. Department/Faculty Members interested in extending an invitation should contact the Slater International Center. The Department should work with the Slater International Center to confirm the prospective scholar’s affiliation or title, length of affiliation (exact beginning and ending dates), how the individual will be funded, and if the individual will be bringing family members.
Please notify the Slater International Center at least three months in advance of the scholar’s proposed start date in order to assure a timely and smooth entry to the U.S. and/or transfer to Wellesley College in the appropriate immigration status.
Faculty
Wellesley College also hires international Faculty members. The department works with the Provost's Office and the Slater International Center to confirm the prospective faculty member’s affiliation or title, length of affiliation (exact beginning and ending dates), how the individual will be funded, and if the individual will be bringing family members. For international Faculty requests, please notify the Slater International Center by the end of April of the previous academic year.
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Obtain/Prepare a Letter of Appointment/Invitation
After verifying citizenship, a letter of appointment/invitation must be carefully prepared according to guidelines which include a statement of conditionality based on the individual having the appropriate immigration status to accept the position offered in a timely manner.
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Additional Paperwork
Visiting Scholars/Researchers/Lecturers
The sponsoring department must complete a Department Request for Sponsoring an Exchange Visitor and forward it to the Slater International Center with a copy of the individuals resume. The staff of the Slater International Center will work with the host department or faculty member to determine the best immigration status option and complete the required paperwork.
Visiting Faculty Members
The sponsoring department must complete a Department Request for Sponsoring an Exchange Visitor and forward it to the Slater International Center with a copy of the individuals resume. The staff of the Slater International Center will work with the Provost's Office, the host department, and the faculty member to determine the best immigration status option, complete the required paperwork and/or refer the case to the College immigration attorney.
Tenure Track Faculty Members
The hiring department will work with the Provost's Office to complete the required college paperwork and offer letter, and the Provost’s Office will notify the Slater International Center once the appointment has been finalized. The staff of the Slater International Center will work with the Provost's Office, the host department, and the faculty member to determine the best immigration status option, complete the required paperwork and/or refer the case to the College immigration attorney.
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Payment to Foreign Nationals
In some instances, a foreign national's visa will not allow the College to enter into certain financial or work relationships with that individual. Therefore, it is important to confirm that the desired relationship is legally permissible before agreeing to do so.
Once an individual’s immigration status has been determined, they must complete the appropriate paperwork with Human Resources to verify eligibility for employment, and with the Controller’s Office for tax purposes.