J-1 Visa Event Planner Jobs
Event Planner roles in the United States are most commonly available to international professionals through the J-1 visa Trainee or Intern program categories, depending on your career stage. Finding a host employer willing to coordinate with a designated sponsor organization for DS-2019 sponsorship requires targeting companies with established event operations and international hiring experience.
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Get Access To All JobsUCLA ATHLETICS
Event Operations Internship
Summary
University of California, Los Angeles Athletics Department is hiring an Event Operations Intern for the 2026-2027 academic year. This position will work in the Event Operations office and perform duties that will lead to the success of the event operations for all athletics programs at the University of California, Los Angeles. This internship will be a volunteer position for hours worked within the office. However, there is opportunity to be hired into a paid/part-time position, specifically for EVENT hours, starting at the payrate of $21/hr.
The internship will run from August 2026 to the end of December 2026, with the option to extend the internship until the end of June 2027. Extension will be at the discretion of UCLA.
Functions:
Under the direction of the event operations office:
- Assist the event operations full-time staff members with all game day operations, including pre-event set-up, in-game responsibilities, and post-event responsibilities.
- Act as “Day of” contact for assigned sports, as well as organize or assist in scheduling emergency medical services, security and police, ball crew, table crew, and student staff schedules.
- Delegate and oversee tasks assigned to a staging crew of 2–3 people, helping to build leadership and project management skills in a live event environment.
- Create or assist with the distribution of visiting team guides, operations and tournament manuals; create event timing sheets; coordinate with coaches and team personnel for game-day requests and arrangements; act as parking services liaison for assigned sports.
- Gameday responsibilities include supervision of event staff and staging staff, crowd control, liaison for visiting team and officials, event set-up, and table crew supervision.
- Attends department and event-specific meetings in preparation for upcoming events.
Working Requirements:
- Work all Men’s Water Polo home games in the fall (paid).
- Work a majority of Men’s and Women’s Tennis matches in the spring (paid).
- Ability to work significant amount of event days for Football and other events assigned (including nights, weekends, and holidays).
- Minimum of 10 office hours per week (unpaid).
Required Education, Knowledge, and Skills:
Has a Bachelor’s degree. One year of related experience. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally. Able to work in inside and outside event conditions; subject to heat and cold. Ability to communicate with athletics staff members and outside vendors. Exceptional organizational and time management skills. Customer service oriented. Experience with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Publisher, and Microsoft Excel. Ability to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
Preferred Education, Knowledge and Skills:
Previous event or facility experience in intercollegiate athletics. Desire to obtain a full-time career within event operations. General knowledge of all Big Ten and NCAA rules and regulations related to event operations.
Note:
Parking and uniform tops will be provided to the intern. Class credit can only be offered to current students at University of San Francisco. After the conclusion of the internship, if seen fit by the event operations office, the candidate may be asked to apply for a staging role. This role will be part-time/paid. In order to be hired onto pay status, candidates must be able to provide original identification documents to satisfy the requirements of the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form (See Here).
Please email a resume and cover letter to Garret Koonce (gkoonce@athletics.ucla.edu) with the Subject Line of “UCLA 2026-27 Internship Application” to be considered for this role.
Employment is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background check performed by Universal Background Screening and UCLA Athletics.
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer. “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
UCLA ATHLETICS
Event Operations Internship
Summary
University of California, Los Angeles Athletics Department is hiring an Event Operations Intern for the 2026-2027 academic year. This position will work in the Event Operations office and perform duties that will lead to the success of the event operations for all athletics programs at the University of California, Los Angeles. This internship will be a volunteer position for hours worked within the office. However, there is opportunity to be hired into a paid/part-time position, specifically for EVENT hours, starting at the payrate of $21/hr.
The internship will run from August 2026 to the end of December 2026, with the option to extend the internship until the end of June 2027. Extension will be at the discretion of UCLA.
Functions:
Under the direction of the event operations office:
- Assist the event operations full-time staff members with all game day operations, including pre-event set-up, in-game responsibilities, and post-event responsibilities.
- Act as “Day of” contact for assigned sports, as well as organize or assist in scheduling emergency medical services, security and police, ball crew, table crew, and student staff schedules.
- Delegate and oversee tasks assigned to a staging crew of 2–3 people, helping to build leadership and project management skills in a live event environment.
- Create or assist with the distribution of visiting team guides, operations and tournament manuals; create event timing sheets; coordinate with coaches and team personnel for game-day requests and arrangements; act as parking services liaison for assigned sports.
- Gameday responsibilities include supervision of event staff and staging staff, crowd control, liaison for visiting team and officials, event set-up, and table crew supervision.
- Attends department and event-specific meetings in preparation for upcoming events.
Working Requirements:
- Work all Men’s Water Polo home games in the fall (paid).
- Work a majority of Men’s and Women’s Tennis matches in the spring (paid).
- Ability to work significant amount of event days for Football and other events assigned (including nights, weekends, and holidays).
- Minimum of 10 office hours per week (unpaid).
Required Education, Knowledge, and Skills:
Has a Bachelor’s degree. One year of related experience. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally. Able to work in inside and outside event conditions; subject to heat and cold. Ability to communicate with athletics staff members and outside vendors. Exceptional organizational and time management skills. Customer service oriented. Experience with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Publisher, and Microsoft Excel. Ability to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
Preferred Education, Knowledge and Skills:
Previous event or facility experience in intercollegiate athletics. Desire to obtain a full-time career within event operations. General knowledge of all Big Ten and NCAA rules and regulations related to event operations.
Note:
Parking and uniform tops will be provided to the intern. Class credit can only be offered to current students at University of San Francisco. After the conclusion of the internship, if seen fit by the event operations office, the candidate may be asked to apply for a staging role. This role will be part-time/paid. In order to be hired onto pay status, candidates must be able to provide original identification documents to satisfy the requirements of the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form (See Here).
Please email a resume and cover letter to Garret Koonce (gkoonce@athletics.ucla.edu) with the Subject Line of “UCLA 2026-27 Internship Application” to be considered for this role.
Employment is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background check performed by Universal Background Screening and UCLA Athletics.
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer. “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as an Event Planner
Document your event coordination experience clearly
Your DS-2019 training plan must map your prior experience to specific skills you'll develop in the U.S. Catalog past projects by event type, vendor management, budget responsibility, and team size before you approach any host employer.
Distinguish Intern from Trainee eligibility early
If you're currently enrolled in a hospitality, marketing, or event management degree program, the J-1 Intern category applies. If you've graduated within the past 12 months, you qualify instead as a Trainee, which governs your program length and training plan structure.
Search Migrate Mate to find host employers
Use Migrate Mate to identify U.S. employers in the events and hospitality sector that have a track record of hosting J-1 exchange visitors, so you're not starting from scratch when approaching companies about sponsorship coordination.
Target employers with in-house events infrastructure
Hotels, convention centers, corporate event departments, and venue management companies run structured programs and are far more likely to engage with a designated sponsor organization than small independent planners who lack the HR capacity to host a J-1 trainee.
Confirm the host employer's willingness before applying
The DS-2019 sponsor organization, such as Cultural Vistas or AIPT, approves your training plan only after the host employer agrees to participate. Secure a signed commitment from the employer before initiating the formal sponsorship application process with any designated organization.
Align your training plan with USCIS program categories
USCIS defines permissible J-1 activities by occupational field. Event planning falls under the Business, Finance and Management or Tourism and Hospitality fields. Your training objectives must fit the designated category to pass sponsor review and avoid delays at consular processing.
Event Planner J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category applies to event planners?
It depends on where you are in your career. If you're currently enrolled in a degree program related to hospitality, marketing, or event management, the J-1 Intern category covers your placement. If you've completed your degree or equivalent professional training within the past 12 months, the J-1 Trainee category applies instead. Each category has distinct maximum program lengths and training plan requirements.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa as an event planner?
The visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization, not the employer hosting you. Organizations such as Cultural Vistas, AIPT, or CIEE issue the DS-2019 form and monitor program compliance. Your host employer, such as a hotel group or corporate events department, is the workplace where you train. The employer is the host, but the designated sponsor carries the legal sponsorship responsibility.
How do I find U.S. employers open to hosting J-1 event planners?
Use Migrate Mate to search for event industry roles at U.S. employers that are familiar with J-1 exchange visitor requirements. Larger hospitality groups, convention and trade show operators, and corporate event management firms tend to have HR processes that can accommodate the training plan approval and sponsor coordination steps that a standard hire does not require.
Does the J-1 Trainee program carry a two-year home residency requirement?
Some J-1 participants are subject to a two-year home-country physical presence requirement after their program ends, which bars changing to most other visa statuses or obtaining a green card until the requirement is fulfilled or waived. Whether it applies to you depends on whether your home country appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List and whether your program was government-funded. Check your DS-2019 for the relevant notation.
What does the J-1 training plan need to include for an event planner role?
The training plan, submitted to your designated sponsor organization for approval, must outline specific skills you'll develop month by month, such as venue sourcing, vendor negotiation, on-site coordination, and post-event analysis. It must connect your prior education or work experience to each training objective, demonstrate that you'll return home with skills not obtainable there, and be signed by the host employer's supervisor.