F-1 Employment

Eligibility

• Must be in good lawful status (see F-1 Status Requirements).
• Must have registered as a continuing BYUH student.

Requirement

• "... employment ... must not exceed twenty hours a week while school is in session. An F-1 student may, however, work on campus full-time while school is not in session or during the annual vacation," Code of Federal Regulations (8CFR214,2(f)(9)(i).

• Check with Human Resources about working during vacations and times school is not in session.

Authorization Procedure

• Go to Student Employment at LSN BLDG#5 or review the listed job openings online and secure a job.
• How do I get hired?

A Social Security Number (SSN) is:

• A unique 9-digit U.S. government-issued number used for taxpayer identification, income reporting and record-keeping purposes.
• Required before you may begin employment.
• Valid for a lifetime--keep your SS card in a safe place.
• Go to the U.S. Social Security Administration website for more information.

Application Procedure

Due to COVID-19, SSA office hours are limited as in-person services are restricted to appointments only. For more information, please refer to the SSA's Office and Closing Emergencies, as well as their COVID-19 updates.

SSN application process:

1. Obtain a written offer of employment from your employer.
2. Bring the written offer to International Student Services to request a letter to the Social Security Administration (SSA) certifying that you are
   
   • are in good legal status,
   • are eligible to work, and
   • have secured or have a promise of employment.
     
3. Complete a Social Security number application.
4. Take your International Services certification letter, employer offer letter, valid passport, visa, Form I-94, Form I-20 and completed application form to our local Social Security Administration (SSA) office located at:

US Social Security Administration
Rm 1-114 Federal Building
300 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96850
Phone Number: 1-855-572-4879

US Social Security Administration
970 Manawai St.
Kapolei, HI 96707
Phone Number: 1-855-572-4866

You will be given a receipt that acts as a temporary card until your permanent card arrives.

Taxes

• All international students, whether you have earned income or not, are required to file Form 8843.
• All international students who earned income are required to file an annual tax filing on Form 1040NR.

PLEASE NOTE:

• If you worked in the State of Hawaii, you are required to file state taxes.
• If you worked in another state, you may be subject to that state's income tax laws--not every state has income taxes. You will have to contact the state to determine if you need to submit forms.
  

If you worked on campus:

• BYUH files Form 8233 with the IRS and keeps a copy for audit purposes.
• BYUH sends W-2s to all employees in January in preparation of the tax season. Tax filing deadlines are in April.
• If you are from Mexico, Japan, South Korea, or Canada, you have the option of claiming the tax treaty or filing an income tax return according to the information on your W-4.
• You must renew Form 8233 at the Payroll Office every year during the month of December for the next calendar year.

ISS advisors are not tax experts and cannot provide advising on tax issues; however, they will guide you to appropriate resources (e.g., IRS, State of Hawaii Department of Taxation) and recommend you to Sprintax for expert assistance.

If you have additional questions regarding your tax obligations, we suggest that you utilize the following resources.

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) publication #515: "Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities"
• Form 4011: Foreign Student and Scholar Volunteer Resource Guide
• Tax Guide for Aliens (Publication 519)
• US Tax Treaties (Publication 901)
• General Information
• Call 1(800) 829-1040 and ask for the tax department that services international taxpayers.