Jamaican students bring home $25B through Work and Travel program

Over the past eight years, Jamaican tertiary students participating in the BridgeUSA J1 Work and Travel program have infused an estimated JMD $25 billion (USD $158 million) into the local economy, according to JOYST Youth Exchange International Limited.

This significant sum, amassed through summer work in the United States, has helped tens of thousands of tertiary-level students offset the costs of their education while gaining invaluable international experience. The program, established in the early 1980s by the Jamaica Organisation of Youth and Student Tourists (JOYST), now JOYST Youth Exchange International Limited, was among the first initiatives of its kind. It has weathered challenges that led to the discontinuation of similar efforts in countries like Canada and the UK due to a lack of governmental agreements. In Jamaica, the program’s continuity has allowed 45,258 students to participate since 2016.

Beyond the financial benefits, the program enriches participants personally and professionally. Students not only earn an income but also immerse themselves in cultural and recreational activities, which enhance their global perspective. Many return home with renewed entrepreneurial ambitions, launching ventures such as courier services, car rental agencies, and food production businesses.