Stranded International Deferring SA offer?

International student and incoming BB SA this summer. Unfortunately, I'm stranded in home country due to border controls and limited flights, and there's extremely little chance I can get back to my SA location on time or even before the program finishes.

I have spoken to HR and they said they were considering getting me to work in my home country if I couldn't get back. Previously, they told all SA's that, even if the program had gone virtual, we were still supposed to stay in the SA city due to compliance and tax complexities. So virtually working for them directly seems impossible and they may be considering transferring my entire program to my home country, where my bank has a fairly tiny team, and getting me to work for them instead.

I guess, in this way, receiving a return offer to work full-time in my original SA location is hard, and receiving a return offer in my home country is hard too because I am never part of their recruitment plan.

Therefore, I am considering asking the HR if I can defer my SA until next summer, given that the deferral may be due to compassionate or compelling circumstances. I can delay my graduation at school.

I know it is weird and definitely rare, but we are in the midst of this stupid pandemic that most have never experienced.

Any thoughts are welcome. Thanks in advance.

19 Comments
 

I think deferring is the more risky move here. What if that doesn't work out come next May (eg. COVID takes a turn for the worse or if you're non-US citizen, what if visa policy changes further?)--then you'll have two blank summers. I'd do whatever you can this summer to get the experience and go from there.

 

Thanks for the comment.

Yes, I believe this is a fair point, so I am definitely not gonna talk to HR about this immediately.

Obviously deferring is last resort, and I just wanna see how deferring a SA program might be perceived on here. Some have asked about deferring full-time offers but not SA's (of course who would want to defer SA programs when lives were normal...).

 

Best of luck. I'm an FT in a similar situation but have been able to sort things out with m y bank. Hopefully you'll get the same treatment.

 

Can you get back via a third country, ie Mexico, Canada or, potentially going forward, the EU? flights are not going to be blocked forever.

Or can you even leave your home country?

Since most programs are going digital, not the worst choice.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  1-800-273-8255
 

Thank you for your comment.

Unfortunately, I'm one of the foreign nationals who are barred from entering the States indefinitely and all flight transfer options have been nonviable.

My bank has said that there will be in-person components towards the end of the program, so I will have to go back if I still want to do the program.. HR has been aware of my location outside the States and it's most likely that they will not allow me to do the program virtually offshore.

Given the imminent start date, I need to sort something out with HR soon and I don't see the States reopen borders any time soon..

 

I am in the opposite situation, got stuck in the US but will go back to my home country to do the internship remotely for an APAC office. I believe the HR told me that you should be allowed to work for anyone remotely as long as you stay in your home country, but I understand the in-person part could be a pain. Is the in-person part required? How long is it? Does it impact your overall internship or is it something like a networking session that you can skip?

 

If you had told them you were already there, would they have figured out the truth? (assuming that paperwork was in order etc)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  1-800-273-8255
 

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