Leaving Your Program Early

4 min. readlast update: 10.17.2023

The last thing we ever want is for someone to return home early, but sometimes unexpected things happen over the course of the program. If you feel that you need to end your contract and return home, understand the potential outcomes of your decision - and that it might be an expensive choice.

Over the course of your program, you will be challenged, mostly positively, but there also might be times you feel stressed, tested or tired. We want you to be happy and have the best experience possible. 

If you do feel like you need a little more help, use the chain-of-command at your camp for help, speak to more experienced resort staff or contact Resort Leaders US office. If you become ill at the resort, we understand that the last place you want to be is far away from home. Look for support from your line manager, HR team and your visa sponsor and they will be able to help you.

If you do decide to leave your program early, and this should only be after you’ve exhausted every possibility of staying, you must contact your Visa Sponsor and Resort Leaders US office before you leave at 1-866-803-7643 or usa@resortleaders.com.

Leaving your job at the resort is not as simple as leaving your job back home. Resort Leaders US office will talk you through this process and provide detailed instructions on the next steps. You should note that, in line with the program agreement, there may be financial implications for breaking your agreement and any travel and accommodation after leaving the resort will be at your own expense.

Getting Fired

Know your resort rules and follow them. If you break the rules, the consequences are that you run the risk of being fired. Most resorts have contracts that contain language relating to “at will employment”. This means that resorts can fire you at any time. 

If you leave early or are let go from your position at the resort you need to contact the Resort Leaders office and your Visa Sponsor immediately so that they can assist you with your next steps and offer support to you. 

Your Visa Sponsor will reach out to you. In most cases, you will still be able to continue with your 30-day travel time, but this is ultimately the visa sponsor’s decision. 

The Resort Leaders team will be there to support you throughout this time, the primary concern is your health, safety and welfare for the entirety of your time in the US.

In the past HR teams and supervisors may say that you have to return home immediately since you have been fired, this is not a reality; only your visa sponsor can recommend you go home and that would require you doing something egregious.

Once the decision has been made for you to leave the resort it will be done in a way which is best for the HR team, staff, guests and the culture of the resort as well as making this as easy as possible on you. Again, make good choices and decisions while at the resort. It is important that the Resort Leaders office speak with both you and the resort when circumstances such as this occur. The US Resort Leaders office and your visa sponsor areavailable to assist through all of this.

Your program agreement contains language as to your responsibility when you leave your resort program early. There is a financial commitment and responsibility to pay the remaining program fees that are due as well as any flight change cost. 

When a program is ended early it is at the discretion of the Visa Sponsor as to length of travel time, but in most scenarios, you will still be allowed to travel up to thirty days from the day your program ended (when you leave the resort).

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