In "The H-2B Dilemma" (March 2009), we misquoted Phil Simon of CIEE, a company that helps place J-1 and H-2B workers at American resorts. What we should have reported was that he said that the H-2B visa is eminently suitable for resorts, while the Q-1 classification is not. To quote him accurately: "We counsel our clients that the Q-1 classification is not suitable for ski resorts," Simon says. "We only recommend it in very limited circumstances-specifically for businesses that are representing other cultures as a core part of their business, such as some theme parks, for example."

To recap the pros and cons of the popular visas that resorts use for international staffing, here is the latest information:

New rules mean that the H-2B visa (overseen by the U.S. Department of Labor) is more costly for employers than it was, and competition for the allocation is fierce. For resorts that can afford it and can get it, it works well. However, it is not as useful as it once was, in particular because the cap is reached earlier each season.

J-1 visas are overseen by the U.S. Department of State. The J-1 Summer Work Travel visa is a valuable way to fill some entry-level positions for seasonal peaks. It is cost-effective and not subject to the same caps as H-2B. These student workers have limited availability, but can be successfully used in conjunction with other hires.

The J-1 Intern/Trainee visa is another cultural exchange visa overseen by the State Department. This relatively unknown program allows resorts to hire management trainees for up to 12 months. It is not suitable for entry-level positions.

The Q-1 visa was popularized by theme parks. A growth in interest from others in the hospitality industry led to increased scrutiny from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services who were, apparently, concerned that hotels and resorts can't, by the nature of their business, offer the requisite structured cultural exchange program.