Someone made a good point, but posting was blocked, so I started a new topic. If the HO pays a booking fee, then are they paying for sitter, as far as border controls believe?
Considering how stringent the US immigration system is going, perhaps THS will be flagged for sitters when the booking fee is put into place. Because then there is money involved.
Short answer no. It doesn’t change anything as any form of barter (accommodation for services) still contravenes most immigration border controls.
Well, per THS ads for hiring new staff, the company wants to grow its membership to a million (it is at about 25% of that now). That will involve a lot of advertising and guess who will be seeing these ads? Border/immigration staff. Something that THS had going for it was that it was the best known but maybe not well known and sitting internationally was possible by slipping through undetected. Lots of posts on here with recommendations to say that you are strictly a tourist, delete phone messaging re sits and NOT to use the THS documents re sitting not being work. For me, I wonder if growth will make THS mostly suitable for domestic travel only? There are already country-specific platforms that seem to do the job adequately. And then you add in the booking fee …
I’ve just confirmed an overseas sit in Malta. and before I confirmed, I had to tick that I was going for tourism and that I would abide by the immigration rules. Looks like the infamous THS letter is no more. If you get stopped you’re definitely on your own.
Paid or “free”, you will need a work visa to do petsitting in a foreign country that requires it. It makes no difference.
And you can’t get a work visa for petsitting.
Hey, there is one positive!
Although checking a box that you’re coming for tourism on a site that sets up house and petsitting is just as ridiculous. But at least they’re no longer telling members to wave something idiotic in a border agent’s face.
this does not add up for me 
Exactly, but I couldn’t confirm the sit until I ticked it.
It simply doesn’t make sense. So, sitters traveling abroad for a sit arranged through THS must now confirm to THS that they are traveling for tourism? Oh well, new times are here 
It’s the new “improvements”.
We are in the US and for the past year, we’ve decided to just look for sitters who are US citizens. Avoids the stress of wondering whether our sitters will make it here! Will continue to do this until the current regime is voted out.
I understand your reasoning. I am curious if you have mentioned this in your listing?
Yes, we have.
It’s all CYA for THS. It has nothing to do with THS members.
@Chrissie you were always on your own, even with the infamous THS letter. THS take no responsibility for any immigration issues a sitter has.
I guess they haven’t thought it through where someone could be going for work and housesitting at the same time.
I doubt they care. They just want to cover their own butts legally — if you run into any problems as a sitter, they’ll just point to you having agreed to follow the law and how that means they’re not responsible in any way.
That’s kind of ridiculous. Where does this tidbit of information go once you click the box, I wonder. What possible use is it? Did AI come up with this? Somewhere it’s buried in an algorithm and too deep to be of any use if a sitter did get into trouble with immigration rules and IF THS gave a ---- if they did.
Doesn’t make much sense to me either.
I personally do international sits only and was stopped in Australia and New Zealand and both times I said I look after pets for friends whilst she’s on holiday. The fact that host picked me up helped, because New Zealand called the host actually. The conversation came down to THS and it was fine.
I do have another sit in Australia but I think after this I will be too nervous to go. Asia, Dubai etc. is fine. They don’t really mind too much.
I avoid the US. I’d love to do Canada but am scared there as well.
It’s just a bit disappointing that in 2025/2026 you still can’t do house swaps /pet sits etc. without issues.
But yeah, so far the information was accepted. New Zealand does allow online working on the NZETA, which makes entry a lot easier. Australia seems to be hesitant but accepting. Unsure about US and Canada.