An Alliance Assembly candidate's company sought to charge US interns up to $1,500 to travel to Northern Ireland to volunteer on an election campaign.
Councillor Patrick Brown offered Americans "valuable career experience" interning on the local government campaign in 2019.
Facebook posts pitched a three-week placement for "only $1,500 per person" including visa costs, accommodation and airport transfers.
Read more: Alliance Party advertised to recruit unpaid foreign interns to work on election campaign
The scheme was promoted through a company Mr Brown founded called Politrip, which organises volunteer placements on international political campaigns.
The Alliance Party said it accounted "fully and properly" for all council election campaign expenditure and "no overseas paid campaign staff were recruited or used".
It emerges after Alliance faced criticism for advertising to recruit dozens of unpaid and low-paid foreign interns to work on May's Stormont election campaign.
An advertisement was issued offering "career development opportunities" for up to 65 people from outside Northern Ireland in the run-up to the Assembly poll.
Five positions were offered a stipend of £300 per week plus travel to Northern Ireland and accommodation, but most roles were unpaid.
South Down SDLP representative Colin McGrath called it a "serious mistake".
Alliance said it had since decided against offering paid intern positions, but a mix of "volunteers" from the UK, Europe and US would be helping its campaign.
The Alliance-branded advert appeared similar to the Politrip posts, using the same image of Newcastle in Co Down and the title: "How would you like to campaign here?"
Some of the Facebook posts by Politrip for the council elections included the mobile phone number of Mr Brown, who is an Alliance Assembly candidate for South Down.
An archived Politrip webpage advertised the placements at a lower price of $1,000 and said it covered costs including "return international flights".
Volunteers would be "housed with local party supporters", while the price including "provision of phones/tablets and mobile data to facilitate field canvassing" and "all entry fees and ticket costs for cultural activities".
Newry Mourne and Down council was asked for a copy of candidate spending and donations records for the 2019 election to see what was declared.
However, the council said it only holds the information for 12 months.
In a statement an Alliance Party spokesman said: "Alliance accounted fully and properly for all campaign expenditure in the local government election.
"There are no expenses, notional or otherwise, associated with the proper use of self-funding volunteers in campaigns.
"No overseas paid campaign staff were recruited or used by Alliance during the local government campaign.
"Politrip is a separate company, not affiliated to Alliance, nor has it been at any time. Mr Brown was the previous owner but sold it in 2021.
"Any questions with respect to the operation of Politrip or the costs of their political education packages should be raised with them directly."
Mr Brown is recorded as the sole director of Politrip on Companies House, which says the firm is in liquidation. The Politrip brand was purchased last year by another business.
A Politrip spokesman said: "Volunteer USA Ltd purchased the trading name Politrip and associated intellectual property in September 2021.
"Any queries regarding the operations of Politrip Ltd prior to that date would need to be directed to the owners of that company."
He said the business gives young people an opportunity for "hands-on experience in political campaigning whilst travelling and learning about different political cultures".
He added: "We have no formal partnerships with any political parties. We do not provide any party with any funding and they do not pay us.
"Volunteer time is not a declarable election expense and Politrip always carries out due diligence and seeks legal advice prior to offering any trips to ensure compliance with local electoral laws."
The Electoral Commission said spending and donation rules for council election candidates include expenses incurred for the purposes of their election during a regulated period.
A spokesman said: "Volunteer time does not need to be included in a spending return and is not a donation.
"Where a volunteer pays for their own travel and accommodation and it is not reimbursed this does not count as campaign spending.
"Where a candidate or someone else provides use of their main residence free of charge, this again is not covered by the rules."
Read more: Alliance Party advertised to recruit unpaid foreign interns to work on election campaign
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