| The J1 visa is probably the most diverse US visa in | | | | at least 2 years before being allowed to apply for any |
| terms of the range of types of roles it applies too. It is | | | | other US visa (not including visa waiver program). |
| often, along with the F1 visa for students, the avenue | | | | There is a 2 year residency rule waiver that can be |
| for hundred of thousands of foreigners each year to | | | | applied for but you should know it is not a quick |
| come to the US for the very first time. | | | | process. |
| Now many foreigners who ultimately want to work in | | | | Assuming you are a foreigner with few contacts in the |
| the US on a full time bases and possibly ultimately live | | | | US to utilize to help you find a role, there are ways |
| here permanently use the J1 visa as their initial stepping | | | | that most people achieve this. The first being utilizing |
| stone to find a more permanent role and later on | | | | the various sponsor organizations who will actually |
| green card sponsorship. | | | | sponsor your J1 visa like Intrax, InterExchange, CIEE, |
| The reason why so many people choose this route is | | | | etc. |
| that in many ways it is a far easier US visa to obtain | | | | You should bear in mind that if you utilize there job |
| as there is no quote limits each year compare to the | | | | search utility that your first point of screening will tend |
| other visas. Then additionally to find a Internship role | | | | to be someone at one of these sponsor organizations |
| under this visa is also slightly easier because | | | | before they pass the most suitable and best |
| employers are willing to state they want to hire a | | | | candidates on to the employer (or officially known as |
| foreigner for the Internship. This is because for them, | | | | your host company) themselves. Additionally there is |
| unlike full work visas like the H1B visa, they don't | | | | always additional fees paid on top of the regular J1 |
| actually do the visa sponsorship of the candidate | | | | visa program fees if you are using these organizations |
| themselves and there is no application costs or really | | | | as opposed to finding an Internship yourself and then |
| legal costs for them to incur. | | | | just using these organizations as sponsors. |
| The J1 Visa Internship or Trainee program is broadly | | | | All of these organizations will sponsor your J1 visa, |
| split into 2 types called Internship or Professional | | | | regardless if you actually via the Internship role via |
| Career Training (PCT). In a broad sense the difference | | | | them. The difference being that if you do it on your |
| between the two is that the Internship stream is for | | | | own that once you have found a role, you and your |
| current tertiary level students or very recent | | | | host company need to fill out application forms on their |
| graduates. A recent change to this stream states that | | | | websites (and in your case pay the program fees) |
| you can only apply for this while still a student, | | | | and then they will contact you both about processing |
| however you can start your role within 6 months of | | | | the application. |
| graduation. | | | | Unlike with the full work visas, there are companies |
| Where as the Professional Career Training stream is | | | | willing to hire foreigners without face to face |
| for those who have a tertiary qualifications but have | | | | interviews. Often they will be willing to hire you based |
| graduated longer than a year ago. It also can apply to | | | | on phone interviews and even video chats like Skype. |
| those who may not have that level of academic | | | | These companies that are willing to do this often have |
| qualifications but have at least 5 years of relevant | | | | hired foreigners before as Interns. |
| work experience to the Internship role to which they | | | | Finally you should read the Internship job description |
| are applying. | | | | wherever you find them as many will state they are |
| The one important thing to note about the PCT stream | | | | either unpaid or have a very minimal pay or basic |
| since July 2007. Anyone from any country now has a | | | | stipend. Now if you are happy with that there is |
| 2 year bearer rule apply to them (also known as a | | | | additional condition you also have to meet when |
| home residency rule). This basically means after a | | | | applying for your J1 visa stating that you will be able to |
| PCT program you have to remain outside the US for | | | | support yourself financially. |