[/imageframe][/one_third][two_third last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][/two_third][/fullwidth][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”0px” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””]Information for Employers
Host an international intern, trainee, or work and travel participant on the J-1 visa through CICD! The J-1 Visa Program empowers employers to enable real cultural exchange that crosses continents. Positively affect the lives of future professionals across borders while strengthening your overseas network to partner companies and commerce.
Benefits of hosting a J-1 Intern or Trainee
J-1 international internship and training programs offer great benefits and advantages to host companies and interns in the U.S.:
- Help a promising intern develop and hone key international career skills
- Provide an intern or trainee with transferable skills, cultural knowledge and experience first hand in the US.
- Enjoy flexible and enthusiastic international interns who are fluent in English along side your staff with relatively short-term commitments (2-18 months).
- Build your company’s international credibility, stature, and brand.
- Positively affect the lives of future professionals across borders.
- Create and strengthen your overseas network to partner companies and commerce.
- Set your company apart from the competition with innovative ideas and perspectives.
- Gain fresh energy and knowledge from abroad.
- Enjoy CICD’s excellent J-1 Program support, supervision and service.
Understanding the J-1 Visa Program
The purpose of the J-1 Visa Program is to provide international participants with opportunities for professional development, insight into American know-how, and a greater understanding of American society and culture. J-1 interns and trainees are expected to share the cross-cultural and professional knowledge they have gained in the U.S. upon return to their home country at the end of the program. The J-1 program is also intended to allow American businesses and individuals to learn about the culture and expertise of the participant’s home country.
Using the J-1 Visa Program to fill the position of a regular staff member and/or to immigrate into the U.S. is strictly prohibited.
Understanding J-1 Visa Sponsorship
Any foreign national whom you would like to invite to your U.S. company for an internship or training must first be accepted by an officially designated organization like CICD. This helps ensure that the candidate and proposed training satisfy all visa and regulatory requirements. The U.S. Department of State designates and authorizes sponsors like CICD to issue prospective interns or trainees the Certificate of Eligibility (DS-2019 form) that is required for interns and trainees to apply for the J-1 visa.
Program Requirements
To be eligible to host a CICD-sponsored J-1 Intern or Trainee, your company needs to:
- Have found an international candidate to whom you would like to offer training or agree to host a candidate proposed by CICD. If you are still searching for qualified candidates, please contact us or post your position on our website – we look forward to assisting with your search!
- Provide the intern or trainee with a structured training program that must both be suitable to his or her qualifications and background and be approved by CICD (as required by J-1 Program regulations). We will assist you in developing an adequate training plan (DS-7002).
- Ensure that the intern or trainee is engaged in training and does not perform ordinary work that a part-time or full-time staff member of the company would otherwise be responsible for. J-1 participants may not make final decisions about, or carry the full responsibility for, major tasks, assignments or projects. However, they may provide assistance in these matters since on-the-job training is encouraged as an important learning tool.
- Offer training activities up to 18 months in one of the subject fields CICD is designated to sponsor by the U.S. Department of State.
Your prospective J-1 Intern or Trainee needs to:
- Be currently enrolled or within 12 months of graduating from a foreign degree-granting post secondary institution in a relevant course of studies (interns), or have a degree and at least 1 year of work experience in a field directly related to the proposed training (trainees).
- Know English well enough to perform successfully in the proposed training activities.
- Plan to leave the U.S. within 30 days after completion of the program.
- Possess a great attitude, eager to learn and participate in program activities.
Application for CICD Sponsorship on the J-1 Visa
- Instruct your intern or trainee candidate to complete and submit the CICD Online Registration. To save time, you can obtain your trainee’s data and submit the registration on his or her behalf.
- CICD will immediately e-mail important programmatic information to your intern or trainee and will send you all materials (including contract) that your company needs to complete, sign, and return to us. Payment of the CICD Sponsorship fee must be sent to us immediately after CICD has confirmed the registration. (Please see our fee and refund policy for details.)
- If your company’s training program is approved by CICD, we will conduct an online video interview with your intern or trainee candidate to discuss his or her internship or training arrangements, expectations, and background.
- Once your intern or trainee’s complete application is received and approved by CICD, we will issue and send to him or her the Certificate of Eligibility (DS-2019) along with visa application forms and important orientation materials. These materials will be delivered by international express mail if your trainee or intern’s mailing address is outside of the United States.
The processing time at CICD is typically 4-6 weeks. However, the application process may be shorter or longer, depending on how quickly CICD receives all necessary materials and information from you and your candidate. Please contact us for information about our expedited application process.
Applying for the J-1 Visa and Making Final Arrangements
Your prospective intern or trainee submits the DS2019 Certificate of Eligibility along with other application materials to the U.S. embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over his or her place of permanent residence. Please be aware that obtaining a J-1 visa appointment and processing the visa application overseas may take up to four or more weeks in some countries. The U.S. embassy or consulate provides no guarantee that the J-1 visa will be issued to your candidate.
Once your intern or trainee obtains the J-1 visa, he or she may then travel to the U.S. to begin the program. CICD will be there for the duration of the program to provide guidance and to respond to any questions, concerns, or problems you may have in connection with your J-1 program.
CICD’s Services to Host Companies
CICD is committed to ensuring a successful program and a positive experience for everyone involved. In cooperation with our overseas partners we screen all applicants for appropriate J-1 visa-compliant backgrounds and requirements. We also vet Host Companies to ensure that their training plans qualify as appropriate internship or training opportunities. Your company gets personalized, hands-on attention and service from the CICD team.