This week: What is a J-1 program?
I'm focusing on the word program, as many students are not aware that there are different programs of the J-1 Visa. This includes for example J-1 Work and Travel, J-1 Intern, J-1 Trainee etc.
The reason for this is that the J-1 visa, as explained in our earlier blog, enables foreign nationals to come to the U.S. to teach, study, conduct research, demonstrate special skills or receive on-the-job-training for periods ranging from a few weeks to several years.
The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program provides opportunities for around 300,000 foreign visitors from 200 countries and territories per year to experience U.S. society and culture and engage with Americans.
Students then take what they learn in the USA;- Practical training skills, American Values and Culture and apply them back in their home country to promote US Skills and values around the world. In return many countries offer reciprocate programs for US Students and graduates.
Due to this range of requirements, the J-1 visa category is used for sponsorship on a range of programs that meet these different requirements . These programs are known as work-and study-based exchange visitor programs.
A full list of the J-1 Programs are:
Intern
International Visitor
Physician
Au Pair
Camp Counselor
College and University Student
Government Visitor
Summer Work Travel
Teacher
Trainee
Professor and Research Scholar
Secondary School Student
Short-Term Scholar
Specialist
The highlighted programs are the ones that I focus on in my blogs, this is not random. I have selected these 3 , due to my own personal experience in the last 13 years focusing primarily on these programs. There will be a lot of similar, but not specific jargon for other J-1 programs. You can also find full information on each of these programs directly at this US Government website page that I also reference frequently: https://j1visa.state.gov/programs
See you in our next blog @ #J-1Jargon
