​What Is J1 Training
​The exchange visitor J-1 non-immigrant visa category is provided for people who are approved to participate in the exchange visitor programs in the U.S. All participants are granted this visa under the rules and regulations of U.S. immigration law. This means that before you can apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a J-1 visa, you must first apply, meet the requirements, and be accepted for one of the Exchange Visitor Program categories through the J1 Training Inc.

About the Exchange Visitor Visa

The J-1 visa is a much sought after privilege amongst people of foreign nationalities as it gives the opportunity of training in the United States. Visitors coming to the US on a J-1 visa are free to stay in the US until the end of their traineeship. There are different categories which decide the length of stay at the end of which they have to leave the country. 

The J-1 program requirements stipulate that the applicant must be between age of 18-36 years and should be in possession of an offer letter from a US company. The preliminary document that initiates the process of J-1 exchange is a form termed DS-2019. Visitors arriving on a J-1 visa must be covered for health insurance within the first 30 days until the end of their internship. A J-1 visa can be issued for a maximum of 18 months and also include a Work and Travel Program for students pursuing their studies that permit them to travel while working for a period of 4 months.

While traveling to the USA on a J visa it is necessary to have a sponsor that could be an individual or an organization offering a contract for training. For the duration of the stay the person is aligned to their host  company and can not associated with another company for work. This usually works out well because work is guaranteed and quite often a place to stay as well. There may be job offers at higher wages but these jobs may not offer housing or a guarantee of work through the duration of stay. 

The J-1 visa facilitates cultural exchange between the United States and several countries of the world. Various aspects of arts and culture thrive due to the exchange of ideas between the two. Another advantage is the availability of opportunities in different industries especially in the hospitality and business administration fields. With tourism a major source of revenue in the US, skilled labor is always at a premium in the country. Hotels, resorts, fine dining restaurant chains and standalone outlets are always on the lookout for good staff. 

Though the J-1 visa cannot be used to serve labor needs or create replacements for displaced American workers it does create a venue for imparting quality training to talented people from varied cultural backgrounds. J-1 visa holders can provide a fresh perspective in any many areas of hospitality and business administration. 

An example would be a Japanese intern providing inputs on Kaizen, a method of continuous improvement of processes that all Japanese companies follow with excellent results. Similarly traditional Turkish hospitality is well known throughout the world and a Turkish intern can provide invaluable insights to further improve hospitable service in a hotel that he or she might be training in. 

The Ivy League institutions are the epitome of academic excellence and students passing out these institutions have enriched the business administration ethos in America. With an exposure in American business administration, J-1 visa holders can go back to their countries and contribute positively to the management and administration of organizations based in their countries. 

The practical experience gained during their internship in America will go a long way in improving their performance at the workplace. In fact their cultural experience alone in a multi-cultural environment in the US can give a jump start to their career.

Thus the J-1 visa cultural exchange program benefits American industries with best practices being gained from different parts of the world. The visitors take back knowledge pertaining to US work and culture to the country that they belong to enriching domestic organizations.