U.S. Culture (week 21): Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty

HTP is committed to maintaining a strong cultural component of it J-1 Program and regularly publishes topics related to U.S. culture. This week, HTP Program Manager Kira Udo covers Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island, Gateway to America Over 120 years ago Ellis Island became ‘the spot’ for all immigrants to enter the US; it was the busiest inspection station from 1892-1954. It was an enormous three-story main building with other smaller building on the grounds and it was built of Georgia pine. It was an impressive figure for all incoming immigrants (Image courtesy of wikipedia. At its height, the main inspection building processed over 11,000 immigrants a day! (And you thought your wait at the airport was a long one.) Additionally all incoming immigrants had a series of questions to answer. Some were the standard; What is your name? How old are you? Are you male or female? Are…
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How to Develop a Strong Cultural Component

Importance of cultural component I recently wrote about the importance of a strong cultural component of J-1 visa programs. One of the key goals of the J-1 visa program is to expose J participants to U.S. culture and for them to return home and share their experience with fellow citizens. The U.S. Department of State has stressed the importance of cultural activities by requiring host organizations to include planned cultural activities on Form DS-7002.   How to develop a strong cultural component of the J-1 visa program So what can host organizations and program sponsors do to strengthen the cultural component of their program? While there are various options, any well-integrated approach should focus on screening of participants, selection of appropriate cultural topics, engaging participants and measuring results of cultural engagement. Screening of participants Host organizations and sponsors select participants based on various criteria, including  experience, skill and education. They should also review the candidate’s interest in…
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Importance of Cultural Activities

Background I recently wrote about the Department of State’s new Form DS-7002 01-2013. The new form includes several additions, among them a question about planned participation in cultural activities. So what is the importance of participation in cultural activities? Importance of cultural activities Remember the overall goal of the Department of State’s J program? The purpose is to “provide foreign nationals with opportunities to participate in educational and cultural programs in the United States and return home to share their experiences”. Exchange visitors participate in a wide range of programs, such as student, scholar, teacher, intern or trainee. While those program all have specific primary objectives, the overriding goal is to increase participants’ understanding of American culture/society and to enhance Americans’ knowledge of foreign cultures. It is the interaction and sharing of cultural knowledge that the Department of State is looking for. Educational and cultural exchanges ultimately assist the Department of…
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New DS-7002 deadline: April 1

Background info Form DS-7002 (Training/Internship Placement Plan) is the Department of State form that must be executed for each Intern and Trainee program.  The form states the specific goals and objectives of the training and internship program and details the knowledge, skills, or techniques that the Trainee or Intern will acquire. A copy of Form DS-7002 needs to be presented to a consular officer (along with Form DS-2019) at the time of visa application. New Form DS-7002 The Department of State recently released a new version of form DS-7002, version 01-2013. New items on Form DS-7002 01-2013 include questions about the host organization’s worker’s compensation policy, number of full-time employees and annual revenue. The new form also includes an extended contract agreement between the host organization, trainee/intern and the program sponsor. Finally, the new form requires information about planned participation in cultural activities and methods of supervision. A copy of the new…
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Who is interested in a Support Services Job?

We recently promoted our Support Services Manager to Program Manager. Therefore, we are currently looking for a new Support Services Manager. In this position, you: Build and maintain professional relationships with all active candidates in the USA with the ultimate objective of making them life-long ambassadors Plan, execute and monitor an individual support services plan. Provide ongoing assistance and support to candidates throughout their program Prepare candidates for completion of their program and transition into next career step  Area of results Relationship Management (30%):  Establish and maintain professional relationships with all active candidates in the USA. Regularly engage candidates via phone, (e)mail, social media, in person Meet & Greets, and otherwise.  Support and Service (50%):  Ensure that all candidates have a life-changing experience by providing excellent customer service and ongoing assistance and support. Maintain accurate candidate accounts.  Matching (10%):  Prepare candidates for completion of their program and transition into next…
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What is the “Two-Year Rule”?

I originally posted this article in August 2011. Since it is such a popular subject and creates so many comments/ questions, I am re-posting the article here. Interested in participating in another J-1 program, J-1 participants often tell us “The 2-year rule does not apply to me, because the consular officer did not check the box for section 212(e) on my DS-2019″. Yet, according to the J-1 Visa regulations, they still have to wait 2 years. Why, you say? Is there another “2-year rule”? Let me explain… Two-year home-country physical presence requirement When foreign nationals participate in an Exchange Program and the program meets certain conditions (ie program was government-funded, graduate medical training or specialized knowledge training), they will be subject to the two-year home-country physical presence (foreign residence) requirement. This means they will be required to return to their home country for two years at the end of the exchange program….
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Why J-1 to H-1 is not good practice

Change of status from J-1 to H-1 At HTP, we often receive the question “what can I do to stay in the U.S.? Can I change to an H1 visa?”. While a change of visa status is sometimes appropriate, changing from a J to an H visa undermines the integrity of the J-1 visa program. Let me explain by providing some background info about the two visa categories: J-1 visa program The J-1 visa is part of the State Department’s educational and cultural exchange program. It allows individuals from all over the world to visit the U.S. and engage in a variety of activities. There are programs for scholars, students, trainee and interns, teachers, au-pairs, just to name a few. One of the main goals of the program is for foreign national to experience U.S. life and culture and to return home to share their experiences. Ultimately, the objective is…
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Which positions can J-1s NOT hold?

On-the-job training program The Intern and Trainee categories of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program allow qualified foreign nationals to receive on-the-job training at U.S. host organizations. The main objective of the program is for the foreign national to enhance skills and expertise in their academic or occupational field and to improve knowledge of American techniques, methodologies, and technology. The programs cannot be used for ordinary employment or work purposes and they cannot displace American workers. Which position can J-1s hold? J-1 visa Interns and Trainees can train in virtually any position or role, as long as they are bona fide training positions. This means that sufficient resources must be made available to train the J-1s. Think training manuals, equipment, and qualified training and support staff. There are important exclusions; there are certain positions or fields in which J-1 are not allowed to train. What can J-1 NOT do? Under no…
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New Form DS-7002

Form DS-7002, Training and Internship Placement Plan Since the Department of State amended the J-1 visa regulations in June 2007, every J-1 visa application requires a completed and executed Form DS-7002. The form identifies the applicant as well as host organization and lists – in detail – the outline of training. A copy of the existing form can be found here. Proposed changes to Form DS-7002 The most recent version of Form DS-7008 (08/2009) expires 8/31/2012.  The Department of State is introducing a new Form DS-7002 and proposes to make several changes to the form. On June 6, 2012, the Department started a 30-day public comment period requesting comments on the new form. A copy of the proposed form can be downloaded here. The most important changes to the form are listed below: Host organization information The DUNS Number field will be removed Addition of fields: “Does your organization have…
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Employer faces lawsuit; how to avoid one

Wyndham Resort faces lawsuit In its June 9, 2012 U.S. Edition, the Wall Street Journal reported that a group of Asians are suing a Wyndham Worldwide Corp. resort over their J-1 visa program. The suit claims that the J-1 Interns and Trainees worked as maids and short-order cooks, a violation of J-1 visa regulations. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of J-1 visa participants from Thailand, Vietnam and India and claims that they did not rotate through various departments as required by Regulations. Five steps that lead to successful J-1 programs While not enough is known about the case to fully judge its merits, one thing is clear: there is a group of disgruntled J-1 visa participants. So much so that they felt inclined to file a lawsuit. Successful programs and positive  experiences are not difficult to achieve. Simply follow these steps: Determine intent and needs When you property is interested in hosting…
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