J-1 Intern, Trainee or Specialist visa: are you eligible?
Do you want to turn a professional project in the United States into reality? Whether it is an internship or a work experience, obtaining a visa is mandatory. For a fixed-term professional experience, the J-1 visa is the one you need.
To obtain this visa, you must go through an American sponsor approved by the State Department. The sponsor reviews your file, validates your program and issues the DS-2019 form, which is essential for your visa application at the embassy.
This is where Periplea makes the difference: from France, we represent four American sponsors. Each sponsor has its own criteria, so we can direct your file to the one that best matches your profile and your project. As a result, we are able to say yes to more candidates.
We support you for three J-1 visa categories: J-1 Intern, J-1 Trainee and J-1 Specialist. Discover the eligibility criteria for each visa below, then check in a few minutes whether your project is eligible with our free test.
J-1 Intern visa
- Who it is for: students currently enrolled, or graduated less than 12 months ago.
- Purpose: complete an internship related to your field of study.
- Duration: from 3 weeks to a maximum of 12 months.
- Working hours: at least 32 hours per week.
- Pay: mandatory for internships longer than 6 months, and at least equal to the minimum wage in force in the state of the internship.
- Nature of the experience: the internship must be educational and must not replace a full-time employee in the United States, as the J-1 visa is above all a cultural exchange program.
J-1 Trainee visa
- Who it is for: young graduate professionals with at least 1 year of experience in their field, or 5 years of experience with no degree requirement.
- Purpose: follow a supervised training program within a company.
- Duration: from 3 weeks to a maximum of 18 months (12 months maximum in hospitality, tourism and restaurants).
- Working hours: at least 32 hours per week.
- Pay: mandatory for the whole duration of the program, and at least equal to the minimum wage in force in the state concerned.
- Nature of the experience: the training must be educational and must not replace a full-time employee in the United States, as the J-1 visa is above all a cultural exchange program.
J-1 Specialist visa
- Who it is for: experienced professionals with recognized expertise in their field.
- Purpose: share and develop specialized skills within an American company.
- Duration: from 3 weeks to a maximum of 12 months.
- Working hours: at least 32 hours per week.
- Pay: mandatory for the whole duration of the program, and at least equal to the minimum wage in force in the state concerned.
Have you already been to the United States? A new adventure is still possible!
Having already had a first experience across the Atlantic, whether with a J-1 visa or with an F-1 visa as part of your studies, does not close the door on a new departure. On the contrary: going back to the United States is entirely possible, provided you respect a waiting period between your two stays.
Its length depends on the type of visa you last held. Your new project must also fit in with the continuity of your career and show real consistency with your professional ambitions. As every situation is unique, our advisors study your profile case by case to tell you when you can leave again and help you build a solid project.
Do you have questions?
Email us or take our free eligibility test: a member of our visa expert team will call you back directly to study your project.