As a U.S. Department of State designated J1 visa sponsor, Intrax issues the DS-2019 for companies and corporations of all sizes, law firms, government institutions, non-profit organizations, galleries etc. If a host company has not worked with Intrax before or if they have never hosted an international intern or trainee, we are happy to get in touch and answer all questions. We will be glad to assure the company that the paperwork involving a J1 visa application will not take much time and that it will be free of charge for the company.
We provide:
- visa sponsorship by a U.S. Department of State designated J1 visa sponsor
- exceptional support for both the company and the participants from start to finish with our global network coupled with local staff
J1 Eligibility Requirements for U.S. Host Companies
We will need to verify, that a host company fulfills the requirements listed below:
The internship or training offered will directly relate to the J1 visa applicant’s studies/profession
In case the company wants to host more than 1 J1 intern/trainee at the same time (regardless of the specific J1 sponsor for each intern), there must be 5 fulltime employees per 1 J1 intern/trainee (5:1 ratio)
There will be a designed supervisor on site
Suitable office space is available
At least half of the employees are U.S. citizens
The language spoken at work is English
The internship entails not more than 20% of clerical work
The company website is in English
The annual revenue is at least $ 3 million OR the company has at least 25 employees on site OR the company has already hosted a J1 intern or trainee with Intrax as the sponsor and has not changed the company seat. Alternatively, Intrax needs to conduct a company visit (On-Site Visit) for an additional fee.
Proof of Worker Compensation Insurance covering interns and trainees or proof of an alternative, equivalent insurance or proof of official exemption from being obliged to carry such insurance or self-insured
The internship or training comprises 32 hours minimum per week
The company may provide a stipend or a non-monetary compensation but is not obliged to do so
In the field of Hospitality, only 4 and 5-star hotels and resorts and fine dining restaurants are permitted
Eligible internship and training categories
The U.S. Department of State decides, which internship and training categories a visa sponsor may support.
Intrax offers J-1 Visa sponsorship for Interns and Trainees within the following categories:
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Arts & Culture
Construction & Building Trades
Education, Teaching, Social Sciences, Library Science, Counseling & Social Services
Hospitality & Tourism
Information Media & Communications
Management, Business, Commerce & Finance
Public Administration & Law
The Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics & Industrial Occupations
Let Intrax assist you
We are happy to help companies and interns along the way. If you have any questions please contact us.
Proof of a Host Company’s Compliance
As a J1 visa sponsor, we are obliged to confirm and document that we have verified compliance. We get in touch with every host company and ask for documents and a phone call, and - if needed -, we visit them on-site.
This visit is of no cost to companies.
Documents Confirming Eligibility
DS-7002 Internship Training Placement Plan which contains information such as the Employer ID number EIN, number of employees, annual revenue, website, qualification of supervisor and an outline of the goals, tasks, projects and methods of supervision during one or several phases of the internship or training The DS-7002 structures internships in phases. Trainings must comprise of at least two phases so that a professional development is clearly planned. No training module may exceed four months. For interns, only one phase of the DS-7002 has to be filled in independently of the duration. (Exception: In Hospitality & Tourism, interns also have to go through several internship phases.)
Signed Host Company Agreement outlining the responsibilities, goals and requirements of a J1 internship or training program according to the U.S. Department of State.
Upon having received both documents and checked the company’s website, Intrax schedules a so-called validation call with the primary supervisor to confirm the placement for our participant and to ensure that the supervisor understands the goals of a J1 visa program.
During the program, Intrax will ask the supervisor to provide feedback to evaluate the internship’s success. These notifications go out at least during midterm and at the end of the program. More often depending on the length of the participants stay.
Intrax only schedules an on-site visit at a host company, if the annual revenue is less than $ 3 million AND the company has less than 25 employees on site AND the company has not hosted a J1 intern or trainee with Intrax as the sponsor before.
Our service is free of charge to U.S. companies
If a company does, however, decide to cover the J1 visa service costs for its J1 intern, please let us know so that we can issue the invoice accordingly.
Please note that Intrax is not involved in the decision of financial or non-monetary compensation. We do check that the J1 intern has sufficient funds, $2000 per month, at his or her disposal. This may be via a parental guarantee, private funds, host company stipend, ongoing salary from the company in the J1 intern’s home country or a mixture of all of the above.
Host companies should be aware of the Department of Labor guidelines outlined in "Fact Sheet: #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act" to confirm whether or not the internship position should be paid according to minimum wage guidelines. In addition, host companies and participants should consider the cost of living for the US city where the program will take place, as well as the cost of travel and basic living expenses when determining compensation for the J-1 Intern/Trainee.