FAQs for U.S. Employers
General Questions
Q. What is the cost to host an intern through InterExchange?
Q. When are interns available?
Q. How long can interns stay at my company?
Q. What is the difference between an Intern and a Trainee?
Q. What is the difference between the J1 Visa Sponsorship Program and the Internship Placement Program?
Q. In which industries does InterExchange specialize?
Q. I know someone overseas whom I would like to hire as an intern. What is the next step?
Q. Should I pay my intern?
Q. Do interns have Social Security cards?
Q. Am I required to provide housing for my intern?
Q. Am I required to pay their transportation costs?
Q. Are interns covered by health insurance?
Q. Are interns required to pay tax?
Q. What countries do InterExchange interns come from?
Q. What is required in the Training Internship Placement Plan?
Q. I need to hire more staff. Can I get an intern to help?
Q. I had an intern all lined up, but s/he never showed up. What should I do?
Q. My intern left/got fired/quit. What should I do?
Q. What do I do if I am not satisfied with my InterExchange intern?
Q. I want to hire a person who walked into my office and has all the necessary paperwork from InterExchange. Can I do this?
Q. Do I have to prove that a U.S. citizen would not qualify for this training program?
Q. Can interns get more than one job?
Q. What if I need additional interns/trainees for my company?
Q. What level of support does InterExchange offer employers during the internship process?
Internship Placement Program
Q. How can InterExchange help me recruit international interns?
Q. How long does it take to recruit an intern?
Q. Where are the interns from?
Q. What kind of experience do they have?
Q. Will InterExchange charge me for this service?
General Questions
Q. What is the cost to host an intern through InterExchange?
A. There are no program fees for the host company to have an international intern/trainee if you are an employer with over 25 employees or three million dollars in revenue. For companies that do not reach either of these thresholds, there is a one-time $250 program fee. This fee is the result of a new J1 Trainee/Intern federal regulation requiring visa sponsors to visit all new employers with under 25 employees or three million dollars in revenue prior to approving applicants for sponsorship.
Q. When are interns available?
A. Interns are available throughout the year.
Q. How long can interns stay at my company?
A. Between one and eighteen months for Trainees. Student interns can stay for up to 12 months.
Q. What is the difference between an Intern and a Trainee?
In order to qualify for the J1 Intern visa, an applicant must currently be a university student attending a university outside the US or have graduated in the past 12 months from a university outside the US. The applicant's Intern Program must be in their field of study.
In order to qualify for the J1 Trainee visa, applicants must have at least an Associates Degree(two years) from a university outside the US in the field that they wish to train or at least five years work experience in the field that they wish to train.
Q. What is the difference between the J1 Visa Sponsorship Program and the Internship Placement Program?
The J1 Visa Sponsorship Program is for a host employer who has already found a trainee/intern or a trainee/intern who has already found a host employer. The Internship Placement Program is for an employer who wishes for InterExchange to find a trainee/intern for them or an applicant who wishes to have InterExchange place them at a company in the US.
Q. In which industries does InterExchange specialize?
A. InterExchange is designated to sponsor a variety of fields including: Accounting, Advertising, Arts Administration, Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering, Finance, Hospitality & Tourism, Marketing & Sales, Management, Public Law & Administration, and Public Relations.
Q. I know someone overseas whom I would like to hire as an intern. What is the next step?
A. Please contact InterExchange and we will be able to assist you with the application process and training plans.
Q. Should I pay my intern?
A. Payment, though not required, is encouraged. Salary should be determined with each intern prior to their arrival in the US.
Q. Do interns have Social Security cards?
A. If interns have previously participated on the J-1 Work & Travel, Camp, or H-2B programs, they will have a Social Security card. If this is their first time working in the US, they must apply at your local office for a card. They will receive a receipt that shows that they have applied for a Social Security card. The card should arrive within 6 weeks.
Q. Am I required to provide housing for my intern?
A. While any help finding housing is greatly appreciated, providing housing is not required.
Q. Am I required to pay their transportation costs?
A. No. Interns are able to arrange their own transportation independently to the host employer.
Q. Are interns covered by health insurance?
A. All interns are covered by Accident and Sickness Insurance for the duration of their stay in the U.S. Interns pay for their own insurance.
Q. Are interns required to pay tax?
A. Participants on a J-1 Visa are considered non-resident aliens. They should not have Social Security (FICA), Medicare or federal unemployment (FUTA) taxes withheld. Please consult a tax professional to find out if participants are exempt from state unemployment taxes in your state. For more detailed tax information, please review the IRS's Employer Tax Guide and Publication 515 at www.irs.gov.
Q. What countries do InterExchange interns come from?
A. Interns come from over forty different countries. InterExchange has partner offices all over the world.
Q. What is required in the Training Internship Placement Plan?
A. The plan should demonstrate a detailed outline of exactly what the internship involves, including specific rotation phases and how it benefits the intern professionally. Please ask to see the sample plan in the Intern Application.
Q. I need to hire more staff. Can I get an intern to help?
A. If you are willing to complete the DS 7002, you may be able to host an international intern with your company. If you are looking to fill a job position within your company, unfortunately, InterExchange cannot help you. We are only designated to issue a Training/Intern visa, not a Work visa. For more information regarding the work or H visa, please visit www.uscis.gov
Q. I had an intern all lined up, but s/he never showed up. What should I do?
A. Please contact InterExchange. If your trainee/intern was sponsored by InterExchange, we would like to know if s/he did not show up for his/her program.
Q. My intern left/got fired/quit. What should I do?
A. Please contact InterExchange. Any changes in the status of a trainee or intern should be reported as soon as possible.
Q. What do I do if I am not satisfied with my InterExchange intern?
A. If you feel that an intern is not meeting your expectations, we ask that you first talk to them and make your expectations known. We have found that a frank discussion about their performance often solves problems. InterExchange is also available to talk to the participant. If the situation does not improve and you need to terminate the employee, please call InterExchange so that we can assist the intern.
Q. I want to hire a person who walked into my office and has all the necessary paperwork from InterExchange. Can I do this?
A. No. All of our accepted applicants are in a contract with us to intern at a specific host employer. Their papers are not to work, but to train. InterExchange has to approve all changes. If you have not been contacted by InterExchange previously about this intern, chances are they should not be there. Please contact InterExchange for any questions.
Q. Do I have to prove that a U.S. citizen would not qualify for this training program?
A. No. Proof that a U.S. citizen would not qualify for this intern program is not necessary because this is not a working visa, it is a training visa. The creation of an individual training plan demonstrates that you created a program especially for your international intern.
Q. Can interns get more than one job?
A. Long-Term Practical Training Interns and Student Interns are not allowed to have second jobs.
Q. What if I need additional interns/trainees for my company?
A. Please see more information about the Internship Placement program.
Q. What level of support does InterExchange offer employers during the internship process?
A. Career Training USA offers full support throughout the entire program to employers and participants.
Internship Placement Program
Q. How can InterExchange help me recruit international interns?
A. If you are willing to complete the DS 7002 form, you may be able to host an international intern with your company. InterExchange offers unparalleled support throughout the recruiting process, including screening the applicant in their home country, organizing interviews, and arranging the J-1 visa applications.
Q. How long does it take to recruit an intern?
A. On average, the process will take about 2-3 months. That includes the time it will take for the intern to apply for a visa in their home country
Q. Where are the interns from?
A. We have partner offices in over 20 countries, but many of our applicants come from Eastern Europe, Russia & South America.
Q. What kind of experience do they have?
A. Trainees are required to have a degree and 1 year of work experience in their internship field or at least 5 years of experience in the field of their internship. Student Interns major in the field of their internship and must currently be attending a university outside the US or have graduated in the past 12 months from a university outside the US.
Q. Will InterExchange charge me for this service?
A. No, we do not charge any of our employers a fee if you are an employer with over 25 employees or three million dollars in revenue. For companies that do not reach either of these thresholds, there is a one-time $250 program fee. This fee is the result of a new J1 Trainee/Intern federal regulation requiring visa sponsors to visit all new employers with under 25 employees or three million dollars prior to approving applicants for sponsorship.
