Applying for J-1 Visa Sponsorship

To begin, navigate to the “Training Plans” tab and select a participant by clicking their name or photo.

Complete the Host Forms

Click “Start” to complete each section. Once completed, a green check mark will appear.

• Company Basics: Please verify that your company information is accurate. The address provided must reflect the exact location where your participant will train. If you operate multiple offices and need to add a location to your current organization record, please contact us for assistance.
• Program Information: Select a Main Program Supervisor for the participant. This individual will serve as InterExchange’s primary point of contact for this program.
  • Staffing Requirements: To host a J-1 intern or trainee, your company must have at least three full-time, onsite employees. Companies seeking to host more than one J-1 intern or trainee at the same time must maintain a minimum 5:1 ratio of full-time employees to J-1 participants to ensure adequate training and supervision. For example, a company planning to host three J-1 interns or trainees simultaneously must have at least 15 full-time onsite employees at the internship location.
• Compensation: All Trainees, as well as Interns with programs lasting longer than 6 months, must receive a wage that meets or exceeds the highest applicable federal, state, or local minimum wage. Programs exceeding 6 months cannot be unpaid. Please review our full program compensation requirements for details.
• Host Agreement: This agreement must be signed before the Training Plan can be sent to the participant. For security and compliance, it must be signed by an employee logged into their own individual InterExchange account. Need to add team members? You can invite colleagues to the system at any time via the “Contacts” tab.

Write the Training Plan

Phase Guidelines

The Form DS-7002 (Training/Internship Placement Plan) is a U.S. Department of State-required document that outlines what your J-1 Intern or Trainee will learn and how they will be supervised. The data you enter into our portal populates this official government form, which the participant will present at their U.S. Embassy interview and which will be uploaded to the Department of Homeland Security’s SEVIS system.

• Minimum Requirement: All training plans must include at least one phase.
• Maximum Length: The maximum length for any individual phase is six months (see the hospitality exception below). If your participant’s program exceeds six months, you must create multiple, unique phases. For example, if your intern will complete a program lasting 7 to 12 months, create a training plan with 2 phases.
• Hospitality Programs: For hospitality placements lasting six months or longer, J-1 regulations require a minimum of three departmental rotations and phases.
• Phase Dates: The cumulative dates of your phases must exactly match the overall program start and end dates. There cannot be any gaps between phases. For example, if Phase 1 ends on September 2nd, Phase 2 must begin on September 3rd—even if it falls on a weekend or holiday.
• Show Progression: Each phase must be distinct and logically build upon the skills learned in the previous phase.
• Be Detailed: The descriptions should clearly explain exactly what the participant will be doing and learning and cannot include “see previous phase,” “n/a,” “tbd,” etc.
• Training Requirements: Programs must be professional in nature and offer participants an opportunity to learn advanced skills, and cannot contain more than 20% clerical work. If you are offering a hospitality program, ensure the training plan does not include any prohibited tasks or positions.
• Define Terms: Avoid jargon. Please explain any industry-specific acronyms or abbreviations when you first use them, or list them in the “Additional Phase Remarks” section.
• Use Generic Language: Refer to your Intern/Trainee simply as “the participant” throughout the text. This makes it much easier for you to reuse this training plan template for future participants.

Completing a Training Plan Phase

To begin, navigate to your participant’s Training Plan, scroll down to “DS-7002/Training Plan Phases,” and click “Add Training Plan Phase”.

Phase Supervisor & Name

• Select Phase Supervisor: Choose the individual providing day-to-day, on-site training for this specific phase. They may differ from your Main Program Supervisor (who manages overall logistics). The phase supervisor must sign this phase from their own InterExchange account; use the “Contacts” tab to “Invite a Colleague” if they need an account.
• Phase Name: Enter a descriptive title indicating the objective or departmental rotation.
  • Examples: “Social Media Marketing” or “Marketing Analytics”

Timelines and Dates

• Phase Start/End Dates: Input the first and last day of the phase. No single phase can exceed 6 months.
  • Reminder: Programs longer than 6 months require multiple phases, but you should create the minimum number of phases required. For example, if your intern will complete a program lasting 7 to 12 months, create a training plan with 2 phases. Hospitality programs lasting 6 months or more require a minimum of 3 departmental rotations/phases.

Phase Details and Objectives

• Description of Trainee/Intern’s Role: Introduce the general training concept and the participant’s role. Explain how this phase aligns with both your company’s mission and the participant’s academic or professional background.
  • Example: “The participant will train with the Communications Department to learn strategies for individual and mass communication. This phase builds upon their academic coursework in a practical setting.”
• Specific Goals and Objectives: Outline the skills the participant is intended to master and the expected learning outcomes. Focus on the participant’s growth, not on how they will help achieve your organizational goals.
  • Example: “The goal of this phase is to strengthen communication skills by teaching different writing styles for various audiences. By the end of the phase, the participant will understand how to execute and measure outreach campaigns.”

Supervision and Cultural Activities

• Supervisor Qualifications: List the names and titles of everyone providing continuous (e.g., daily) supervision, including the primary phase supervisor and main program supervisor. Provide a brief description of their qualifying professional background using this template:
  • Name
  • Title
  • Education
  • Years of experience in the field
  • Years with the organization
  • Example: “Jane Doe, Communications Manager. MA in Communications. Nine years experience within the communications field, three years at InterExchange.”
• Cultural Activities: As a cultural exchange program, you are required to facilitate activities outside the training environment. Use the template below to provide specific examples (e.g., local restaurants, staff outings, holiday celebrations, or landmarks):
  • During this phase, we will involve the participant in [company-sponsored events, e.g., holiday potluck].
  • We plan to show this participant [local museum, monument, or historic site].
  • We plan to bring them to [local restaurants, festivals, or volunteer activities].
  • Example: “During this phase, we will involve the participant in our annual Thanksgiving potluck. We plan to show them the City Art Museum and bring them to our favorite local restaurant for happy hour. They will also join our annual staff volunteer day at the local food bank.”

Training Methods and Evaluation

• Knowledge, Skills, or Techniques Learned: Detail exactly what the participant will learn and how it builds on their university coursework (for interns) or prior work experience (for trainees).
  • Example: “The participant will learn to create SEO-optimized email, social media, and website content. They will learn to manage communication styles for various audience segments and create content for external webinar events.”
• Methodology of Training: Explain precisely how the participant will learn these skills. Provide specific tasks, activities, or timelines that demonstrate a plan for guided training rather than standalone work assignments.
  • Example: “The participant will learn by shadowing the manager. During the first weeks, they will study process documents and style guides. Next, they will draft specific blog posts for managerial critique and prepare a slate of social media posts.”
• Methods of Measurement: Explain how you will evaluate the participant’s progress, determine if phase objectives are met, and measure success.
  • Example: “The participant will submit all work to their supervisor for critical feedback. They will meet one-on-one twice a week to discuss learning goals and pending projects. At the end of the phase, the supervisor will provide a written evaluation.”

Additional Phase Remarks (Optional)

• Use this section for any miscellaneous information or to continue previous responses.
• Hybrid Work Note: If your office uses a hybrid model, outline the planned schedule here. Participants may work remotely no more than 40% of their program (e.g., maximum 2 days per week).
  • Example: “The participant will train in-office Monday through Thursday and remote on Fridays.”