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Training And internship
News |
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FOURTH quarter 2010 |
“WISE Support- it makes the
difference” |
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Happy
Holidays 2010
Greetings from WISE! As the world economy slowly climbs back from the recent downturn, the level of interest has also grown amongst students and candidates who are interested in coming to the United States. Education has always seen an increase in popularity during tough economic times, and this era has been no exception. There are many young, dedicated international students and
graduates eager to gain experience in the United States. If you would like to
consider participating in the program by hosting an intern or trainee, but
need ideas about how to start, please contact Peter: peter@wisefoundation.com In this edition: Final Rule on J-1
Training and Internship Regulations
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News and Notes
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Final Rule on J-1 Training and
Internship Regulations In August, the final rule for
the J-1 Internship and J-1 Training visas was published in the Federal
Register. For the past three years, the J-1 Internship and Training program
were operating under the Interim Regulations. The Department of
State collected comments from sponsors, industry representatives and
associations. Now, they have taken into consideration many of the concerns
expressed in the comments, and in some cases, made changes to the regulations. Accompanying the updated
Federal Registry, all sponsors received a letter further elaborating on some
red flag areas that the Department of State has grown concerned with
involving counter service and casual labor positions in the fast food
industry as well as concerns about the appropriate structure and execution of
training plans within the hospitality industry. Here are highlights of the
changes made in the final rule. Please contact WISE if you have any
questions, or would like a copy of the regulations. Dun & Bradstreet Number The D-U-N-S or “Dun &
Bradstreet” number will no longer be required for U.S. host sites. However,
as this field has not yet been officially removed from the DS-7002
Training/Internship Placement Plan, we will continue to collect it for all
new host sites until a revision has been implemented. Web Camera meeting Requirement As a last resort, sponsors may
use phone interviews with candidates to verify eligibility in terms of
English language level and professional motivation if an in-person or web
camera meeting is not available after making serious efforts to complete it. Internship and Training Educational Requirements -
A qualified
applicant for the J-1 Internship visa must have completed at least one
academic year in a related field before coming on the internship program. -
To qualify for a
second J-1 Internship visa, the candidate must have continued their education
outside the US at a higher level. Training/Internship Placement Plan -
The program needs
to introduce progressive development to the trainee. Entry level
positions that do not lead to higher level skills and responsibilities are
essentially considered casual labor or work, and therefore prohibited by the
regulations. -
Positions at the
level that the trainee has already gained experience prior to coming on the
program should not be repeated as an emphasis. In other words, someone with
three years of Front Desk experience should not spend significant time at
this level. They may be able to briefly rotate through Front Desk as they
advance to a higher level program beyond what they already do such as Front
Desk Supervisor. Counter Positions Counter positions in Quick
Service (Mc. Donald’s Starbucks, etc. ) are considered by Department of State
to be casual labor and are therefore prohibited. Even if the program
that includes a manager level position, all employees including the store
manager need to be responsible for counter service sometimes. Therefore
this pronouncement eliminates quick service manager training programs. Casual Labor The Department of State has
expressed concern with the use of casual labor in the hospitality industry
using J-1 Training and J-1 Internship visas. While we do not see a
dramatic effect on most training plans that we have previously approved, it
underscores the responsibility of the host site and the sponsor to limit time
spent in introductory level positions to only what is needed to teach the
underlying skills and responsibilities before advancing to the next level of
training responsibilities that will build upon this skill set. Programs
within departments that have substantial elements of unskilled or limited
skilled responsibilities such as housekeeping will require careful structure
and monitoring by both the host site and WISE to ensure compliance with
program regulations and Department of State requirements. Please contact WISE staff if
you would like any more information about these changes. We look forward to
continuing to work with you! |
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U.S.
holiday traditions offer special opportunities to share culture
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Interns Celebrate Chinese
New Year The holiday season is a unique
time of year, when religious and familial traditions intertwine and present a
diverse representation of U.S. culture. Those of us who grew up in the U.S.
are familiar with exchanges where we meet someone new and ask: “What does
your family do for the holidays?” Only to expect an unexpected answer.
Whether someone celebrates Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or takes a
non-religious tradition, every individual and family seems to follow their
own rituals this time of year. Some participate in a gift exchange, attend a
religious service, or simply have a meal with the family. Others may
volunteer at a charitable organization, plan a cocktail party, or go to a
movie. Regardless of the tradition, the conversation about the holidays opens
a window into U.S. culture by exposing its diversity and goodwill. Here are a few popular
traditions that many Americans practice during the holiday season: Christmas (source: Wikipedia) Volunteering (source: Ehow) Family Dinners Note: Remember that during the holidays, many offices, including U.S.
government offices are closed for extended periods. Applicants to the program
who are awaiting visa interviews should check the U.S. embassy in their
country for the holiday closing schedule. |
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The Foundation for Worldwide International
Student Exchange (WISE) is
a non-profit organization providing international exchange opportunities to
students, youth and adults. For more
information about the WISE Internship and Training program or other programs,
contact WISE at: WISE Foundation 1853 Piedmont Road Suite 200 Marietta, Georgia 30066 USA 770-579-0257 Fax 770-579-0219 E-mail We’re on the Web! If
you would prefer not to receive the WISE Training and Internship e-update and
would like to be removed from our mailing list, please contact
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