The emphasis of the program is to increase people-to-people public diplomacy through communication at the personal and professional levels. The International Exchange and Business Training Program brings participants to the United States from abroad each year to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the United States firsthand.

The program goals and objectives are to:

• Strengthen and internationalize professional learning in the United States and abroad;
• Enhance international understanding and professionalism through business, cultural and non-business activities involving the exchange of knowledge, skills, ideas and experiences;
• Study American business practices, management, corporate governance and current issues challenging the U.S. private sector;
• Gain practical experience in these areas through training opportunities in U.S. business corporations, non-profit organizations, and public sector agencies;
• Transfer knowledge and skills across countries and to prepare the next generation of global leaders;
• Offer opportunities to strengthen leadership skills and share leadership experiences with other participants to enable them to contribute more effectively in their home countries;
• Impart information about the United States, its business and economy, and society and governmental system to program participants;
• Enable program participants to share information about their people, culture, values, professional goals and daily activities with Americans and learn the same from their American counterparts.

The IEBT training options of training are based on the language, cultural, professional and business experience of individuals who are interested in internship or on-the-job (OTJ) training in the United States

Option Three – Direct Placement (Immediate On-The-Job Training) with a U.S. Company or Organization is for those who have strong language skills, clear professional goals and a basic knowledge of U.S. culture and lifestyle. Only language-qualified candidates will be selected for this program in compliance with the J-1 exchange training program requirements.

Admission Requirements

In order to qualify for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program’s Trainee Category, Direct Placement, all applicants must meet the following criteria:  (all documentation should be submitted in English)

Age – Trainee Applicants (graduates and professionals) must be at least 21 years of age. Student Applicants (currently enrolled in the second year or higher of academic program) must be at least 20 years of age.

Language - Trainee and Student Applicants must possess sufficient proficiency in the English language to participate in the J-1 training program.  All Applicants must take a Placement Test to determine their English Language Proficiency and Internship or On-The-Job Training goals.

Educational Background - In order to be eligible for the category of Trainee under the J-1 Visa, all applicants must fit into one of the following educational categories: Trainees must have at least a 4-year academic degree equivalent to Bachelors Degree or 2 years of work experience in the career-training field. Students must have at least a 2-year college degree equivalent to an Associate Degree.

Health and Accident Insurance – All Applicants must be in good health; medical clearances are strongly suggested. All exchange visitors, both J-1 participants and their family dependents traveling to the U.S. on a J-2 (dependent) visa, are required to have sickness, accident, medical evacuation and repatriation insurance issued by an insurance company whose policy meets the U.S. government requirements for Applicants obtaining a J-1 visa. Both J-1 and J-2 holders must be covered by insurance in the same amounts, and the coverage must be maintained throughout the program period noted on the Form DS 2019, including travel days to and from the United States. Failure to maintain required health and accident insurance is cause for dismissal from the program. Health Care and Accident Insurance Documents must be submitted in English.

Financial Support - In addition to program costs, Applicants must prove that they have adequate financial resources to cover their living expenses (rent, transportation, meals) for the designated period of stay in the United States. Applicants must submit an official letter and a bank statement from a local bank indicating the presence of sufficient funds. The US government recommends that applicants have at least 1000 US Dollars a month. If an Applicant is sponsored by his/her family or current employer, then the sponsor must submit a letter from their local bank with a bank statement indicating the financial resources that are allocated for the Applicant’s program fees and living expenses in the US. Please note: a separate payment is required for the program tuition, fees, and medical insurance.

Strong Ties to Home Country – An Applicant must not have the intention to abandon his/her current country of residency for the United States. On the contrary, an Applicant must demonstrate the presence of strong ties to his/her home country. All Applicants must submit accurate information about current and future plans in a one-page essay and DS forms (156, 157, 158.)

Host Training Institution Selection Criteria

To qualify as a Host for a J-1 Exchange Visitor (Trainee/Intern), all organizations or companies must meet the following criteria:

• Become familiar with the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) guidelines on hosting a J-1 Trainee/Intern. Discuss and sign the Third Party Agreement with ICLS to become a Host Training Site for a J-1 Trainee.
• Interview Applicants for available internship/traineeship positions in concert with ICLS.
• Provide prompt information by completing a Host Application Form and submitting Training Objectives (Internship Job Description) for designing a well-structured Training Plan. 
• Provide a Host Supervisor and adequate work and training environment for a J-1 Trainee.
• Provide proper supervision and mentoring for a Trainee throughout the training period described in the Training Plan; discuss Trainee’s work assignments, including his/her concerns and submit reports to ICLS in a timely fashion.
• Become a part of international community in promoting American culture and values through international exchange programs.

Sponsor School Responsibilities - ICLS is responsible for providing information and advice on hosting a J-1 Exchange Visitor to its partners, agents, potential and current host organizations and companies. ICLS is responsible for ensuring the quality of training services provided by the host organizations in compliance with the J-1 exchange visitor program. ICLS must maintain the status of the Trainees and their participation in the J-1 exchange program by reviewing internship training reports and updating their J-1 visa status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and by submitting an annual report to the US State Department.

Required Paperwork for J-1 Visa Application Package

ICLS requires the following documentation in order to issue a DS 2019 Form:

• Trainee Application with non-refundable $150 Application Registration Fee
• Trainee Resume and one-page essay
• Official copy of Applicant’s school transcript(s)
• Results of English Placement Test conducted by ICLS
• Proof of Insurance (required for a J-2 dependent as well, if applicable)
• Proof of Adequate Financial Support, including for a J-2 dependent, if applicable
• A Support or Verification Letter, if applicable
• Individual Training Plan signed by Host Supervisor and ICLS
• Third Party Agreement signed by Host Representative and ICLS
• Letter of Invitation from Host Training Site
• Letter of Acceptance from ICLS

Individual Training Plan and Training Agreement

The Individual Training Plan and Training Agreement are the required documents for all J-1 Visa Trainees. The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program indicates that the individual Training Plan must be designed with the following objectives in mind (pursuant to 22 CFR Section 62.22 (d) (1) (iii)) to:

• Enhance the Exchange Visitor’s skills in his or her specialty or non-specialty occupation through participation in a structured training program;
• Improve the participant’s knowledge of U.S. techniques, methodologies, or expertise within the Trainee’s field of endeavor;
• Enable the Trainee to understand U.S. culture and society;
• Enhance U.S. knowledge of foreign cultures and skills.

The sections contained in the Individual Training Plan and Training Agreement directly address the requirements for designated J-1 sponsors and host organization as follows:

• The practical (on-the-job) training’s main goals and objectives;
• The skills and experience to be imparted to the Trainee;
• A detailed schedule of the training program with individual training phases (at least three) and their objectives;
• Information on how these skills and experience will be shared and justified for any hands-on training;
• A monitoring system for supervising, mentoring and evaluating the Trainee.

The Training Plan should be included in the Applicant’s J-1 Visa Application Package in order to obtain a J-1 visa at a US Embassy in Applicant’s home country.

Trainee Orientation

All J-1 Visa Trainees must attend a pre-departure and upon-arrival orientation organized by ICLS. In addition, Host Organizations and Companies must provide adequate orientation to the Host Training Site and discuss the Trainee’s Internship or On-The-Job Training program.

Trainees must become familiar with a Host Training Site and standard operating procedures (SOP) as well as discuss their training plans with a Host Supervisor(s).

All Applicants must meet the requirements of the J-1 visa Exchange Visitor Program Application to qualify for the IEBT program. ICLS will not review applications without payment of the application fee ($150). ICLS reserves the right to cancel an application due to lack of information or evidence of proper documents. The Application Fee is non-refundable. 

ICLS ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS YEAR AROUND FOR DIRECT PLACEMENT