Providers interested in building a pipeline of international talent can consider the J-1 visa exchange visitor program, LeadingAge advised Wednesday, sharing advice on how companies can use the program to ease the crunch in recruiting and retaining employees.
The J-1 visa exchange program, according to the State Department, allows nonimmigrant foreign nationals to work temporarily for a sponsoring organization in the United States. Operators not already working through a designated sponsor organization should contact a designated sponsor organization directly to create a partnership, LeadingAge Manager of Congressional Affairs Andrea Price-Carter wrote in a website post.
The program offers opportunities for employers to provide job training for a duration of an individual’s stay, which could last up to several years. Although the J-1 program has several categories, long-term care employers could use the program to hire interns, management trainees, specialists or physicians, Price-Carter said. The State Department spells out the various categories and requirements in this document.
Additionally, under section 214(l) of the Immigration Nationality Act (INA), the Conrad 30 waiver program allows J-1 foreign medical graduates to apply for a waiver of the two-year foreign residence requirement after completing the J-1 visa exchange visitor program. The waiver program is meant to address the shortage of qualified physicians in medically underserved areas.
Providers interested in becoming a designated J-1 visa exchange program sponsor can visit the State Department website for more information on the application process.
