12 Month IWT Visa USA

frankiebaby

Hey,

I'm interested in doing the 12 month j visa internship program in the US.
Has anyone done this?

My reservation about the program is:
To get a job it must first be vetted by an american sponsor company which takes around 2-4 weeks.
I can't understand how this is going to work.
If you were lucky enough to be called for an interview and even more lucky to get a job, why would a company wait so long to be vetted so you can be allowed to work. Surely they would just give the job to someone that can start straight away.

I asked in the college USIT office how this works and they couldn't give me much info as its such a new visa. They said you're not allowed start work until the job is vetted even if you get the job after an interview.
Surely this would make you almost unemployable unless you know someone who has a job for you.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Frankie

InKonspikuou2

That visa is a joke. A lot of people found it difficult to get jobs so came home, went to Canada or just took a holiday in the US. Most of the jobs you get are unpaid internships. Check the living abroad forum for more info. There was a huge thread about it there.

frankiebaby

InKonspikuou2 wrote: »

That visa is a joke. A lot of people found it difficult to get jobs so came home, went to Canada or just took a holiday in the US. Most of the jobs you get are unpaid internships. Check the living abroad forum for more info. There was a huge thread about it there.

Will check that other forum.

Ya, I can't see how this visa would be of benefit to somebody unless they knew someone giving them a job.

I wouldn't even attempt to get an unpaid intership, couldn't afford to. Instead just try to get a 'normal' paid job for the year.

Wonder has anybody gone to the states with this visa and been successful?

InKonspikuou2

Good luck trying to get a paid internship in the US. Americans have no problem doing it for nothing as it is great on their CV. Which makes it difficult for non Americans to find a paid one as in a business sense it's obvious who to choose.

As part of the vetting they look into whether your internship is related to your course as far as i remember. So that also limits what job you can get. You can't just go work in a bar or in a retail store with that visa.

frankiebaby

InKonspikuou2 wrote: »

Good luck trying to get a paid internship in the US. Americans have no problem doing it for nothing as it is great on their CV. Which makes it difficult for non Americans to find a paid one as in a business sense it's obvious who to choose.

As part of the vetting they look into whether your internship is related to your course as far as i remember. So that also limits what job you can get. You can't just go work in a bar or in a retail store with that visa.

Ya, I did IT for my undergrad and a more specific IT field for my masters and im aware it has to be related to this course.
Rather than going for an internship, I was attempting to go for a normal entry level paid job opening thats not an internship. I asked would this be ok and apparently it is (according to USIT) so I don't know why anyone would try to go for an internship role which is most likely unpaid.

lil_lisa

A few pointers! The IWT is difficult at the moment because its new. This time next year it should be much smoother and easier to get. Also, they only need to vet the company if there are less than 25 employees and it makes less than $1m a year. It all depends on your graduation date too. Don't leave it too close to it to make your application.

Good luck!

lil_lisa

Oh, btw, I'm leaving in a weeks time for an IT paid internship in the states so don't think its not possible!

frankiebaby

lil_lisa wrote: »

A few pointers! The IWT is difficult at the moment because its new. This time next year it should be much smoother and easier to get. Also, they only need to vet the company if there are less than 25 employees and it makes less than $1m a year. It all depends on your graduation date too. Don't leave it too close to it to make your application.

Good luck!

Also, companies that haven't been vetted already have to pay a once off fee (around $250 i think) so this is another huge deterrent.

So if the company has more than 25 employees, my role would be exempt from being vetted? If this is the case, how do they know its a role related to your field of study? just from reading your CV and job description?

frankiebaby

lil_lisa wrote: »

Oh, btw, I'm leaving in a weeks time for an IT paid internship in the states so don't think its not possible!

Well done on getting that!
If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage it from Ireland?

After going on a J1 in 2008, i'd love to go back to the states, particularly NYC.
I've been checking on jobs quite regularly and there are jobs available, but these are entry level jobs rather than internships.

Any info would be great!

magicwand

frankiebaby wrote: »

Well done on getting that!
If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage it from Ireland?

After going on a J1 in 2008, i'd love to go back to the states, particularly NYC.
I've been checking on jobs quite regularly and there are jobs available, but these are entry level jobs rather than internships.

Any info would be great!

Hi frankie,mind me asking where you saw entry level positions advertised,been looking for ages but most i see are senior level roles...

lil_lisa

frankiebaby wrote: »

Well done on getting that!
If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage it from Ireland?

I have been in the states since June looking, I got offered a job two weeks before my summer J-1 visa ended so I came home a month ago and reissued my visa! It took me four months to get that job. I did some babysitting during the summer to keep me alive and drunk :P

Ewa24

Hi Everyone,

So I'm currently in San Francisco doing the 12 month internship visa. I'm just wondering how strict is the 'vetting' process of the company. I know that CIEE have to approve of the company ('vetting') before I can start my job?

I found a job that applies to my course, but I need to start right away if I get the job. This does not allow me much time to give CIEE the DS-7002 form. Is it completely unquestionable to start the job without it being vetted?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as im in quite a pickle because this job could not be more appropriate for my course.