J1 Visa

[LauraReeves 0]

Hi, I am a British student due to graduate in June (philosophy major)- and hoping to internship in New York over the summer. Having looked into the J1 visa situation, I have been told that in order to obtain sponsorship I must be undertaking an internship which is directly related to my course, OR have relevant work experience in the field I am applying to. As you can imagine, nothing short of a philosophy lecture is directly related to my course; and I don't have a lot of work experience since I have been studying up until now. Does anyone know any more information on this subject? What does "sufficient" work experience counts as, or indeed is there a way around this?

Thanks for your help

[jaycali 415]

Hi, I am a British student due to graduate in June (philosophy major)- and hoping to internship in New York over the summer. Having looked into the J1 visa situation, I have been told that in order to obtain sponsorship I must be undertaking an internship which is directly related to my course, OR have relevant work experience in the field I am applying to. As you can imagine, nothing short of a philosophy lecture is directly related to my course; and I don't have a lot of work experience since I have been studying up until now. Does anyone know any more information on this subject? What does "sufficient" work experience counts as, or indeed is there a way around this? Thanks for your help

Don't take my word on this completely, because I am a little unsure regarding the work experience part. It is my understanding however, that in order to do an internship on the J-1 visa, the internship must be directly related to your field of study.

For work experience to basically replace education, I'll tell you what I know about the H-1b visa: Three years of specialized work experience is generally considered equal to one year of college education.

Again, I might be comparing apples to oranges here, but I know that's basically how the USCIS allows work experience to "replace" college education.

Do you have a company willing to sponsor you already?

If you're set on New York city, J-1 or H-1b would be the appropriate visas. If you're willing to consider areas outside the big cities, the H-2a is a temporary work visa which allows you to work seasonally in certain (mostly lower populated) parts of the country. You don't need a degree or a decade of experience to qualify either.

Edited February 25, 2012 by jhsm85

[LauraReeves 0]

Hi- thank you for your reply. No, I don't have a sponsor yet. And yes, New York or California are the only places I really want to consider- but mainly New York. I don't have three years work experience in any particular field so would have to stay on the road of a J1 visa. Regarding my course, I wasn't sure how loosely this description that it must directly relate was applied (as my degree is so general) and there doesn't seem to be anything that really goes into this, so I am still left guessing until I do apply to a sponsor I suppose.

I was thinking the way to go about this process was by finding an internship and then try to find a sponsor to sponsor that internship. (possibly in the field of think tanks as this could be applied) It can't be that if you are majoring in philosophy you can't get a J1 visa in anything, surely? Sorry to keep asking questions but I am fairly new to this- would it be possible to obtain a J1 visa by the summer if I got the internship after interviewing in easter? Thanks again for your help.

Kind Regards

[jaycali 415]

Hi- thank you for your reply. No, I don't have a sponsor yet. And yes, New York or California are the only places I really want to consider- but mainly New York. I don't have three years work experience in any particular field so would have to stay on the road of a J1 visa. Regarding my course, I wasn't sure how loosely this description that it must directly relate was applied (as my degree is so general) and there doesn't seem to be anything that really goes into this, so I am still left guessing until I do apply to a sponsor I suppose. I was thinking the way to go about this process was by finding an internship and then try to find a sponsor to sponsor that internship. (possibly in the field of think tanks as this could be applied) It can't be that if you are majoring in philosophy you can't get a J1 visa in anything, surely? Sorry to keep asking questions but I am fairly new to this- would it be possible to obtain a J1 visa by the summer if I got the internship after interviewing in easter? Thanks again for your help. Kind Regards

I'm only able to answer you based on personal experience with both having to have something "related" to my field of study, and having been on a J-1 myself.

In my experience (F-1) I got a one year work authorization called OPT (available to all graduates from a US 4 year + university). The catch is that the work you do must be "directly related" to your field of study. After consulting my international student advisor and a local lawyer, they both said there are no specific guidelines stating exactly what you can or cannot do. Really, it's a balance of own interpretation while still not insulting the intelligence of the USCIS. If you are a philosophy major, I wouldn't think tank wouldn't be very far fetched.

For the time frame, I was on a J-1 as I said, but it was a very different OPT program, I was a foreign exchange student. I got accepted in the program in March, and had my visa interview in May. I was on the plane in July. Could have been on the plane the day after my visa was granted, but my program didn't start til July so there was no point. J-1 visas don't require the long, agonizing wait as most immigrant visas do.

I apologize that I can't give you any more specific answers.

Edited March 1, 2012 by jhsm85