J-1 waiver for intern at in a U.S. Department of Energy National Lab

[gus239 0]

Hello everyone,

 

I'll be issued a J-1 Visa for an internship (I'm a PhD student) in a National Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy (hence, Government). I'll be formally hired by the lab as an employee and I'm going to receive a salary (no scholarship). The total amount should be around $50,000 - 60,000 in about 10-12 months. The lab itself will be the J-1 Visa sponsor.

 

Since I have good chances to stay there as a postdoc, I cannot afford to be stuck in the two-year requirement. As such, I'm going to ask for a waiver to change my status to an H1B Visa after the internship.

 

I know that for government funded activities obtaining a waiver may be harder. However, I wonder what chances could be in my case, which I'm not on a university exchange program (such as Fulbright Scholarship), but I'm hired by the lab with the intention (both mine and my employer's) to be considered for a longer position after the PhD. My university and my government are not funding me and by no mean partecipate in my activity.

 

Which would be the best base to request the waiver? The no objetion (I come from a european country which does not have a required skill list, so I can easily obtain a no objection statement from my embassy) or the interested government agency (which would also apply if I obtain a job offer by the lab)?

 

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Edited June 10, 2019 by gus239