• Yes. For example, a Department-designated university can sponsor a J-1 Research Scholar to conduct research at a STEM business. This includes STEM start-ups.

• Yes. A J-1 Research Scholar can continue their research off campus with a STEM business if the primary objective of the exchange will remain the same e.g., to research a particular subject. Department-designated sponsors must have robust procedures in place to confirm the bona fides of any host organization, lab, or office that will serve as a host organization for their exchange visitors. Sponsors must add the site of activity in the exchange visitor’s SEVIS record and may amend the
  length of an exchange visitors’ program in SEVIS within the category’s maximum duration to avail of new eligible sites of activity (e.g., a STEM business). Once the SEVIS record is amended, the sponsor should issue an updated Form DS-2019 to the exchange visitor. While not required, any program sponsor can charge a fee for participating host companies or individual J-1 exchange visitors. Sponsors should properly disclose any fee in their program materials.

• Responsible Officers have the discretion to request “Permission to Issue” Forms DS-2019 from the Department on behalf of non-designated academic or research institutions if sponsors determine such placements support the purpose of the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP), and the applicants and proposed institutions meet all eligibility and program requirements set forth in 22 CFR Part 62 Exchange Visitor Program Regulations. The Department created Guidance Directive 2019-02 Permission to Issue in the Exchange Visitor Program to provide sponsors additional information on this process. Available here:
  https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/current/regulations-compliance/
• Sponsors may coordinate with other academic institutions to identify viable host organizations for their exchange visitors; however, they may not abdicate their responsibility for ensuring the host organization meets all regulatory requirements prior to placement. In addition, any exchange visitors placed through this process will remain the responsibility of the sponsoring university. Additionally, sponsors must ensure that SEVIS and the exchange visitor’s Form DS-2019 reflects the actual site of activity (i.e., the STEM business).

• Yes, community colleges are eligible to apply for Department designation to become an Exchange Visitor Program sponsor. Details on applying for designation are available here:
  https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor/.
• Regardless of the sponsor type, the J-1 categories eligible for the Early Career STEM Research Initiative include College and University Student (Student Intern and Academic Training), Intern, Trainee, Specialist, Short term Scholar, Professor or Research Scholar.

• Yes. A chamber of commerce, economic development agency, industry trade group, or private corporation could help build capacity for its members by underwriting the cost of becoming its own designated J-1 program sponsor or creating its own hub with an existing designated sponsor. Details on applying for designation are available here:
  https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor/.

• As explained in the DOS guidance for Responsible Officers of designated programs, the program sponsor must ensure that STEM Initiative exchange visitors have a positive experience – paying close attention to their health and welfare while on program and providing appropriate orientations, oversight, and cross-cultural experiences. Regular check-ins (often but not exclusively by email) and a site visit (whether in person or by video) are essential to support program integrity.

• If you are a STEM organization or an association representing STEM businesses either broadly or in a specific industry, please express an interest in receiving more information by writing to
  AGalert@state.gov describing your organization and interest.

• Eligible categories for participation include Professors and Research Scholars, Short-term Scholars, Trainees and Interns, College and University Students, and Specialists.

• No, a non-STEM company cannot host a Research Scholar under this initiative. A restaurant, ​for example, cannot satisfy 62.20(c) because the regulation requires sponsors to place exchange visitors “at research institutions, corporate research facilities, museums, libraries, post-secondary accredited educational institutions, or similar types of institutions in the United States.”

• You can find the list of interested sponsors and points of contact here: Get Started

• Yes, companies are permitted by current regulations to host J-1 Research Scholars onsite at their respective places of business. The purpose of the Research Scholars category of the Exchange Visitor Program is to foster the exchange of ideas between Americans and foreign nationals and to stimulate international collaborative teaching, lecturing, and research efforts. A STEM business does not have to have an independent research division to qualify as a host organization. A company, organization, or similar entity may host a J-1 Research Scholar, as long as it can ensure that program requirements are being met, the field of research aligns with the prospective exchange visitor’s area of study, and the host organization maintains the ability, personnel, and resources to achieve the goals and objectives of the Research Scholar’s program. Sponsors and host organizations have a shared responsibility to ensure whether a host organization will be a good match for an exchange visitor (e.g., determining that the necessary infrastructure is in place to host and support that exchange visitor during the program).

• The STEM Initiative will connect U.S.-based STEM entities interested in serving as host organizations with BridgeUSA sponsors of STEM-focused exchange visitors seeking opportunities in the United States.
• Prospective host organizations should reach out to BridgeUSA Sponsors (ECA’s implementing partners for exchanges) to determine the best fit. Points of contact are listed here: https://j1visa.state.gov/early-career-stem-research-initiative/#get-started.

• Prospective host organizations should reach out to BridgeUSA Sponsors (ECA’s implementing partners for exchanges) to determine the best fit. STEM initiative points of contact are listed here: https://j1visa.state.gov/early-career-stem-research-initiative/#get-started.
• After interested parties connect, sponsors and host sites will follow their own internal procedures to determine whether a placement meets category-specific regulatory requirements and the goals and objectives of the Exchange Visitor Program.
• For host organizations that pursue a partnership with a Department-designated sponsor, that sponsor will be your primary resource and implementing partner for the duration of the exchange.

• No new Forms DS-2019 will be allocated for the STEM Initiative.

• This initiative does not impact your institution’s ability (as a J-1 sponsor) to continue to host exchange visitors in STEM fields/departments on your campus. The placement of Professors and Research Scholars, Short-term Scholars, College and University Students (academic training), Student Interns, and Specialists off campus at appropriate host organizations (e.g., STEM businesses) is permitted by current regulations. This initiative will expand your network of institutions that may serve as possible host organizations for your exchange visitors.

• Yes. Current EVP regulations allow a diverse spectrum of private sector organizations and businesses to host exchange visitors, including those in academic categories, e.g., Research Scholar. BridgeUSA sponsors remain responsible for the identification and placement of exchange visitors at reputable host organizations that offer exchange visitors quality training and/or research opportunities, and for ensuring the placements meet the regulatory requirements for specific categories.

• The placement of Professors and Research Scholars, Short-term Scholars, College and University Students (academic training), Student Interns, and Specialists off campus at appropriate host organizations (e.g., STEM businesses) is permitted by current regulations.
• BridgeUSA may, at its discretion, conduct a site visit to ensure that program requirements are being met, including that the host organization possesses and maintains the ability, personnel, and resources to provide structured and guided work-based training experiences that achieve a program’s stated goals and objectives.

• Department-designated sponsors will work with host organizations to implement their BridgeUSA program. Sponsors will contact the host organization and follow their own internal procedures to determine whether a host organization meets the relevant regulatory requirements and the goals of the program. Sponsors will assess whether host organizations will be a good match for an exchange visitor e.g., by determining that the necessary infrastructure is in place to host and support an exchange visitor during their program. Host organizations also must show that their field of research or study aligns with the prospective exchange visitor.
• BridgeUSA may, at its discretion, conduct a host-organization site visit to ensure that program requirements are being met, including that the host organization possesses and maintains the ability, personnel, and resources to provide structured and guided work-based training, internship, and/or research experiences that achieve BridgeUSA goals and objectives.

• • In the long term, after demonstrating experience hosting exchange visitors, STEM host organizations may also apply for their own Department designation as a BridgeUSA sponsor after meeting the Department’s eligibility requirements. Please contact AGexchanges@state.gov for more information.

Will the initiative affect the home-residency requirement for exchange visitors?

I represent a STEM business. Why should the business sign the STEM Statement of Interest (Host)? Where is it?

The Early Career STEM Research Initiative is now listed as a separate program on the BridgeUSA website. Does this mean that a program sponsor that a company already uses must be separately designated for the Initiative in order to participate?

• If there was no exceptional reason that the exchange visitor missed time during the five-year program (e.g., COVID-19, medical leave of absence), then no extensions are permitted beyond the five-year maximum time allowed under the Research Scholar regulations.

• In partnership with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), BridgeUSA will launch a series of virtual roundtables with professional associations and businesses to offer interested parties opportunities to ask real-time questions about the initiative. If you want to participate in a virtual roundtable please write: stemresearch@ostp.eop.gov.

• A: No. The Department does not require sponsors to submit a Permission to Issue request when placing exchange visitors at U.S. businesses serving as STEM host organizations. Placement of academic exchange visitors at off-campus host organizations is currently permitted by the regulations and consistent with the current practice and placement of students performing academic training or student interns at off-campus host organizations in their chosen field of study. With respect to the Early Career STEM initiative, short-term scholars, research scholars, professors and specialists in the STEM field may also be placed at host organizations by academic sponsors.
• As clarified by the Department in Guidance Directive 2019-02, Permission to Issue Form DS-2019 authorization facilitates the entry of qualified exchange visitors to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) at academic or research institutions that are not currently designated as EVP sponsors. The Department uses this opportunity to further clarify that in this circumstance, “academic or research institutions” typically refers to institutions of higher education.
• Please note that student interns are still required to have a signed Form DS-7002 in place between the sponsor, student intern, and host organization. Designated sponsors issuing Forms DS-2019 must ensure that both exchange visitors and host organizations in the STEM field are sufficiently educated on and comply with the purpose and regulations of the EVP. This obligation includes, but is not limited to, the following requirements: verifying the exchange visitors are eligible to participate in the selected EVP category; ensuring that the activities in which exchange visitors are engaged are consistent with the category and activity listed on their Forms DS-2019; monitoring the exchange visitors’ health, safety, and welfare; and meeting all reporting obligations of the designated sponsors, including updating the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

• The Department welcomes and encourages new organizations to become designated sponsors of the Exchange Visitor Program. Please visit: https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor for more details on how to apply.

• Yes. Research scholars may be placed off campus at multiple sites of activity (STEM organizations) if their program objectives remain the same.  Sponsors will need to first ensure that each host organization meets the relevant regulatory requirements and goals of the Exchange Visitor Program and that the necessary infrastructure is in place to host and support the research scholar.  Please note that sponsors and host organizations are required to monitor the exchange visitor’s progress at each host organization, and all sites of activity should be listed in SEVIS.
• As a reminder, 22 C.F.R. § 62.10(d)(4) requires sponsors to report in SEVIS within ten business days any change in the exchange visitor’s current physical U.S. address, telephone number, email address, and/or primary site of activity.
• Research scholar participation in occasional lectures and short-term consultations.
• When placing research scholars at new sites of activity, please also remember the following:

After authorization by the sponsor, professors and research scholars may participate in occasional lectures and short-term consultations. If wages or other remuneration are received, exchange visitors must act as an independent contractor, and:

Occasional lectures or short-term consultations must:

• Be directly related to the objectives of the exchange visitor’s program;
• Be incidental to the exchange visitor’s primary program activities;
• Not delay the completion date of the exchange visitor’s program; and
• Be documented in SEVIS.
• To obtain authorization to engage in occasional lectures or short-term consultations involving wages or other remuneration, the exchange visitor must present to the sponsor:
• A letter from the offeror setting forth the terms and conditions of the offer to lecture or consult, including the duration, number of hours, field or subject, amount of compensation, and description of such activity; and
• A letter from the exchange visitor’s department head or supervisor recommending such activity and explaining how the activity would enhance the exchange visitor’s program.
• The responsible officer must review the letters required in paragraph (g)(2)(i) of  22 C.F.R. § 62.20 and make a written determination whether such activity is warranted, will not interrupt the exchange visitor’s original objective, and satisfies the criteria set forth in paragraph (g)(1) of that section.

• No. The primary purpose of research scholar is to conduct research, and the primary purpose of professors is to teach. However, at the discretion and approval of the Responsible Officer, professors may engage in some research and research scholars may engage in some teaching and lecturing.  Please note that this minor change of activity is not considered a change of category necessitating a formal approval by the Department of State and does not require the issuance of a new Form DS-2019.  Such change in activity does not extend the exchange visitor’s maximum duration of program participation.

• The Department created a webpage for the Early Career STEM Research Initiative so that interested businesses could easily find BridgeUSA sponsors. If a business is not already hosting exchange visitors through a BridgeUSA sponsor or if it is interested in exploring new options, host organizations are encouraged to interview several BridgeUSA sponsors to determine the best fit for their organization.
• For you, these exchanges mean bringing a global perspective into your operations – diversifying your teams, enhancing your innovation, and building your global network.