BKKJames

Hi guys,
For those that remember I was planning on moving out to Orange county CA area after a job offer from a company on an H-1b visa. Well needless to say I "dug" a little further into the company and found out it's a MLM/Pyramid scheme type along with some less than flattering reviews of the company, theres a whole load of companies like this across the U.S. "Cydcor affiliates".

Anyway so I'm kind of back to sqaure 1. I was now asking if anyone has done a J-1 professional training visa (the 18 month one) and what their experiences were with them. The idea is of course to learn and bring back what you've learnt to your home country which is fine, obviously I would prefer to stay longer than 18 months but I believe it is at least a start.
I've also spoken with different companies who explained that the 2 year home residency rule is not applicable to British citizens which is news to me. These companies were internship websites (such as intrax, global exch, mountbatten institute) but of course the skeptic in me wouldn't take this as gospel, so if anybody knows any different please correct me.

I'm not keen on going through an internship company for a J1 however and would prefer to do it myself, by applying to companies and then hopefully at least getting an interview.... I'm a 23 year old International business graduate with 1 year coordinator experience and an Asian Business diploma from Thailand and from what I've told that is decent candidancy for a J-1!
If anyone has any advice or experiences from a J1 and how their experiences were of staying further ona different visa then please let me know. Or if anyone requires any more information from me to answer my query then please let me know.

I was planning on heading out at the end of the year for a couple of months just to see friends, network, visit career fairs and just get interview experience!
thanks for reading and apoligies for a case of waffling!
James

Bob

2 year HRR thing applies to government funded placements and medical placements pretty much as far as I'm aware, so you could quite possibly be exempt from it, but it is something to check out at the time.

BKKJames

Hi Bob,
thanks for the reply. Most of the J1 visa information avaliable online is from Medical forums so I think your probably right but of course it is something I will check up on if I can sort something out!

MoshiMoshi

Hi James,

I'm glad you didn't get fleeced by that direct sales company! I've seen a lot of crappy job ads in California (mobile head lice technician? cabin boy on wealthy swingers' yacht? school receptionist for $8/hour?) but that one was the pits.

I'm afraid I don't know much about the J1 visa trainee category. Most of what Stevunn wrote in your previous thread was informative to me -- maybe you could check out the link of J1 designated sponsoring companies that he posted:

http://j1visa.state.gov/participants...ponsor-search/

One of my friends did the Mountbatten Institute scheme in New York and had a great time, but her goal wasn't to stay in the States indefinitely. I think she just saw it as an interesting experience.

I guess the thing with the J1 is that you may get to the end and find yourself in the same position as today -- with no means of staying more permanently in the US. Home-return rule aside, you'd be doing extremely well to build yourself up from entry level to a visa sponsorship-worthy position within 18 months. It's not just the company you'd have to impress -- you need to satisfy USCIS criteria. But, on the plus side, at least you'll accrue American workplace experience and American contacts, which may help you in the long run even if it doesn't offer you an immediate chance to stay.

BKKJames

Hey Moshi,
Yeah I know I saw the lights and then saw the BS. It's a shame when job searching as you have to go through a load of companies who are exactly like how this one was.
My friend is currently doing a J-1 in San Francisco for 18 months and he's hopeful of obtaining a more sustainable visa at the end (H-1 i think he was hoping for). I agree with the point of getting to the end of the traineeship in the same position (a year older!) I'd hope however that I'd be a bit more attractive having worked for a U.S. company!
South california is my ideal option but it's good to see you know someone who did the Mountbatten program as it is definitly interesting to me, a little expensive but still an option. I've read many mixed reviews about it so another positive response is always a great sign!
I've been sending my Resume to companies implying a J1 is obtainable and handled by myself, I was wondering if I'm just wasting time with this method? Again from what I've read this has and hasn't worked for different people...
thanks for your response!