Now, teachers from various countries in the world have an opportunity to work in the US through the J1 teacher visa program. Under this program, certified and experienced international teachers can travel to the US to work in accredited primary or secondary school for a period of 3 years. Hiring educators from other countries can be a lengthy process; many of the challenges are related to visa processing that can be expensive and time consuming. As a result, schools in the US are turning to specialized organizations or sponsors for help in screening and recruiting qualified teachers from different countries. These organizations are designated by the US government as official visa sponsors.
However, things have changed for the better with the J1 visa exchange program, making it easier to screen and sponsor international teachers for US schools. Many schools are realizing the advantages of hiring international teachers, as it creates great opportunities for cultural exchange; students benefit from learning about the customs and cultures of other nationalities as well as spoken language skills, while teachers get to learn the teaching methods in the US, while bringing an international perspective to the classroom.
To qualify as a teacher under the J1 visa requirements, the applicant must be a qualified teacher with a minimum of three years teaching experience and should also meet the teaching standards of the state in which they will be teaching. Applicants must be sponsored by an approved sponsoring organization, must be sufficiently proficient in English language and must meet some health and character requirements. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age may apply for a J2 visa to join their spouses or parent in the US. As J1 visa holders, applicants must maintain health insurance for themselves and for any dependents using the J2 visa status.