91°µÍø

In September 2025, President Donald Trump passed an requiring employers to pay a $100,000 fee for hiring skilled international workers through the H-1B visa program. This program allows employers to fill specialized positions when there aren't enough American workers available. 

With this buzz around the H-1B visa news, it's a perfect time to explore another option for international talent acquisition: the J-1 visa through the U.S. Department of State's BridgeUSA program. Before diving into the J-1 visa, let's first understand the context surrounding the H-1B visa. 

What Does H-1B Visa Mean? 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, an allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire international workers for specialty occupations – roles that require at least a bachelor's degree and specialized knowledge in fields like technology, engineering, medicine, or finance.  

Employers must pay H-1B workers wages equal to what similarly qualified U.S. workers earn, protecting both American workers and foreign visa holders from wage exploitation. 

A total of have been issued annually for the past two decades. Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google are half of the companies in the top 10 of H-1B application approvals. 

What are Some Common H-1B Visa Jobs? 

About , jobs like data communications, data networks, technical support, and programming. 

Other roles include: 

• Architecture, engineering, and surveying (9.4%)
• Education (6.2%)
• Administrative specializations (5%)
• Medicine and health (4.4%)
• Mathematics and physical sciences (2.7%) 

These jobs and industries often find themselves without enough qualified talent. In turn, they’ve come to rely on international individuals to fill the gaps through H-1B.  

Why Employers Should Consider a J-1 Visa Applicant 

If the H-1B visa program fees and uncertainty are making you think twice about your international hiring plans right now, start looking in a different direction – like toward the J-1 visa. 

The H-1B visa allows people to stay in the U.S. for three years, with the possibility of an additional three-year extension. In comparison, the nonimmigrant J-1 visa gives interns up to 12 months in the country and trainees up to 18 months. While the program lengths are quite different, employers may be surprised to learn that J-1 visas don’t come with the $100,000 petition fee. Hiring a BridgeUSA Intern or trainee is a cost-effective way to bring international talent to your business – $0 in petition fees.  

What are the additional benefits of the J-1 visa versus the H-1B visa? 

• Faster processing: J-1 visas generally have faster processing times than H-1B visas. (J-1 visas can take a few weeks to a couple months, while H-1B visas may take up to a year to be finalized.) This means you can attract, recruit, and retain talent even quicker.
• No labor certification requirement: H-1B visa programs require employers to complete the Labor Condition Application (LCA), which can be a time-consuming and complex process. It is not a J-1 visa requirement.
• No annual cap: Unlike the H-1B visa, which has an annual cap, there is , making it a more accessible option for many applicants. 

How to Host International Interns on a J-1 Visa 

The easiest way to start the process is to reach out to a J-1 visa sponsor you can trust. 91°µÍø: Council on International Educational Exchange – the oldest and largest sponsor organization – can not only walk you through the process but help match you to top talent with its free hiring services. 

For more than 50 years, 91°µÍø BridgeUSA has welcomed over 1.2 million participants from 140+ countries. Each year, 91°µÍø supports more than 30,000 participants who come to live, work, and learn in America, as well as the 4,000 U.S. businesses who host them. 

Speak with a 91°µÍø team member today when you fill out the form to get started. 

Interested in learning more about interns who come to the U.S. on a J-1 visa? Get information about the CIEE BridgeUSA Intern and Trainee programs.