Frequently Asked Questions
As with any job search, your chances of finding your perfect internship will be greatly improved by pursuing as many different options as possible. We recommend searching online job announcements, making direct contact with companies, and networking with personal and professional contacts in the U.S. Intrax offers internship placements in the field of hospitality only at this time.
L'entreprise d'accueil est l'entreprise ou l'organisation américaine où vous serez formé(e) et encadré(e) pendant votre stage ou programme de formation. L'entreprise d'accueil est différente de votre visa sponsor.
The host company must have an Employer Identification Number. An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, and is used to identify business entities in the U.S.
L'entreprise d'accueil doit disposer d'une assurance contre les accidents du travail ou d'une preuve d'exemption légale. L'assurance contre les accidents du travail couvre les travailleurs blessés au travail, que ce soit sur le lieu de travail ou ailleurs, ou lors d'accidents de voiture survenus au cours d'un voyage d'affaires.
Internship: You can apply for another internship. However, your Internship Plan DS-7002 needs to prove that you are not duplicating your first internship. You need to spend one additional school term/semester or, if already graduated, a minimum of 90 days outside the U.S. between the two internships.
Training: You can apply for another training after having completed an internship or training program. However, your Training Plan DS-7002 needs to prove that you are not duplicating your previous training. Also, you must wait two years before applying for a new training program.
Intrax does not support visa status changes in the U.S. The J-1 program is a cultural exchange program and all J-1 participants are expected to return to their home country at program end and share their experiences and their newly gained skills. All applicants are expected to apply for the J-1 visa in their home country or country of residence.
Yes, you can change the dates before you arrive in the U.S., but need to inform Intrax so that we can make the changes in SEVIS (Student Exchange Visitor Information System) accordingly.
As a J-1 Intern or Trainee, you are eligible to receive payment for your time on program. You would need to negotiate the amount of the compensation directly with your host company. Host companies should be aware of the Department of Labor guidelines outlined in Fact Sheet: #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act to confirm whether or not the internship position should be paid according to minimum wage guidelines. In addition, host companies and participants should consider the cost of living for the U.S. city where the program will take place, as well as the cost of travel and basic living expenses when determining compensation for the J-1 Intern/Trainee.
Regardless of whether or not you will be receiving compensation from your host company while on program, Intrax requires all participants to have access to a minimum of $2,000 each month for the duration of their program. If a participant will be receiving less than $2,000 each month while on program, Intrax requires the participant to submit proof of financial resources or copies of bank statements confirming access to funds. Intrax will also consider funds received from home country organizations or other home country sources as proof of financial resources. Host companies may also provide non-monetary compensation in the form of housing, commuter or other benefits, but this will be considered as separate from the $2,000 monthly requirement.
Yes, if you are receiving a stipend for your internship, you will need to pay taxes. However, you are not required to pay all U.S. taxes. J-1 interns and trainees are exempt from paying Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Unemployment.
Finding an affordable place to live is one of the biggest challenges. As a participant, you are required to secure safe and suitable housing before you depart for the U.S.
The host company may have some housing options to suggest, although it is not their responsibility. You may use your resources: using the Internet, asking for suggestions from your host company, and consulting maps of the area are all important steps when searching for housing. Once you have found potential housing, you must consider the following questions:
- Ai-je les moyens de me l'offrir ?
- Y a-t-il des moyens de transport pratiques pour se rendre à l'entreprise d'accueil et en revenir ?
- Est-ce un environnement sûr pour vivre ou voyager tard le soir ?
- Sera-t-il facile de se rendre à mon stage ?
Remember, although it is not required that you have housing organized for your entire Internship period before you leave your home country, you are required to have at least temporary housing arranged.
Make sure that you pay all required housing deposits and complete all required forms and agreements by the specified deadlines to ensure that your housing is secured for your arrival.
Helpful websites to consult:
www.craigslist.org
www.padmapper.com
www.easyroommate.com
www.roommates.com
You can apply for a Social Security number no sooner than 2 business days after having checked in with Intrax and receiving confirmation by email. If the Social Security Administration is NOT able to verify your status and cannot accept your application, make sure that you request an official certificate/receipt or an official letter from the Social Security Administration confirming your attempt to apply for a Social Security Card. This notice will serve as proof that you attempted to apply for your Social Security card and should be shown to your host company before beginning your program.
To apply for a Social Security Card, take the following items and visit your local Social Security office:
- Demande de sécurité sociale
- Formulaire DS-2019
- Passeport avec votre visa J-1
- I-94
- Une copie de votre plan de formation
- Additional identification documents if your passport is less than one year old
To find the Social Security office nearest you, visit www.ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 (toll free).
To find the Social Security office nearest you, visit www.ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 (toll-free).
Oui. Si vous avez déjà participé à un programme d'échange, le numéro de sécurité sociale qui vous a été attribué au cours de ce programme restera valable tout au long de votre vie. Vous n'avez donc pas besoin de redemander une nouvelle carte.
If you are not receiving an internship stipend, you are not required to apply for a Social Security Card. Please note, however, that a Social Security Card can be very useful even if your internship is unpaid, as the card and number function as a means of personal identification, which might help you with opening a bank account, signing a cell phone contract, etc.
While we realize that airfare is best when you book your flight well in advance, the U.S. embassy warns against early booking: “Notice: The Consulate General cannot be held responsible for extra costs due to changing tickets or re-booking flights if delivery is delayed.” We therefore strongly urge you not to purchase tickets until you have received your visa and passport in the mail.
Non.
Officially, you can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before your internship start date, and you need to leave 30 days after completing your internship (grace period). Participants that are terminated from the program are not entitled to the grace period. Please note that your travel insurance will cover you only until the end of your internship. For the grace period after your internship has ended, you will need to purchase additional insurance coverage.
Upon entering the U.S., foreign visitors have their two index fingers scanned and a digital photo taken to match and authenticate their travel documents at the port of entry. When you go through U.S. Immigrations you will have to provide the Immigration Officer with your stamped DS-2019 form and Passport. Make sure that you receive all documents back before you proceed to U.S. Customs.
If you would like to travel outside the U.S., you need to contact Intrax. You will be asked to complete a Travel Validation Request Form and return to our office.
Help us add questions to the list! Please email your questions to our J-1 Visa Service Team.
Yes, but all applicants must have completed at least 2 academic terms of their foreign degree or certificate program by the internship start date.
You can apply as soon as you have found a host company and as soon as you can name your supervisor. Sometimes, we need to ask host companies to re-send documents because of missing signatures, erroneous training plans, readability of documents and so forth. You should leave enough time for document revisions.
Generally, passports of international applicants who wish to do a program in the U.S. need to be valid for six more months after the end of their program. However, there are quite a few exceptions to this rule, the so-called “six-month club” — This document on the DOS website gives a good overview of the countries where passports only need to be valid for the time participants stay in the U.S. (including a possible grace period). Some of the U.S. embassy webpages also mention this topic in their FAQ section.
Le ratio 5:1 s'applique si une entreprise d'accueil accueille simultanément plus d'un stagiaire ou d'une personne en formation. Dans ce cas, votre entreprise devra prouver qu'elle emploie 5 personnes à temps plein pour chaque stagiaire. Pour savoir si le ratio s'applique, nous demandons aux entreprises d'accueil, dans notre premier courriel, de nous indiquer le nombre de stagiaires internationaux qu'elles accueillent actuellement. Le ratio 5:1 est une politique de Intrax visant à garantir que chaque participant bénéficie d'un encadrement et d'une supervision suffisants tout au long de son programme.
Il s'agit d'une exigence du Département d'État concernant les entreprises d'accueil qui n'ont pas un chiffre d'affaires annuel de 3 millions de dollars ou un minimum de 25 employés. Un représentant de Intrax doit s'assurer que la petite entreprise d'accueil peut fournir les ressources et l'équipement nécessaires à une véritable expérience d'apprentissage des méthodes commerciales américaines.
As of December 12, 2025, nonimmigrant visa applicants are required to schedule their visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence. Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere.
For additional information visit the Travel State Governement website.
Non-Emergency:
If you need to see a doctor but it is not an emergency, you should:
- Appelez votre compagnie d'assurance pour qu'elle vous recommande l'établissement médical le plus proche de chez vous.
- Recevoir un traitement
- Payer la facture médicale (dans de nombreux cas, vous devrez d'abord payer le médecin)
- Conserver les reçus et les registres
- Déposer une demande d'indemnisation auprès de votre compagnie d'assurance
- Attendre la décision de remboursement
If you are going to see a doctor for a non-emergency medical problem, check your health insurance policy to make sure that type of treatment is covered. For example, most international health insurance policies limit coverage for pre-existing medical conditions and do not cover things such as general doctor visits or sexually transmitted diseases. Once accepted you can view additional insurance information under the "Resources" tab in your MyIntrax account.
Emergency:
If you need emergency care, go immediately to the nearest emergency room or urgent care center. If you are unable to take yourself to the emergency room or urgent care center, dial 911 immediately for assistance.
Extending Travel Insurance Coverage
As a participant on the J-1 Program it is your responsibility to maintain your health insurance for the duration of your stay. Many participants choose to stay an additional 30 days in the U.S. after they have finished training. For this reason an additional four weeks of medical insurance can be purchased from Intrax. This purchase can be made by calling Intrax during normal office hours and must be done before the program end date listed on your DS-2019 form.
Les membres de la famille d'un titulaire de visa J-1 peuvent demander un visa J-2. Le conjoint et les enfants non mariés (âgés de moins de 21 ans) peuvent accompagner le titulaire du visa J-1 aux États-Unis. Les titulaires d'un visa J-2 peuvent rester aux États-Unis tant que le titulaire du visa J-1 conserve un statut officiel valide.
Les documents suivants sont requis pour l'obtention d'un visa J-2 :
- Un formulaire de demande J-2 dûment rempli
- Une copie du passeport en cours de validité
- A clear copy of a marriage certificate OR, if a dependent is a child, a copy of a birth certificate
If the marriage or birth certificate is not in English, an official English translation of the certificate Intrax needs a letter from the J-1 Visa holder or his immediate family stating that the family possesses adequate financial resources to support themselves while on program - Trois bulletins de salaire J-1 des mois précédents si le J-1 est déjà inscrit au programme
- Relevés bancaires ou justificatifs financiers du J-1, du J-2 ou de leur famille proche
- A local phone number
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