Demand for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills is growing. STEM occupations are the future—occupations in this field are projected to grow by 8.0% by 2029, compared to 3.7% for all occupations. In response, the U.S. is finding ways to bring in exceptional STEM talent from across the globe. Earlier this year, the Biden Administration announced the Early Career STEM Research Initiative Program, Biden’s international student policy that helps more students travel to the U.S. for training, internships, and research.
As a result, opportunities for host organizations are expanding, and sponsoring J-1 visa students may be the perfect opportunity to hire diverse and top STEM candidates for your growing business. To stay competitive in the market, many of our customers are already leveraging this initiative to grow their candidate pipeline and bring talented interns to their organizations.
At Intrax Global Internships, we’ve been connecting organizations to students and helping people experience new cultures for over 40 years. We’re a proud J-1 visa and Early Career STEM Research Initiative sponsor, because we know the value and the impact of international students and interns in U.S. companies. Our interns have worked at leading companies like Omnium and Equilar to provide creative ideas and gain work experience. Soon, they will join you, too.
Keep reading to find out about Biden’s international students initiative, and how you can become an official host organization for this program.
What’s The Biden International Student Initiative?
The U.S. immigration system makes it difficult for international graduates to obtain a visa and work in the U.S.
The Biden Administration announced last year that they are implementing the Early Career STEM Research Initiative, which connects businesses with international J-1 visa students who want to train and intern in the U.S. The J-1 visa is a type of non-immigrant visa that allows individuals from other countries to participate in cultural exchange and educational programs in the United States. The programs are designed to promote mutual understanding between people in the United States and other countries. The initiative supports this goal by bringing more STEM students to the U.S. and gaining valuable cultural perspectives.
Why Is Biden’s International Student Plan Important For Your Business?
In 2020, international students contributed over $39 billion to the U.S. economy. Biden’s international student initiative means that you can recruit the top talent from other countries and expand your field of candidates!
It is more important than ever to create global relationships, cultural awareness, and gain diverse perspectives. Hosting an international student as an intern or trainee provides many benefits like:
- Diverse voices
- Global perspectives
- Top talent
- Expanded candidate pipeline
- Enhanced workplace culture
Hiring an international intern will help with your diversity recruitment strategies that support people from different backgrounds and create mindfulness and respect in the workplace. It also opens your organization up to recruit top STEM talent from countries across the world.
Early Career STEM Research Initiative Program Sponsors
The Early Career STEM Research Initiative Program is the perfect resource for host organizations and J-1 visa sponsors. At Intrax Global Internships, we are an official sponsor of the initiative by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Current Affairs (ECA).
Strengthening relations between the U.S. and other countries has never been more important. That’s why the initiative aims to increase cultural understanding and make it easier for people to form connections. International students and their host organizations support the initiative by:
- Building cultural bridges: One main goal of the initiative is to increase understanding between the U.S. and other countries, as well as help people gain more cultural awareness!
- Supporting America: Hosting international students supports the economy and national security.
- Bringing a worldly perspective: Students bring their unique experiences to the U.S. companies, and in return, gain new perspectives while working here!
Hosting an international intern or trainee is beneficial for them, your company, and the country.
What It Means To Host A Student Intern
As a J-1 visa sponsor, we at Intrax Global Internships connect companies with interns and trainees. One of the most beneficial recruitment ideas is thinking globally, because you open up your company to a wide variety of people and give your business a cultural edge.
Implementing internship programs for international students is the perfect way to ensure your business grows and stays competitive in this economy!
Gain Diverse & International Perspectives By Hosting International Students
When you hire an international student, you gain a global perspective that will help you stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends and work with people from different backgrounds.
Hiring for diversity is critical to a company’s success. Diverse perspectives add value to your team through:
- Wide ranges of skills
- Varied life experiences
- Specialized education and work experiences
- Unique backgrounds
Students are constantly learning and developing, and when they do so at your company, it creates new opportunities for both you and them. One host company supervisor found that working with Intrax and international interns positively impacts them and the company:
“In my job, there is always room for help from students, so please definitely send me more CVs when possible! These experiences are also great for me to grow as a manager and helps me to learn about people development, so it is a totally win-win situation.”
Your customers and employees will value your cultural knowledge and as a result, have increased productivity and team building!
Host Organization Requirements
To host a J-1 visa intern or trainee, you must meet a set of J-1 visa employer requirements. Companies looking to host international interns or trainees must have:
- Employer Identification Number
- Worker’s Compensation Insurance (or proof of exemption or self-insurance)
- 5 full-time employees to 1 intern ratio
- Annual revenue of $3 million, or minimum of 25 employees or on-site visit
- Training site of at least 50% American employees
- On-site direct supervisor (not remote)
- Primary office and website language of English
If you meet all these requirements, contact us to get you started to host the best international interns from around the world!
Resources For Host Businesses
At Intrax, we want to make sure you have all the necessary information and resources to ensure your interns have a great experience and the J-1 visa process is seamless. This includes assistance with program design and implementation, as well as support with compliance and other administrative tasks.
We facilitate J-1 visa needs, like training on insurance and Social Security, so that your business only has to focus on creating a great work environment! Our customers value our expertise as an official, government-approved 3rd party sponsor, like how CEO of Omnium found that our training was a key differentiator:
“We didn't have that expertise with other providers. Their training programs have really forced us to take a look at our program and work to manage well throughout our business."
We also streamline company hiring processes with value-added services like medical insurance, J-1 visa management, and legal management. Our goal is to ensure success for your company and for the candidate!
Student Eligibility
The students you host will also have to meet certain requirements to be eligible, depending on if they want to intern or train! Check out the J-1 visa eligibility below before you hire an intern or trainee.
Host Students From Emerging Global Markets
Intrax is on a mission to advance diversity in tech and beyond. That’s why we promote STEM opportunities for participants who are from underrepresented countries and regions. Markets around the globe are growing at an exponential rate, especially when it comes to the field of STEM.
Internship participants bring skills and knowledge of specific markets when they come to work for you. We’re dedicated to helping organizations build a diverse staff, which is why we connect organizations with students from around the globe studying in specialized markets.
International STEM internships allow incredible global talent to bring their perspectives to your company. Consider a leading research student from Fiji working on clean-energy deployment, who can bring a new perspective to the work your company is doing in the industry. They have a unique experience and can give your company a competitive edge in the global market.
Different regions across the globe have strong expertise in different industries. For example, see our breakdown below!
Students From Africa: Emerging Technology In STEM
One growing emerging market in STEM is in Africa, where researchers in engineering and science are creating critical technologies around waste and global health. South Africa was ranked first in the 2019 Global Innovation Index, and they are only growing from there.
South Africa has been able to develop a strong performance in the global health and medical innovation market at $3.2 billion, partially thanks to the government’s support of start-ups and a large labor pool of researchers. In fact, the first digital laser was invented by a doctoral candidate and researcher in South Africa.
Hiring an international student intern from Africa can bring your company a student from a strong research background. By 2035, sub-Saharan Africa will have a working population larger than the rest of the world combined. Now is the perfect time to bring these talented individuals to your company, gain their perspectives, and compete in the changing global market.
Ready to hire emerging global talent? Contact us or request info today!
Students From The Pacific Islands: Clean-Energy Innovation
In the Pacific Islands, interns and workers are creating clean-energy solutions. The region is seeing a shift towards renewable energy and climate change adaptation. These countries often face climate change effects before countries such as the U.S. due to their global location. Recent natural disasters are some of the top reasons that the Pacific Islands are making a transition to clean energy.
As a result, higher education institutions are leading the transition and providing education on solar energy equipment, use, and maintenance. Students from these countries have experienced the effects of climate change from a first-hand perspective, and they are making a difference in climate resilience with tech advancements.
Sponsoring an international intern from the Pacific Islands opens you up to the experiences of a different culture and helps you work with people who are creating change across the ocean.
Contact us to get started on hosting interns from emerging markets!
Students From South America: Climate Adaptation
STEM students are making a difference in climate adaptation in South America. In particular, they have made progress in the market of intersecting public health with climate resilience. Youth from Latin America are getting an education in STEM to make a difference in their countries and advocate for education as a tool.
López, a student and climate activist in Guatemala, thinks that education is the key to strengthening climate change adaptation and resilience. As a result, the region is advancing environmental education, making it a strong focus for students and organizations in Latin American countries, including, but not limited to, these countries:
- Argentina
- Guatemala
- Bahamas
- Brazil
- Colombia
- El Salvador
- Costa Rica
Working with a student from Latin America connects you with strong learners who want to make an impact. You’ll strengthen your organization’s diversity and cultural awareness while gaining valuable insight from an international student!
If you’re ready to work with talented students from across the globe, contact us or request info to get started!
Types of Internships For International Students
When you create your own internship program to attract international talent, there is a wide variety of internships you can hire for, like:
- In-person internships
- Teaching internships
- Hospitality internships
In-Person Internships
Intrax Global Internships has plenty of experience helping students and businesses with in-person internship programs. In-person internships are perfect for students who want to learn and train in a business setting, but it can be difficult dealing with the legalities of international travel and J-1 visas. We simplify the legalities by providing support to students and businesses, and we are always available to give guidance if you get stuck!
Teaching Internships
Are you a university looking to hire talented teaching students from across the globe? Get started with teaching internships! We work with host schools and teaching students to develop a training plan that reaches the goals of both the host and the intern. A teaching internship is the perfect way for both teaching students and host schools to gain cultural perspectives and foster diverse learning.
Hospitality Internships
Apart from STEM and education, Intrax also offers internships for premium hospitality. We partner with leading U.S. hotels to match candidates with companies quickly and successfully. We match the skills of the candidate with the goals of the company to ensure success! We offer:
- Matches based on skills and location
- Training plans
- Monthly check-ins with the company and candidate
- Opportunities for transfers
Biden’s International Student Policy Brings New Opportunities For Business
Biden’s international student initiative means that it’s easier for students to train and intern in the U.S. International students with specialized skills are creating change in emerging global markets—and it’s time for you to utilize them!
At Intrax Global Internships, we help leading companies invest in talent. Robinhood, a rapidly growing financial tech company, partners with Intrax to hire technical interns that work on hands-on projects and power their company. They create investment tools and finance education for everyone, and their use of global interns helps them reach their goals of inclusion. We streamline their process with our visa and insurance management, so they can focus on creating a great work environment. We can do the same for you.
Working with students from diverse backgrounds means that you keep learning and bettering yourself as a leader. Your company will have a competitive edge, stay updated on recent global markets, and foster culturally enhanced work environments.
Have questions? Check out our FAQ.
Ready to work with amazing students? Contact us today to get started sponsoring international students or creating your own internship program!
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