for hosts
Hosting a trainee
As a member of SACC Chicago, your company has the opportunity to host a well-educated Swedish trainee on a J-1 Visa. SACC Chicago can help you post your training position in Sweden, review applications, and put together a list of suitable candidates for your evaluation and final selection. Once the perfect match has been made SACC will guide you and your trainee candidate through the Visa application and issue the necessary documents.
OPPORTUNITIES
The trainee program offers SACC member companies and organizations the opportunity to host highly qualified, mature, bilingual trainees. With a minimum age of 21, some of the trainee candidates may still be students while many already earned their Bachelor’s / Master’s degrees or have extensive experience and specialized skills in their field.
The trainees will bring a Swedish and European Union perspective to your operation. An international perspective and an understanding of cultural differences are vital in today’s global economy. In addition to Swedish and English, many trainees possess good knowledge of one or several other languages. Language skills are invaluable when it is necessary to communicate effectively across borders such as when finalizing a sale or during technology transfer.
REQUIREMENTS
- Have an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Have a Dun & Bradstreet Number
- Have Workman’s Compensation Insurance
- Provide continuous training and supervision
- Write a Training/Internship Placement Plan, DS-7002
- Be a member of SACC Chicago
- Agree to a site visit if has fewer than 25 employees or less than $3M in annual revenue. (Academic institutions and federal, state or local governments are exempt from site visit requirement.)
BENEFITS
- Qualified Trainees
Host well-educated, motivated and bilingual trainees in a training program up to 18 months.
- INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE
The trainee will bring a European perspective to your organization.
- LOW COST
The host organization is strongly encouraged (but not required) to pay the trainee a stipend equivalent to the cost of living in the host company’s location. There generally are no social security or medicare taxes for a J-1 trainee. The host organization pays the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce visa service fee and the Trainee the SEVIS fee. The trainee generally pays his or her own insurance and travel expenses.
- LARGE POOL OF PRE-SCREENED CANDIDATES
SACC Chicago and SACC USA will post your available position on our website as well as distribute the information to SACC USA.
- PEACE OF MIND
SACC USA and SACC Chicago reviews candidate applications so that you are ensured that they meet the criteria established by the U.S. Department of State for the J-1 Visa.
- IT’S EASY
SACC guides you and your trainee through the application process and assists with the necessary essay services uk documentation making the entire process easy and fast.
fEES
J-1 VISA
3 months
4-6 months
7-12 months
12-18 months
Fee members
$1000
$1400
$1900
$2200
(20 % discount)
Fee non-members
$1250
$1750
$2375
$2750
* The SACC Chicago membership fee is not included.
Stipend
The Swedish American Chamber of Commerce recommends that the hosting organization offer the trainee a stipend to cover living expenses. The stipend should be based on the cost of living in the area. Although many trainees consider a trainee position in the United States a great opportunity and might be willing to pay for some expenses out of their own pocket, a stipend will increase the likelihood of the trainee staying longer. The SACC recommended stipend for San Diego is approximately $1,500/month.
Refund of Fees
If the host organization should withdraw from the program prior to issuance of the DS-2019, 75% of the program fee is refundable to the host company. The SEVIS fee is fully refundable prior to SACC-USA having submitted the payment, non-refundable thereafter.
Taxes
J-1 Visa holders and their host companies are not required to pay Social Security, Medicare or FUTA (unemployment) tax on stipend paid to a J-1 trainee. The trainee will most likely owe State and Federal taxes on any money he or she receives from the host company. Further information or questions regarding the appropriate forms and taxes visit www.irs.gov or contact us.
