The SWAP USA Internship & PCT Package
The USA Internship and PCT Package at a Glance

Eligibility: Varies according to program. See here.

INTERNSHIP - post secondary students and recent graduates up to 12 months after graduation

PCT - Professionals with at least 1 year work experience and a post secondary degree/diploma in their field OR professionals with at least 5 years full time work experience in their field

Registration Deadline: 4 - 6 weeks prior to departure. Please note, if a site visit is required add four more weeks to processing time

Repeat Participation: INT: YES (min 90 days between two visas!) ; PCT: repeat participation allowed after two years

Visa Duration: INT: Any period up to 12 months, PCT: Any period up to 18 months, hospitality traineeships: 12 months

Registration Fee:
PCT click here; Internship click here

Support Funds: Need proof of access to $750 US per month of stay - if this is covered by your salary, you do not need any other. What are support funds?

Includes
  • Personal assistance in completing the necessary application forms
  • Processing and issuance of the Certificate of Eligibility for J-1 Trainee visa (DS-2019 form)
  • Mandatory health insurance coverage for the full duration of your stay in the United States
  • Participant Handbook that includes: SEVIS information, Social Security Information, taxes, visa rules & regulations
  • Mandatory Online Orientation after approval of your visa but before departure, covering required documents, health insurance, visa rules & regulations and much more
  • Ongoing support services in the USA, including a toll free 24-hour emergency number
Eligibility

General Eligibility Requirements, All Participants Must:

  • Be a Canadian Citizen (non-Canadians please call to check eligibility)
  • Have graduated from secondary school
  • Have a sufficient level of English
  • Be able to support yourself during your traineeship - proof of at least $750 US per month in salary from your traineeship, support funds or guarantor letter (e.g. from parents)

Additional requirements for INTERNSHIP participants:

  • Must currently be a post-secondary student at University or College (no age limit) or a recent graduate up to 12 months after graduation from a non-American university or college
  • The internship must be related to your studies

Additional requirements for PCT participants:

  • The traineeship must be related to your field
  • Must be a graduate of post secondary education with at least one year of related work experience OR
  • Must have graduated secondary school and have five years full time work experience related to your traineeship
  • Education and/or professional experience garnered in the USA do not count towards eligibility

Duration:

  • Duration for Internships (students and recent grads): up to 12 months
  • Duration for PCT (non-students): up to 18 months
  • Traineeships in hospitality are limited to 12 months for students and non-students, unless it is training in hospitality management (please contact us for details)
  • You are allowed to enter the US 10 days before your internship starts and stay 30 days after your internship ends (dates needed at time of application). You are not allowed to work during that time
  • You must be covered by medical insurance for the full duration of your stay, including any time before or after your training. Internship & PCT programs provide full coverage under SWAP CIEE program

Location:

Your traineeship can be anywhere in the mainland United States, including Alaska and Hawaii

Type of Work Allowed:

Internship:

  • Your internship must be related to your studies
  • Your visa will be granted for one specific employer. Part time jobs and/or changing jobs is not permitted. Changing an internship is only possible in exceptional circumstances, e.g. your host company will be closed down, non-compliance with the agreed training plan from the host company, etc. In such a case, please contact CIEE who will evaluate the situation and give permission to any internship change.
  • The following fields of work are prohibited under this visa category: teaching, patient care, diagnostics/medical interns, work of any type with children, cruise lines, airplanes, any position offered by temporary work agencies, veterinary practitioners, domestic workers, camp cousellors, sports therapy/coaching, fast food restaurants, performing artists/entertainers, guards, construction work, research scholars (short research traineeships possible if it is actual training in research).

Professional Career Training:

  • Your traineeship has to be related to your most recent educational or professional activities, your studies + minimum one year work experience or your work experience during the last five years
  • If you do not have post-secondary education or if your education was in a field different than the one you want to train in, you should have at least five years full time working experience in your field
  • Level of your knowledge and experience must be appropriate - for example a trainee with 5 years work experience in the field will train in different areas than a graduate with just 1 year work experience
  • The idea is that you will be learning new skills or enhancing existing skills during your traineeship, taking your career to the next level
  • Your visa will be granted for one specific employer. Part time jobs and/or changing jobs is not permitted. Changing a traineeship is only possible in exceptional circumstances, e.g. your host company will be closed down, non-compliance with the agreed training plan from the host company, etc. In such a case, please contact CIEE who will evaluate the situation and give permission to any traineeship change.
  • The following fields of work are prohibited under this visa category: teaching, patient care, diagnostics/medical interns, work of any type with children, cruise lines, airplanes, any position offered by temporary work agencies, veterinary practitioners, domestic workers, camp cousellors, sports therapy/coaching, fast food restaurants, performing artists/entertainers, guards, construction work, research scholars (short research traineeships possible if it is actual training in research).
Finding An Internship

Because your visa will be issued for one specific employer, the first step is to find a host company that will host your internship.

How past participants have found their internships:

  • Friends, family, a friend of a friend
  • Research companies you admire and would be interested in working for. Approaching the company no matter if jobs are posted or not, is the most common way to find an internship
  • Contacts from school or professors. Professors often attend international conferences and have contacts throughout the US.
  • Contacts through current employers, through associated companies or personal contacts, clients etc.
  • Applying to positions posted on job websites. Participants often have more luck with less frequented or industry specific job websites.
  • Occasionally applicants will "walk-in" while on vacation in the US
Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to all of your questions!

The processing time is approximately 4-6 weeks from the time we receive your completed application including payment at SWAP head office. The better the application, the faster it will be processed, thorough and specific training plan may speed up the processing time (for PCT/non-students, less detailed training plan for INT/students and recent grads). Please note that extra processing time could apply if a site visit is required! (check out Site visits) below.

According to the J1 visa regulations from the US Department of State, a site visit from CIEE to your host company may be required. There will be an extra processing time of four weeks added to the usual processing time, as well as an extra cost of approx $255.

Site visits are required at host companies that have never hosted a trainee with CIEE before however, will NOT be required if:

  • Your host company has more than 25 full time employees OR
  • Your host company has more than 3 million USD in annual revenue

Your Sponsor in the US:

Your official sponsor in the US is our partner organization CIEE. Your employer does not have to sponsor you! All your employer has to do is fill in the forms and ensure you have a wonderful internship

Salary:

Your internship can be paid or unpaid, there is no maximum limit on how much you are allowed to earn. It's up to you to negotiate your remuneration with your employer. Please note that the J1 intern visa is required even if your internship is unpaid. If your salary is less than $750 US per month please check out the section "Budget in the US" below

Budget in the US:

The US authorities want to make sure you can support yourself while you are in the US, and require you to have at least $750 US per month. If your salary is less than this amount per month, you need to provide proof that you have enough funds or a guarantor letter with your application. For personal budget planning, please keep in mind that you are not allowed to obtain any part time work besides your internship.

Bringing your family or dependents:

It is possible to bring your family (spouse, children) on you to the US with a J2 dependent visa. This will allow your family to reside in the US for the entire time of your internship, but will NOT allow them to work. There is a separate fee for J2 dependants, please contact us for more details at swapinfo@swap.ca

What is SEVIS?:

SEVIS (Student Exchange Visitor Information System) is a US government system to track foreign visitors in the US. A SEVIS fee of $235 CDN has to be paid when you send in your application and registration fee. Once in the US, you must register your US address within 20 days of your training start date (the date on your DS-2019, also called Certificate of Eligibility). If you do not register your address, your visa will automatically terminate. For further information on SEVIS please refer here

Travel Arrangements:

Please confirm or book your travel arrangements only when we know that your application has been approved. Unforeseen delays in visa processing are always possible. If you are planning to enter the US on a one-way ticket, immigration officials may want to see proof that you have funds to return to Canada (e.g. credit card, proof that you will be earning money in the US, letter from parents indicating that they will pay for your ticket if necessary). For budget travel opportunities please visit Travel CUTS.

Fees:

The fees depend on the length of your internship. Here is what is included in the registration fee:

  1. Your DS-2019, also called Certificate of Eligibility, the form that will give you access to the J1 visa when your cross the border to the US
  2. Visa costs and visa processing
  3. Insurance for your entire stay in the US. You will be covered by medical, liability and baggage insurance, which is required by the US Department of State for all exchange visitors
  4. Support from CIEE in Boston, your visa sponsor, during your entire stay
  5. Emergency line to CIEE in the US
  6. The Participant Handbook which includes lots of useful information about the first steps after arriving in the US, e.g. getting a social security number, SEVIS registration, tips on finding long term accommodation etc.
  7. The registration fee can be paid by certified cheque, money order or credit card (Visa or Mastercard) at the time of application.

Extra fees apply if a site visit at your host company is required; please check out the section "Site Visit".

Leaving the US during your internship (e.g. to visit home):

You can exit the US during your internship, to visit home or to visit other countries. However, you cannot be away from your internship for more than 30 days. Each time you leave the US you should advise CIEE and get a signature from CIEE for re-entry to the US. The signature will be valid for 2 months, and take approximately 2 weeks to receive.

Previously held a visa for the US before?

If you had a Summer Work J1 through SWAP USA, you will be eligible. If you had a different type of visa or if you are unsure, please contact us at 416 966 2887 ext 203 or e-mail swapinfo@swap.ca

Can I be away while my application is being processed?

Unlike other SWAP programs where original passport is needed to process your visa, the Internship program only requires a copy of your passport. This means you are free to travel while your application is being processed.

In your best interest, please leave us a phone number or email address where you can be reached in case you are required to submit documents or we have questions for you during processing.

Your visa papers and final kit can only be sent to a Canadian address - you must enter the US from Canada to activate your visa.

PLEASE NOTE that it is illegal to start working at your internship (or any other job) in the US before you have the proper documentation and visa!

How to Register

 

What are the Differences Between SWAP USA, SWAP Internship, and PCT USA?

SWAP SUMMER USA 2012
USA INTERNSHIP
PROFESSIONAL CAREER TRAINING (PCT)
- Focuses on casual work & travel and summer internships.
- Focuses on training related to your studies.
- Focuses on training related to your career/studies.
- J1 visa for 3.5 months maximum between May 15-Sept.1 (BC Residents May 15-Sept. 15)
- J1 visa for up to 12 months.
- J1 visa for up to 18 months (12 months for hospitality traineeships).
- Summer program only.
- Year round program.
- Year round program.
- Work does not have to be related to your studies.
- Internship must be related to your studies.
- Internship must be related to your studies.
- Open to 2011/12 full time post-secondary students.
- Open to post-secondary students and recent graduates up to 12 months after graduation.
- Open to professionals with either : a secondary diploma/degree and min 1 year work experience in their field OR at least 5 years work experience in their field (min. finished high school).
- No job offer needed prior to departure, job can be found once in the US.
- Job/internship offer needed to apply.
- Job/traineeship offer needed to apply.
- Apply through any Travel CUTS/Voyages Campus office. Application forms available here.
- Register centrally through SWAP head office. Please see instructions and documents required above.
- Register centrally through SWAP head office. Please see instructions and documents required above.

Check Out These Past Participants Internships
  • Television Series Development Intern at MTV Networks, Santa Monica, California
  • NBC Universal, Burbank, California
  • Intern with the show "24", 20th Century Fox Television, Chatsworth, California
  • Arts Administration Intern at the San Francisco Art Commission, San Francisco, California
  • Fashion Business Process Intern at Chanel, New York
  • Film Production Intern at a Production Services company in Brooklyn, New York
  • Arts Management Intern at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn, New York
  • Guggenheim Museum, New York
  • Advertising Agency Intern, Boulder, Colorado
  • Sports Management Intern with a College Athletics Department, Mesa, Arizona
  • Architecture Intern in New York City, NY
  • Turfgrass Management Intern at a luxury golf club in Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Interior Design Intern at an interior design studio in New York, NY
  • Geographic Information Systems Technician Intern, Roanoke, VA
  • Biochemical Engineering Intern deciphering DNAs at a Biotechnology company in San Francisco, California
  • Chemical Engineering Intern at a world leading Petroleum refinery in Port Arthur, Texas
  • Financial Services Intern at UBS Financial Services, New York City, NY
  • Mobile Media Trainee at a media and publishing company in Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Political Organizing and Communications Trainee at a political action community organization in Burlington, VT
  • Culinary Intern at a Luxury Country Inn in Kennebunk, ME
  • Microbiological Research Intern at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California
  • Sustainability Consulting Intern in Herndon, VA
  • Fashion Designer Trainee at a Fashion Design studio in Los Angeles, California