A US visa programme created to promote cultural exchange has increasingly worked as a low-cost labour channel, leaving many international students and trainees exposed to exploitation. According to a report by The New York Times, J-1 visa moved away from its original purpose and grew into a profit-driven system with limited oversight.
A US visa programme created to promote cultural exchange has increasingly worked as a low-cost labour channel, leaving many international students and trainees exposed to exploitation. According to a report by The New York Times, J-1 visa moved away from its original purpose and grew into a profit-driven system with limited oversight.
These sponsors recruit applicants overseas, collect fees and act as the main authority for participants once they arrive in the US. For many visa holders, the sponsor controls access to jobs, housing support and problem resolution.
The J-1 visa allows international students, interns and trainees to work in the United States for a short period under categories such as summer work travel, internships and professional training. The programme comes under the US State Department, but more than 100 private sponsor organisations manage recruitment, job placements and participant monitoring.
These sponsors recruit applicants overseas, collect fees and act as the main authority for participants once they arrive in the US. For many visa holders, the sponsor controls access to jobs, housing support and problem resolution.
Participation in the J-1 programme has grown sharply over the years. As per the NYT report, what began as a small exchange initiative now brings hundreds of thousands of young workers to the US annually, many placed in low-wage sectors such as agriculture, food processing, factories and hospitality.
A key change came when sponsors were allowed to charge recruitment and placement fees without any cap. Many participants paid several thousand dollars before travelling, often by borrowing money. This financial pressure made it difficult for them to leave jobs, even when conditions were poor.
Instead of the training or professional exposure promised, many participants reported being assigned repetitive and physically demanding work, with long hours and limited supervision.
According to NYT report, some sponsor organisations operated like commercial businesses. Executives received high salaries, family members were employed, and placements were sometimes made with companies linked to sponsors’ boards. In some cases, participants were required to buy services such as insurance from related businesses.
The visa structure gave workers little power to push back. A J-1 visa is tied to a sponsor, and sponsors decide whether a participant can change jobs or must leave the country. Complaints could lead to job loss, which in turn could end the visa stay.
Unlike other US guest worker programmes, the J-1 system does not ban recruitment fees. This gap allowed financial pressure to play a central role in keeping workers in difficult situations.
Authorities were aware of these problems for years. Internal reviews flagged weak oversight, conflicts of interest and profiteering. Lawmakers discussed reforms, including fee limits, but these efforts stalled after lobbying from sponsors.
Although sponsors now disclose their fees to the government, this information is not easily available to applicants. Transparency exists largely on record, not during recruitment.
The J-1 experience shows how exploitation can exist within legal immigration frameworks. A programme offered to promote cultural understanding instead highlighted how weak oversight and profit incentives can reshape policy outcomes.
Source Name : Economic Times