Hosting a Trainee Offers Many Opportunities

The trainee program offers SACC member organizations the opportunity to host highly qualified, mature, bilingual trainees. With a minimum age of 25, many of the trainee candidates have received Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees in the highly regarded Swedish educational system or are current college students while others have already gained experience and specialized skills in their field. The trainees will bring a Swedish and European Union perspective to your organization. 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 to your organization when it is necessary to communicate effectively across borders such as when finalizing a sale or during technology transfer.

Benefits to the Host Organization

· Qualified trainees. You will be able to host well-educated, motivated and bilingual trainees for a training program of up to 18 months.

· International exposure. The trainee will bring a European perspective to your organization.

· Large pool of pre-screened candidates. SACC-USA member organizations have access to a searchable online database of pre-screened trainee candidates. SACC-USA can help you find the right candidate(s) for your
trainee position(s) and will present you with a number of qualified candidates for your evaluation. Upon request we can also assist with the screening and final selection of a qualified candidate.

· Peace of mind. SACC-USA reviews candidate applications so that you are ensured that they meet the criteria established by the US Department of State for the J-1 visa.

· It’s easy. SACC-USA guides you through the application process and assists with the necessary documentation making the entire process easy and fast.

· 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. The host organization also pays the SACC-USA Trainee Program administrative fee which is very competitive. The trainee generally pays his or her own insurance and travel expenses.

Host Organization Requirements

The host organization is required to:

· Submit a detailed training plan to be followed for the duration of the training period.

· Continuously train and supervise the trainee. Host organizations with fewer than five full-time employees or less than two employees per every trainee will be scrutinized.

· Provide an estimate of the trainee’s monthly cost of living expenses which can vary significantly between different locations in the US. The host organization is strongly encouraged to pay the trainee a stipend equivalent to the monthly cost of living. Housing, transportation, insurance, travel reimbursement, or other benefits may be provided instead of – or in addition to – the stipend.

· Plan social activities both in and outside the workplace such as company functions, sports events, or cultural outings that will enhance the overall quality of the trainee’s experience in the U.S.

· Be (or become) a member of a regional SACC Chamber.

Areas of Training

Management, Business, Commerce & Finance, the Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics, Industrial Occupations, Public Administration and Law.

J-1 Administrative Fees

The SACC-USA J-1 visa service fee depends on the length of the training period as follows:

Length of Internship Visa Service Fee SEVIS Fee

0-3 months 4-6 months 7-12 months 13-18 months

$500 $1000 $1,600 $1,800

$180 $180 $180 $180

The SEVIS fee of $180 is paid directly to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Refund of Fees

If SACC-USA denies the application or the host company withdraws from the program prior to issuance of the DS-2019, then 75% of the program fee is refundable to the host company.