The J-1 Exchange Visitor Program lets agriculture students and recent graduates train on verified American farms while earning a stipend. Here is how the programme actually works, step by step.
Who is eligible
The programme is designed for agriculture students and graduates who can demonstrate both academic grounding and practical farm exposure.
- Currently enrolled in, or a graduate of, an agriculture-related degree or diploma
- Graduates must apply within 12 months of completing their qualification
- Functional conversational English for farm safety and daily instruction
- Physically fit for hands-on farm work and willing to relocate rurally
The documents that matter
Two forms sit at the centre of every J-1 placement. The DS-2019 is your Certificate of Eligibility, issued by the designated sponsor once your placement is confirmed. The DS-7002 is the Training/Internship Placement Plan — it records exactly what you will learn, your supervision structure, and the stipend your host farm will pay.
Never travel without reviewing both. A mismatch between the DS-7002 and the work you are actually asked to do is the clearest early signal of a poor placement.
Duration and the 18-month extension
Agriculture trainee placements commonly run 12 months and can be extended to a maximum of 18 months where the sponsor and host farm support a continued training plan. Extensions are approved on the strength of your training progress, not automatically, so keep your logbook current from week one.
How KVR supports you
We screen host farms before we present them, prepare you for the sponsor interview, review every DS-7002 line by line, and stay reachable through your placement — including for extension paperwork.
Want this mapped to your own situation?
Our advisors answer within 24 hours. Tell us where you are and where you want to be — we will outline the realistic route.