H-3 Nonimmigrant Trainee or Special Education Exchange Visitor
The H-3 nonimmigrant visa category is for an alien coming temporarily to the United States as either a:
- Trainee to receive training, other than graduate or medical education training, that is not available in the alien’s home country or
- Special Education Exchange Visitor to participate in a special education exchange visitor training program for children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
Trainee
An H-3 “trainee” must be invited by an individual or organization for the purpose of receiving training, other than graduate or medical education training, in any field including, but not limited to:
- Commerce
- Communications
- Finance
- Government
- Transportation
- Agriculture
- Or the professions
This classification is not intended for employment within the United States. It is designed to provide an alien with job related training for work that will ultimately be performed in the alien’s home country.
In order to obtain H-3 classification, a U.S. employer or organization must provide:
- Detailed description of the structured training program in which you wish to pursue. The description should indicate the number of hours per week that you will be in classroom training and the number of hours per week that you will be involved in on-the-job training
- Summary of your prior training and experience
- Explanation of why your training is needed
- Explanation of why you can’t take the training in your home country
- Explanation of how the training will benefit you in pursuing your career in your home country
- Explanation of how your employer or organization will pay for the cost of providing you the training without actually employing you
