Teachers in the US face mounting challenges
CALIFORNIA, United States—Nimfa and Margaret are both special education teachers who obtained “J1” visas to teach in two different school districts in the United States.
Nimfa’s employer signed a two-year contract for a J1 visa to allow Nimfa to work, teach, and engage in other exchange activities in an elementary public school in Southern California. In the same way, Margaret was able to obtain a J1 visa to teach in a school somewhere in Maryland.
When Margaret’s visa was about to expire, she was able to change her status documents from a J1 visa to an H1B working visa. Nimfa’s employer, however, refused to change her status from J1 to H1B. She was instead asked to go home to the Philippines and obtain her visa at the US embassy in Manila. Nimfa was hesitant to leave the US. She had heard that Margaret was able to obtain a “waiver” allowing her to acquire a professional working visa without going home.
What is this waiver and why is it critical in changing a J1 to an H1B working