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Specialist portrait

Specialist

Specialists are experts in a field of specialized knowledge or skills who provide opportunities to increase the exchange of ideas with American counterparts.

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Participants

Specialists must:

  • Be experts in a field of specialized knowledge or skill;
  • Seek to travel to the United States for the purpose of the interchange of knowledge and skills among foreign and American specialists by observing, consulting or demonstrating their special knowledge or skills; and
  • Not fill a permanent or long-term position of employment while in the United States.

Benefits

Educational enrichment: Participants experience an interchange of knowledge and skills among foreign and American specialists who are defined as experts in a field of specialized knowledge.

Early Career STEM Research Initiative

This research initiative seeks to support an increase in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students, professionals, and exchange visitors on educational and cultural exchange programs in the United States.
READ MORE.

Limitations

The maximum duration of this program is one year.

More information

This category is for foreign nationals who are experts in a field of specialized knowledge or skill, coming to the United States for observing, consulting, or demonstrating their special skills, except:

  • Professors;
  • Research Scholars;
  • Short-Term Scholars; and
  • Alien Physicians in graduate medical education or training.
Program Resources Find a Program Sponsor Common Questions

Program Sponsors

Sponsors are required to:

  • Evaluate the qualifications of foreign nationals to determine whether they meet the definition of specialist as set forth in 22 CFR 62.4(g)
  • Provide the participant with the information on the length and locations of his or her exchange visitor program, summary of the significant components of the program and a written statement clearly stating the stipend, if any, to be paid to the specialist.
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