On December 9, 2024 a new version of the Exchange Visitors Skills List was published in the Federal Register. These changes go into effect immediately. In addition, these changes are retroactive, which means someone who entered the U.S. prior to 12/9/24 on the J visa and became subject to this requirement is no longer subject to this rule unless they received government funding or they are a foreign medical graduate who came to the U.S. on a J visa to do a clinical training program.

The updates are significant, decreasing the number of countries on the list from 81 to 45.  Some of the countries removed include China, India, Korea, and Brazil. This will affect many current J visa holders as well as those who may have held J status in the past. What this means is someone who entered the U.S. on a J visa who became subject to the two year home residency requirement based on the Skills List will no longer be subject, provided that was the only reason for becoming subject to this restriction. Those with government funding or who came to the U.S. to do clinical training programs as a foreign medical graduate would still be subject. The two year home residency requirement prevents someone from obtaining H, L or green card status before going home for two years or obtaining a waiver of this requirement. 

This was very unexpected good news that will impact many of our students and scholars.  If you think this might affect your situation and you have questions, please reach out to your HIO advisor.