Exchange Visitor Program for Teachers

Interested Teachers

Eligibility

The eligibility requirements for visiting teachers are documented in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 22 (22 CFR) Section 62.24 . Teachers must first apply in their home country and receive an initial screening from the Ministry or Secretary of Public Education and meet the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requirements. Visiting teachers may remain in an eligible California Local Educational Agency (LEA) for a maximum of three years and then are expected to return to their home country to share their experiences. In some cases, LEAs may apply for an "extension beyond maximum duration" for an additional one or two years for their eligible teacher(s).

Estimated Expenses

Costs Associated with the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa Application Process

Fixed Costs

• U.S. Embassy appointment: $185
• Student and Exchange Visitor Information System: $220
• Sponsor Fee: $0
• Third Parties: Ministerio de Educación, Formación Profesional y Deportes of Spain and Secretaría de Educación Pública of México
• Third Party Fee: $0

Variable Costs

• Criminal background check (Antecedentes No Penales): Approximately $5–$20 per person
• Health screenings (Certificados: Médico y No Tuberculosis): $25–$50 per person
• Official Translation, evaluation, and certification of academic records (varies according to number of documents that need to be translated and verified): $300–$500
  

Costs Associated with Arrival to the U.S.

The cost figures shown here are estimates based on typical expenses for housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and other necessities. Your actual cost of living may be higher or lower depending on your lifestyle choices, family size, and region in California where you live. The estimates should be taken as rough guidelines rather than guarantees.

Another location-specific estimate resource is the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator, which provides county or metro area–level cost estimates for a variety of family types.

• One way airfare to California: $300–$1,400 per ticket
• Temporary lodging (15 days on average): $140–$300 per night
• Apartment rental (one bedroom, one bathroom unit with a 12-month lease): $2,000–$4,000 per month
• Rental deposit: generally equal to one month’s rent
• Utilities: $200–$600 per month
• Purchasing a used automobile: $5,000–$15,000
• Auto insurance (see minimum liability coverage as required by California law ): $400–$3,000 per year
• Gasoline: $100–$300month
• California driver’s license application fee (Class C): $45
• Average cost of meals: $350–600 per person, per month
• Internet: $50–$100 per month
• Childcare: $700–$1,300 per month, per child
• Cell phone plan: $40–$150 per line
• Required insurance for all J-1 Exchange Visitors: $500 maximum deductible
  • Medical benefits: $100,000 minimum coverage per accident
    • $80–$350 for three months
  • Medical evacuation: $50,000 minimum coverage
    • $80–$350 for twelve months
  • Repatriation of remains: $25,000 minimum coverage
    • $80–$350 for twelve months
  • Insurance for all J-2 Dependents (all three coverages listed above)
    • $80–$350 for three months per dependent

California Preliminary Teaching Credential and Emergency Bilingual Authorization Permits in Spanish

• Live scan fingerprinting (CTC requires all individuals, who seek to obtain credentials issued by the CTC, receive fingerprint clearance from Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice): $50–$180
• Credential Application : $100
• Emergency English Learner and Bilingual Authorization Permits in Spanish: $100 per permit (possibly covered by your LEA)
  

Requirements for the “Clear Credential”

• English Learner Authorization (may or may not be mandatory depending on your LEA’s requirements) can be fulfilled in two ways:
  1. California Teachers of English Learners Exam (CTEL) can be fulfilled by receiving a passing score on the three subtests:
     • CTEL I: $98
     • CTEL II: $147
     • CTEL III: $99
     • Cost of taking all three subtests in a single session: $260
  2. Completion of coursework in a Commission-approved CTEL program , which can vary in cost depending on the institution.
• Bilingual Authorization Permit in Spanish (may or may not be mandatory depending on your LEA’s requirements) can be fulfilled by receiving a passing score on:
  1. Spanish California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET):
     • Spanish subtest III: $99
     • World Languages Subtest IV: $99
     • Spanish Subtest V: $99
• Subject Matter Competence can be fulfilled in one of two ways:
  1. Receiving a passing score on either:
     1. CSET Multiple Subject Credential Exams:
        • CSET I: $99
        • CSET II: $99
        • CSET III: $99
     2. CSET Single subject credential exam (depends on the subject you want to teach): $99 per subtest
  2. Completion of coursework in a Commission-approved CTEL program,
• Induction Program , which is a two-year program: $1,000–$3,000 per year and may be subsidized by your employer
• Literacy Performance Assessment—replaces the retired Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (ended October 31, 2025); details on the new assessment are forthcoming.
• U.S. Constitution requirement can be fulfilled in one of two ways:
  1. Pass an exam given by a regionally-accredited college or university.
  2. Complete a course (at least two semester units or three quarter units) from a regionally-accredited college or university.
• Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation training: $25–$80

Refer to the California CTC for more information and guidance for credentialing.

Salary: Early Average Range

• First-year teacher: may start at $45,000 and above; varies by LEA
• Teacher with five years of teaching experience: may start at $46,900 and above; varies by LEA
• Teacher with five years of teaching experience and a Master of Arts Degree: may start at $49,600 and above; varies by LEA

Estimated Deductions

• California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS): J-1 visiting teachers are exempt from CalSTRS deductions
  • If you contribute to CalSTRS, see Refund of Contributions to request a refund from CalSTRS at the end of your program.
• Union dues: Approximately $100 per month
  • Union (sindicato) dues are voluntary contributions
• State income tax: approximately 6–9.3 percent of salary
• Federal income tax: approximately 12–24 percent of salary
• Medicare tax: 1.45 percent of salary (J-1 visiting teachers are exempt from this deduction during their first two years in the program)
• Social Security tax: 6.2 percent of salary (J-1 visiting teachers are exempt from this deduction during their first two years in the program)
• Medical insurance coverage offered by the LEA:
  • Average per person: $170–$940 per month
  • Average per family (3 or more people): $1,400–$4,000 per month
    • Some LEAs may contribute to the cost of your healthcare
• Dental Insurance:
  • Average per person: $25–$50/month
  • Average per family: $50–$150/month
• Vision Insurance:
  • Average per person: $5–$30/month
  • Average per family: $16–$100/month

Information for Current Teachers

Cross-Cultural Reports

Exchange Visitor Teachers are required to participate in cross-cultural activities that help promote mutual understanding between the United States and their home countries, as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 22 (22 CFR) 62.24(h). Teachers must submit Cross-Cultural Activity Reports to document these activities each school year.

The California Department of Education (CDE) designates two required activities each school year:

1. Sharing Attributes of Your Home Country and/or Culture
   This activity should be designed for your classroom, host school, school district, or the local community. It must give an overview of your home country’s history, traditions, heritage, culture, economy, educational system, or other distinguishing attributes.
2. Cultural Exchange
   This activity should create two-way dialogue between U.S. students and students in another country, preferably your home school, using virtual exchange or other interactive means. The goal is to enhance mutual understanding and supplement the in-person exchange experience.

Teachers must submit their Cross-Cultural Activity Reports for each activity by the designated deadlines (typically in December and February). Reports should include a summary, the intended audience, and any photos or supporting materials. Current teachers should look for emails from VTP@cde.ca.gov for more details and for any questions about the reports.

Who to Contact

Exchange Visitor Teachers and participating LEAs interact with several organizations that each play a role in the J-1 program. Knowing who to contact for specific issues helps ensure timely and accurate support.

California Department of Education

Email: VTP@cde.ca.gov

The CDE is the designated program sponsor for J-1 exchange teachers in California. Contact the CDE for:

• Questions about Exchange Visitor Program requirements
• Cross-Cultural Activity Reports and deadlines
• Program extensions or completion procedures
• Immediate and required notification of changes in address, school placement, family status, credentialing changes, insurance coverage changes, theft/loss/expiration of DS-2019, theft/loss/expiration of passport or visa, or any other events that may impact the teacher’s ability to continue in the program (22 CFR 62.13)
• Serious incidents or emergencies that must be immediately reported (22 CFR 62.13(d))

Host Local Educational Agency

Contact your LEA’s human resources office or site administrator for:

• Local employment policies, salary, and benefits
• Classroom assignments, schedules, and evaluations
• Access to district systems (email, payroll, professional development)
• Requests for time off or leave
• Specific credentialing requirements for your position

U.S. Department of State

J-1 visiting teachers have a right to be treated fairly and to report abuse without retaliation or threat of program cancellation. If you are mistreated, your rights are violated, or you are concerned for your health and safety, you can call the U.S. Department of State’s J-1 Visa Emergency hotline at 1-866-283-9090 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

For more information on program requirements, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, J-1 and J-2 visa information, and more, please visit the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA website .

What to Do if Your Passport Is Lost or Stolen

If your passport is lost or stolen during your stay in the United States, take immediate action to protect your identity and maintain your legal status.

1. File a police report with your local law enforcement agency. Keep a copy of the report for your records.
2. Notify the CDE via email at VTP@cde.ca.gov as soon as possible.
3. Contact your home country’s embassy or consulate. Report the loss and follow your embassy’s instructions for obtaining a replacement.
4. Contact the CDE to receive a new DS-2019.

Maintain digital and printed copies of your passport, visa, and DS-2019 in a secure location separate from the originals.

J-2 Work Authorization and Social Security Numbers

Spouses and unmarried children (under age 21) of J-1 exchange teachers may apply for work authorization while in the United States under J-2 status. Permission to work is granted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), not by the CDE, LEA, or your home country’s education office.

Eligibility to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), from USCIS, includes:

• The J-2 dependent must be physically present in the United States and hold valid J-2 status.
• The J-1 teacher must remain in active program status.
• Employment may not be used to support the J-1 teacher; it must be for the J-2’s personal or recreational expenses (8 CFR 214.2(j)(1)(v)(A)).

J-2 dependents are not eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN) unless they have received an EAD from USCIS. Once the EAD is issued, the J-2 may apply for an SSN at a local Social Security Administration office.

Extension Beyond Maximum Duration

Upon request by the teacher and with support from the LEA, the CDE may authorize an extension of participation for up to two additional years, provided the teacher continues to meet all eligibility requirements. The maximum duration of participation in the J-1 Teacher category is five years total, and extensions beyond the fifth year are not permitted under federal regulations. (22 CFR 62.24(k)). After completing the program, teachers must return to their home country to fulfill the two-year home residency requirement, if applicable.

To extend a J-1 teacher beyond the third year, a $367 extension beyond maximum duration fee should be paid by the LEA for each teacher, made payable to the California Department of Education. The fees collected will then be paid to the U.S. Department of State.

Local Educational Agencies

Program Overview

In 1986, the U.S. Department of State designated the California Department of Education (CDE) as an EVP sponsor to bring credentialed teachers on J-1 visas to teach in California bilingual classrooms. The CDE continues to support this program by providing staff to coordinate the program, working closely with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. embassies, and the education agencies of participating nations. Throughout the years, the CDE has sponsored over 2,500 teachers from Spain and Mexico. In any given year, the CDE has 80 to 130 active J-1 teachers participating throughout the state. Participating local educational agencies (LEAs) have realized many benefits for their students, as documented by their continued requests for bilingual and biliterate teachers to serve California’s high percentage of Spanish-speaking students and the growing demand for bilingual classrooms.

The CDE staff coordinates the EVP through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each country. As part of the MOU, the CDE staff:

• Pre-test applicants' written and verbal English language proficiency.
• Ensure that applicants are fully qualified and properly licensed in the academic and teaching requirements of their countries of origin.
• Organize necessary documents for entry into the United States.
• Assist California LEAs in establishing effective processes for screening, selecting, contracting with, and credentialing exchange teachers with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

LEAs must sign an agreement of collaboration with the CDE to employ an exchange visitor.

Teacher Category: Purpose and Intent

The "teacher" category of the EVP promotes the exchange of foreign teachers to U.S. host schools and enhances mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries. Exchange teachers sharpen their professional skills and are required to participate in cross-cultural activities in U.S. schools and communities. They return home to share their experiences and increased knowledge of the United States and its educational system, culture, and society as outlined in Code of Federal Regulations Title 22 (22 CFR) Section 62.24(a).

Who is Eligible?

Visiting teachers from Spain and Mexico come to California to teach in elementary and secondary programs, migrant education settings, and alternative bilingual programs as defined in California Education Code sections 300–340. LEAs may also hire visiting teachers to teach English Language Development, bilingual multiple subjects, and Spanish as a foreign language. Under the EVP regulations, which are located in 22 CFR Section 62, visiting teachers may hold a teaching contract for no more than three years, unless a specific extension of one or two years is authorized by the U.S. Department of State.

The CDE does not consider kindergarten through grade twelve institutions offering predominantly vocational or technical programs for exchange teachers’ placement. Exchange teachers may also teach at the pre-kindergarten level, but only in language immersion programs at accredited schools for at least 50 percent of the school day where regular courses of study are in a language not native to the majority of the student population (22 CFR Section 62.24[c][6]).

A full-time teaching position requires a minimum of 32 hours per week of teaching or teaching-related administrative activities (22 CFR Section 62.24[c][2]). A full-time exchange teacher must be a teacher of record, not a teacher's assistant/aide, substitute teacher, or someone holding a non-instructional position (22 CFR Section 62.24[d][5]).

What This Program is Not

This program is an educational and cultural exchange and is not designed to fill staffing needs of U.S. schools. Sponsors may not use the Teacher category to recruit and train foreign teachers for permanent employment in the United States. An exchange visitor’s placement as a teacher at a primary or secondary accredited academic institution must be temporary, even if the school normally classifies the teaching position as permanent (22 CFR Section 62.24[f][4]). The CDE expects every exchange teacher to return to his or her home country upon completion of the exchange program. Teachers will be eligible to repeate participation in, provided that they have resided outside of the United States for at least two years following the successful completion of the original exchange program and continues to meet the eligibility requirements (22 CFR Section 62.24).

Teacher Pay

Exchange teachers must teach full-time at a primary or secondary accredited educational institution in the United States. Their compensation must be commensurate with that of U.S. teachers with similar responsibilities and similar educational background (22 CFR Section 62.24[f][5]).

Visting Teacher Program LEA Application

Prior to completing the application to participate in the VTP, LEAs must watch the webinar recording below which provides critical information for LEAs will need to determine if the LEA can participate in the VTP.

California VTP Procedures for Sponsoring Visiting Teachers for J-1 Visas Webinar (Video; 11:34)

California VTP Procedures for Sponsoring Visiting Teachers for J-1 Visas Webinar Slides (PPTX)

Application to Participate

California VTP Application
The application for the next school year is due by January 20 of the current school year. For example, LEAs wishing to hire teachers for the 2026–27 school year, must submit their application by January 20, 2026. For additional questions, please reach out to VTP@cde.ca.gov.

Questions and Answers

Can the California Department of Education sponsor teachers from countries other than Mexico and Spain?

The Department can sponsor exchange visitors from countries that have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the California Department of Education (CDE). Without an MOU, the CDE will not sponsor teachers from other countries.

How does a school district or charter school become a California Department of Education designee in order to hire an exchange visitor to teach full-time in an elementary or secondary public school?

The school district or charter school superintendent or his/her authorized representative needs to sign CDE's Agreement of Collaboration and comply with all appropriate provisions of Code of Federal Regulations Title 22 (22 CFR) Part 62.

Can an exchange visiting teacher procure employment outside the designated school district or charter school?

No, a visiting teacher cannot apply for employment outside the CDE's designated district for a teaching assignment. Pursuant to 22 CFR Section 62.16, a visiting teacher "who engages in unauthorized employment shall be deemed to be in violation of his or her program status and is subject to termination as a participant in an exchange visitor program." A visiting teacher's DS-2019 identifies CDE's designee for employment pursuant to 22 CFR Section 62.24 (i). Visiting teachers must remain in the designated school district or charter school for the duration of the program period unless there is a serious problem, in which case the teacher returns to their home country.

For how long can a visiting teacher remain in CDE's Exchange Visitor Program?

Pursuant to 22 CFR Section 62.24 (j), a visiting teacher can remain in CDE's program in the designated for a program period not to exceed three years unless a specific extension of one or two years is authorized. Visiting teachers must meet the qualifications for teaching in California's public schools and must pass the first year's probation with the designated school district or charter school in order to remain for an authorized five-year program period.

What are the insurance requirements for a visiting teacher?

Prior to leaving the home country and for the duration of the Exchange Visitor Program period as indicated in the DS-2019 Eligibility Certificate, a visiting teacher must have the following insurance coverage pursuant to 22 CFR Section 62.14:

• Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
• Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
• Medical evacuation in the amount of $50,000
• $500 deductible or less per accident or illness

Can family members come to California with an exchange visiting teacher?

Yes, immediate family members can accompany a visiting teacher. Any accompanying spouse and children under 21 years of age may apply for J-2 visas. Parents and siblings of the exchange visitor can apply directly to the U.S. Embassy for a tourist visa because they do not qualify for the J-2 visa.

What is needed to apply for a J-2 visa?

Immediate family members need to apply for J-2 visas at the U.S. Embassy in their home country. A visiting teacher needs to request an eligibility certificate DS-2019 for his or her spouse and child. The following documentation must be submitted to the Professional Learning Innovations Office at the CDE to procure an eligibility certificate:

• Copy of a valid passport for the spouse and child,
• Marriage certificate,
• Insurance policy with the following minimum coverage:
  • $100,000 per accident or illness for medical,
  • Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000,
  • Medical evacuation in the amount of $50,000,
  • A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.
    
    The insurance corporation providing the policy must have a rating of "A-" or above, pursuant to 22 CFR Section 62.14. The Professional Learning Innovations Office (PLIO) at the CDE needs at least eight weeks to process the requests.

Must the school district or charter school notify the Professional Learning Support Division at the California Department of Education upon receiving a resignation letter from a visiting teacher?

Yes. Pursuant to 22 CFR Section 62.13 (d), the CDE must notify the U.S. Department of State in writing when the exchange visitor has withdrawn or been terminated from the program. For the CDE to meet the mandate, the Director of Certificated Personnel in the Human Resources Office of the school district or charter school must notify the Responsible Officer (RO) in the PLIO. The visiting teacher is also responsible for notifying the RO. The address is:

California Department of Education
Professional Learning Support Division
Professional Learning Innovations Office
1430 N Street, Suite 4309
Sacramento, CA 95814