American Council on International Personnel
Encyclopedia
The American Council on International Personnel (ACIP) is a member association serving as a resource for employers working worldwide to advance employment-based immigration
of highly educated professionals. ACIP was founded in 1972 by Austin T. Fragomen, Jr. The current Executive Director is Lynn Shotwell.
and Forbes 100 companies, and include a wide array of industries, such as information technology
, financial services
, education and research, health care
, and manufacturing
.
Membership is available to employers with 500+ employees worldwide and an operating presence in at least one location outside the United States. In determining eligibility, ACIP gives consideration to smaller employers cooperating under an umbrella organization or brand, as well as colleges, universities and research institutions with international programs. When an employer becomes an ACIP member, membership is extended to all employees who can benefit from their services, such as human resources
executives, general counsel
, in-house immigration specialists and relocation coordinators, exchange visitor program administrators, staffing and development professionals, and compliance managers.
sponsor for Trainees and Interns.
These programs are ideally suited for:
To use ACIP as a J-1 visa sponsor:
ACIP handles the processing of applications, conducting of compliance site visits, and government reporting requirements on behalf of the employers for which they sponsor visas.
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
of highly educated professionals. ACIP was founded in 1972 by Austin T. Fragomen, Jr. The current Executive Director is Lynn Shotwell.
Mission
The ACIP mission is to "provide the resources and support necessary to advance employment-based immigration of highly educated professionals worldwide. By maintaining the highest standards of practice and compliance, ACIP bridges the private and public sectors to promote sensible, forward-thinking employment-based immigration policies."Services
Services for their members include:- Access to immigration best practices, professional development and support through their employer-driven network;
- A bridge to Federal policymakers through regulatory and congressional liaisons;
- Personalized technical assistance on immigration policy compliance and case-specific resolution;
- J-1 visaJ-1 visaA J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa issued by the United States to exchange visitors participating in programs that promote cultural exchange, especially to obtain medical or business training within the U.S...
sponsorship services for training international employees in the United States; and - Organizational and professional development through educational events and weekly updates, including immediate alerts, on employment-based immigration announcements from the U.S. government.
Members
ACIP has more than 200 members that include companies, universities, research institutions and organizations throughout the world. Members represent the public and private sectors, including Fortune 500Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
and Forbes 100 companies, and include a wide array of industries, such as information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
, financial services
Financial services
Financial services refer to services provided by the finance industry. The finance industry encompasses a broad range of organizations that deal with the management of money. Among these organizations are credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, consumer finance companies,...
, education and research, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, and manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
.
Membership is available to employers with 500+ employees worldwide and an operating presence in at least one location outside the United States. In determining eligibility, ACIP gives consideration to smaller employers cooperating under an umbrella organization or brand, as well as colleges, universities and research institutions with international programs. When an employer becomes an ACIP member, membership is extended to all employees who can benefit from their services, such as human resources
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
executives, general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
, in-house immigration specialists and relocation coordinators, exchange visitor program administrators, staffing and development professionals, and compliance managers.
Symposium
Each year, ACIP holds a Symposium in Washington, DC to connect stakeholders from companies with government officials for educational and networking events. The 37th Annual Symposium, “Solving the Global Immigration Puzzle,” took place in Arlington, VA on June 6–9, 2011.J-1 Visa Program
ACIP is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 visaJ-1 visa
A J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa issued by the United States to exchange visitors participating in programs that promote cultural exchange, especially to obtain medical or business training within the U.S...
sponsor for Trainees and Interns.
These programs are ideally suited for:
- Managerial fast-trackers;
- On-boarding of new overseas hires;
- Project collaborations;
- Summer associate; and
- Co-op programs for professionals.
To use ACIP as a J-1 visa sponsor:
- Employers must be eligible for ACIP membership by having at least 500 employees (worldwide) and at least one operating location outside the U.S.
- Trainees are career professionals at all levels who possess a degree or diploma from a non-U.S. university or institute plus at least one year of relevant professional experience outside the U.S., OR five years of relevant professional experience outside the U.S.
- Interns are students enrolled full-time in a non-U.S. university or institute OR graduates who have received a degree or diploma from a non-U.S. institute within the previous 12 months.
ACIP handles the processing of applications, conducting of compliance site visits, and government reporting requirements on behalf of the employers for which they sponsor visas.
Immigration Reform Principles
ACIP supports the following principles to reform the U.S. highly educated employment-based immigration system:- Immigration reform should recognize that most employers make good faith efforts to recruit and train U.S. workers, to comply with employment laws and to treat U.S. and foreign professionals equally and fairly. A “Trusted Employer Registration” program would reward those employers who have committed to excellent compliance practices by ensuring timely, predictable and efficient access to visas for foreign professionals.
- Immigration reform should validate that employers are best equipped to determine the education and skills required to build their global workforce.
- Immigration reform should simplify our immigration system by consolidating the temporary worker categories – temporary business entrants; international assignees; high potential international hires; and highly educated high-demand professionals – and allowing professionals to transition from temporary to permanent status after a period of contributing to the U.S. economy without regard to quotas or nationality.
- Immigration reform should recognize the importance of family unity by providing immediate visas and work authorization for the spouses, permanent partners and children of foreign professionals, regardless of nationality.
- Immigration reform should be considered in the broader context of U.S. education and competitiveness policy, including K-12 and post-secondary education and training – particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematicsSTEM fieldsSTEM fields is a US Government acronym for the fields of study in the categories of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The acronym is in use regarding access to work visas for immigrants who are skilled in these fields. Maintaining a citizenry that is well versed in the STEM fields...
– and legal status for talented students educated in American schools. - Immigration reform should provide employers with a practicable, accurate, reliable and secure electronic employment verification system, including a biometric option, for new hires.
- Immigration reform should provide the tools necessary for the government to effectively identify and sanction employers abusing our immigration laws without unduly burdening those acting in good faith.