Communities and school districts across the U.S. have seen tremendous value in employing international teachers at local schools. Qualified, talented teachers from abroad seek the opportunity to gain American teaching experience while also sharing their culture with U.S. classrooms.
Hosts/employers are required to:
Involve exchange teachers in school and community cultural activities; and
Monitor the performance of exchange teachers in the classroom and in carrying out official responsibilities.
Extensions
The base period for a teacher exchange is three years. However, host schools may apply to the sponsor for a one or two year extension of the exchange (the extension must be for whole years, not fractions of years). Extension requests are not automatic, but there is no limit on the number of extensions that the State Department can grant.
Sponsors must submit extension requests they approve and any supporting documentation to support the extension to the State Department no later than three months prior to the beginning of the desired extension period for the teacher.