J-1 Visa Production Machinist Jobs

Production Machinist roles in the United States are accessible to international candidates through J-1 visa Trainee or Intern program sponsorship, issued by a U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization. Your host employer operates the machine shop or manufacturing facility while the designated sponsor issues your DS-2019 and oversees your training plan.

Find J-1 Visa Production Machinist Jobs

Overview

Open Jobs59+
Work Type97% On-site
Top LocationNew York, NY
Most JobsNexstar Media Group, Inc.

Showing 5 of 59+ Production Machinist jobs

Rutgers University
Intern - Production Assistant
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Rutgers University
New 21h ago
Intern - Production Assistant
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Administrative & Office Support
$15.92/hr
Hybrid
High School
10,000+

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Maintainx Inc.
Web Production Intern
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Maintainx Inc.
Added 3w ago
Web Production Intern
Maintainx Inc.
San Francisco, California
Content & Communications
Data Science & Analytics
Marketing
Content Marketing
Data Analytics
On-Site

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Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
WAVY Unpaid Hampton Roads Show/Production Intern, Fall 2026
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Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Added 1mo ago
WAVY Unpaid Hampton Roads Show/Production Intern, Fall 2026
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Portsmouth, Virginia
Performing Arts
On-Site
Other

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Prysmian Cables & Systems USA LLC
Production Intern
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Prysmian Cables & Systems USA LLC
Added 2mo ago
Production Intern
Prysmian Cables & Systems USA LLC
Muscat, New Jersey
Manufacturing Operations
Quality Control
Health & Safety (EHS & OHS)
On-Site
Other

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North Central Texas Council of Governments
Interns – Digital Productions and Social Media
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North Central Texas Council of Governments
Added 3mo ago
Interns – Digital Productions and Social Media
North Central Texas Council of Governments
Arlington, Texas
Content & Communications
Brand & Social Media
Multimedia Production
Creative & Design
Content Marketing
Social Media Management
Photography
Videography
$17/hr
On-Site
None

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Tips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship in Production Machinist

Obtain documentation of your machining credentials

Gather certificates from your CNC, lathe, or milling training programs and any apprenticeship records before approaching a designated sponsor. J-1 Trainee applications require evidence of at least one year of prior occupational training or experience outside the United States.

Target manufacturers enrolled in E-Verify

Host employers in production machining must comply with work-authorization verification. Prioritizing facilities already enrolled in E-Verify signals that they have handled international workers before and understand the DS-2019 host-employer responsibilities required by your designated sponsor.

Search J-1 friendly machining roles on Migrate Mate

Filter by production and manufacturing roles on Migrate Mate to identify U.S. employers whose hiring patterns align with J-1 program categories. Targeting employers who have hosted exchange visitors before significantly shortens the time between offer and training-plan approval.

Align your training plan to SOC code 51-4041

Your designated sponsor will file a Training or Internship Placement Plan, Form DS-7002, tied to your specific occupation. Framing your machining objectives around measurable skill benchmarks in precision measurement, tolerances, and CNC programming strengthens the plan and reduces sponsor revision requests.

Verify prevailing wage before negotiating your offer

Your host employer must pay you at least the applicable wage for your region and skill level. Look up the rate for your metro area using the OFLC Wage Search before you accept an offer, so you can confirm the compensation meets DOL requirements under your training agreement.

Clarify the two-year home residency requirement early

Some J-1 Trainee participants are subject to a two-year home-country residency requirement after the program ends, depending on your country of nationality and funding source. Ask your designated sponsor to determine your status before accepting the host employer's offer to avoid post-program complications.

Production Machinist J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions

Which J-1 program category applies to Production Machinist roles?

Most Production Machinist candidates qualify under the J-1 Trainee category if they have completed vocational or technical training and at least one year of related work experience outside the United States. Current students enrolled in a degree or diploma program may qualify under the Intern category instead. The distinction matters because Trainee programs allow up to 18 months of placement, while Intern programs are capped at 12 months.

Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a machinist placement?

The visa sponsor is not your employer. It is a U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor organization, such as Cultural Vistas or AIPT, that issues your DS-2019 form and monitors your training plan. Your host employer, the machine shop or manufacturing facility, provides the work site and signs the DS-7002 training plan. The designated sponsor retains legal responsibility for your exchange program compliance throughout your stay.

How do I find U.S. manufacturing employers open to J-1 Trainee placements?

Migrate Mate lets you search U.S. production and manufacturing roles and filter for employers whose hiring history aligns with international exchange programs. Because the J-1 host-employer relationship requires the facility to co-sign a training plan and cooperate with the designated sponsor, targeting employers already familiar with the process reduces delays between offer and DS-2019 issuance.

Can I work on CNC machines or operate heavy equipment under a J-1 Trainee visa?

Yes, hands-on machining work is the purpose of the Trainee program, not incidental to it. Your DS-7002 training plan must describe the specific equipment, processes, and skills you will develop, such as CNC programming, precision measurement, and tolerance verification. USCIS and your designated sponsor will review the plan to confirm it reflects genuine skills transfer rather than routine production-line employment.

What happens if my host employer closes or terminates my placement early?

Your designated sponsor must be notified immediately if your host employer ends the placement. You generally have a 30-day grace period to depart the United States or arrange a new host employer through your sponsor, subject to the sponsor's approval and program time remaining. Switching host employers without sponsor authorization violates your J-1 status, so contact your designated sponsor before taking any new position.