How many J-1 Trainees and Interns came to the U.S. in 2025?

According to the U.S. Department of State, there were 8,605 new J-1 Trainees and 16,877 new J-1 Interns in 2025.

Which countries send the most J-1 Trainees?

In 2025 the top J-1 Trainee sending countries were France (1,418), Indonesia (837), Japan (580), India (556), and Germany (366).

Which countries send the most J-1 Interns?

In 2025 the top J-1 Intern sending countries were Canada (2,099), Indonesia (1,774), the Republic of Korea (1,473), France (1,414), and Germany (1,129).

Where does South Korea rank in the J-1 program?

South Korea is the #3 source of J-1 Interns (1,473 in 2025) but does not appear in the Trainee top 20, meaning Korean participation concentrates in the Intern and academic categories rather than Trainee.

Program Basics

J-1 Trainee and Intern Participants by Country: 2025 Market Data

USTrainee™·August 15, 2026·3 min read·10 views

In 2025 the United States admitted 8,605 new J-1 Trainees and 16,877 new J-1 Interns, according to the U.S. Department of State — and the mix of sending countries is strikingly different between the two categories. If you are a professional weighing the program, a company considering hosting, or simply researching the field, this guide lays out the official country-by-country numbers and explains what they reveal about where the opportunity actually is.

J-1 Trainee: Top Sending Countries (2025)

The Trainee category — for experienced professionals — totaled 8,605 new participants in 2025. France sent nearly one in six of them, far ahead of any other country.

Top 12 of 20. New 2025 Trainee exchange visitors by country of citizenship. Source: U.S. Department of State / BridgeUSA.

J-1 Intern: Top Sending Countries (2025)

The Intern category — for students and recent graduates — is roughly twice the size of Trainee at 16,877 new participants, and the country mix shifts notably.

Top 12 of 20. New 2025 Intern exchange visitors by country of citizenship. Source: U.S. Department of State / BridgeUSA.

What the Numbers Reveal

Comparing the two lists side by side tells a clearer story than either does alone:

Intern is the larger category — about 2× the size of Trainee (16,877 vs 8,605), so for many fields the internship track reaches far more people.
The leading countries differ by category. France leads Trainee; Canada, Indonesia, and the Republic of Korea lead Intern. A country can be a major source in one category and barely register in the other.
Category shapes the country mix. Korea, for example, ranks in the Intern top three (1,473) yet falls outside the Trainee top 20 (cut-off near 85) — a reminder that a country's demand can concentrate in one category rather than spread evenly across them.
Participation is genuinely global. Between the two lists the top sources span Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa — from France, Germany, and Canada to Indonesia, India, Mexico, and South Africa — with Southeast Asia (Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand) clearly rising.

Why This Matters

For an applicant, the category you qualify for is set by your background — students and recent graduates apply as Interns, experienced professionals as Trainees (see our guide on the difference). The country data is a useful reality check on how common your path is. For a host company, it shows where the international talent pool is deepest by field and region. Either way, the clearest takeaway is that the J-1 program is genuinely worldwide: its participants come from every region, and the numbers are worth understanding before you begin.

Sources & References

U.S. Department of State — BridgeUSA Facts & Figures, 2025 Trainee & Intern flyers (j1visa.state.gov)
22 CFR Part 62 — Exchange Visitor Program

Figures are official U.S. Department of State counts of new 2025 exchange visitors. This guide is provided by USTrainee (Summa Global Education), a Department of State–designated J-1 sponsor, for general information only.