The British-American Business Council
Chicago

J1 VISA PROGRAM

If you are transferring staff to the United States from anywhere in the world, the BABC J1 Visa Program may well offer you a very expedient, easy and cost-effective solution. This program is offered exclusively to members of BABC.  Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) , as well as applications and insurance information, are found below.

What is the Purpose of the Program?

To provide an expedient, cost-effective way for member companies of the BABC in the United States to bring qualified executives into the US for up to 18 months of training and work experience.

How does a Member Company Qualify for the Program?

The company needs to:

1) be a member of a chapter of the BABC in the US; and

2) either be doing business between the US and the UK, through a parent or subsidiary company; or if the company does not have a presence in the UK through a parent or subsidiary relationship, the company must intend to establish a UK office, thereby justifying their need to bring a UK-based executive into the USA for training and work experience.

How does an Executive Qualify for the Program?

1) There are no age or nationality restrictions. However, non-British executives must either be a resident of the UK or already be employed by the applicant company.

2) Participants must have achieved, by academic study and/or work experience, a minimum competency requirement in the relevant field.

3) Executives must have the intention of continuing to do business with the member company upon completion of the training, by being employed by the member company in the UK or country of residence.

What Fields can be Covered by the Program?

The Program covers a wide range of fields, including:

Management, Business, Commerce and Finance
The Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics and Industry
Information, Media & Communications; and
Law

How Much Does It Cost?

The application fee is $1,500.

How long does it take the BABC to process a completed application for sponsorship?

Completed applications are normally processed within five business days upon receipt at the BABC Secretariat’s office.

What happens after the BABC processes my application?

We will issue a DS 2019 (certificate of eligibility for a J-1 Trainee Visa) and send to the sponsor company to forward to the trainee. The trainee makes an appointment with their local US Embassy/Consulate to get approval on the visa. The embassy will then return the trainee’s passport to the trainee along with visa.

How long does it take to have the visa issued at the consulate?

There is no definite time, but allow at least 3 weeks to secure an interview and approval with the Embassy or Consulate.

How much does it cost to obtain the visa at the consulate?

These filing fees and instructions are subject to change and we recommend all trainees contact their local embassies and consulates for the latest information and instructions.

Must the trainee return to his or her home country in order to obtain the visa at the consulate?

We recommend that the trainee be in their home country to obtain the visa – to avoid delays and complications.

What are the U.S. minimum insurance requirements for J-1 trainees?

Each trainee and any accompanying family member must have health insurance that meets the following minimum requirements:

Medical expenses to $50,000 per year
Repatriation of remains (at least $7,500)
Expenses associated with medical evacuation to home country in the amount of $10,000
A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
How would you define a training opportunity?

An opportunity through which the trainee would gain in-depth skills, knowledge and experience about US business practices that they could not get in their home country.

How long can I remain in the host country after the completion of my training?

Upon completion of the training, the trainee may stay up to 30 days as a visitor whereupon they must leave the country.

In some cases the trainee may be subject to the 2-year home residency requirement (usually developing countries that have skills shortages). Trainees may apply for a waiver to the 2-year home residency requirement.

For a JIVisa application, e-mail cbrenkus@babcc.org.
 

Ascot Day - Raffle Items Welcome!

Over 180 senior level executives and their guests will attend the BABC’s Ascot Day on June 16, 2006 at Arlington International Racecourse. Another SOLD OUT event.

Ascot Day is a most delightful social experience. In addition, this event offers a great opportunity for you to market your business to fellow BABC members and their clients.

Among the many exciting activities during the afternoon is the raffle. We invite you to promote and celebrate your business by donating a prize to the raffle. As a raffle donor, your company receives the following recognition:

- Your company would be listed on the Ascot Day page of our Web site, as a raffle donor, with a link to your Web site (http://www.babcc.org/events/AscotDay.htm)
- Your company would be spotlighted during the event, as your company’s prize is presented to the winner
- Your company/donation would be included in the event’s program
- Your company could provide promotional materials for distribution to guests
- Your company would be appreciated in an upcoming e-mail newsletter

What types of prizes could you donate?

Here are some suggestions: gourmet foods, fine wines, household products, and gift certificates to restaurants for sumptuous meals, or to retail shops, or for gasoline! If you have a condo you could rent for a weekend; or boat to host an afternoon party on the lake; if you have tickets to the Sox/Cubs/sporting event or to the symphony/Ravinia/theater, please consider a raffle donation. Be creative ... we are open to ideas you have!

If you would like to participate in this opportunity to market your business and support your Council, please call me 312-828-9861 or e-mail cbrenkus@babcc.org.We appreciate your contribution toward making this event memorable and rewarding for BABC members and guests, for your company, and for the BABC Chicago.

Off to the Races!
 

ANGLOFILE

                                 June 2006

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE SURVEY

Administaff, Inc. (NYSE: ASF), a leading provider of human resources services for small and medium-sized businesses, today reported that a large majority of business owners are either meeting or exceeding their growth estimates and are positive about the business outlook for the remainder of 2006, according to results of the company’s latest Business Confidence Survey.

When asked about their business growth since the beginning of the year, 86 percent of survey respondents said they have been meeting or exceeding their growth projections.

Looking forward, 61 percent of survey respondents said they expect their business growth to be on target for the remainder of the year, and 31 percent think they will exceed their initial expectations. In addition, more than three-fourths – 79 percent – of respondents said they feel positive or mostly positive about business conditions for the balance of 2006, while nearly 18 percent were neutral.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Administaff also released compensation data compiled from its client base of more than 5,000 small and medium-sized businesses throughout the country. A comparison of first-quarter data against the same period in 2005 shows that average compensation is up 5.8 percent and average commissions have increased 4.4 percent. In addition, overtime pay is running 9.5 percent of regular pay.

“The positive business sentiment we were seeing in last year’s surveys and compensation data is continuing in 2006,” said Paul J. Sarvadi, chairman and chief executive officer of Administaff. “Our internal data through the first quarter combined with the confidence level that business owners are communicating for the balance of the year point to continued growth for America’s small and medium-sized businesses.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other highlights of the survey include:
· 44 percent plan to hire more workers in 2006 than they did in 2005.
· 63 percent said overtime is likely to remain the same through the end of the year.
· Companies are filling gaps in their workforce from a combination of sources: 47 percent said they make do with their current staff; 41 percent are hiring new full-time employees; 32 percent rely on outsourcing; 28 percent depend on overtime; 19 percent use temporary workers; and 15 percent hire new part-time employees.
Despite their optimism, employers are still grappling with a number of business challenges. Survey respondents ranked the following issues in order of importance as they relate to their businesses:
1. Health care costs
2. Economic conditions
3. Energy costs
4. Competition
5. Employee retention

Commenting about his economic outlook, one business owner said, “Our income ability has definitely improved for some parts of our business this year. However, I am still concerned that more bad economic news, the rising cost of supplies due to increased fuel costs, and the depressed mood caused by the war will keep the bottom line the same or even dip again.”

For others, the outlook is more optimistic. “We finished up last year strong and expect to finish strong again this year,” said one respondent. Another reported, “The outlook for the balance of 2006 is very positive.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Business Confidence Survey
The Administaff Business Confidence Survey was conducted in late April. The questions were designed to take the pulse of the small business community and help gauge the expectations of business owners in 2006. Researchers surveyed a sample of chief executive officers, chief financial officers and other executives in a variety of industries at Administaff client companies across the United States. The overall sampling error is +/- 4 percent at the 99 percent confidence level.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Article contributed by BABC Chicago Members Gary Breden (847-233-3731) and Joe O’Malley (847-233-3718), Consultants with Administaff .

Administaff is the nation’s leading professional employer organization (PEO), serving as a full-service human resources department that provides small and medium-sized businesses with administrative relief, big-company benefits, reduced liabilities and a systematic way to improve productivity.

For additional information, visit Administaff’s Web site at http://www.administaff.com/.

If you would like to submit an article to Anglofile, please e-mail Chris Brenkus at cbrenkus@babcc.org.  Article contributions are most welcome.

­­            MEMBER to Member Benefit

Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo & Audi ... plus plenty of pre-owned vehicles to choose

In addition, the Laurel Jaguar, Land Rover , Volvo & Audi VIP Purchase Program offers the following:

* Low rate, on the spot financing
* Kelly Blue Book is used for all trade appraisals
* Immediate delivery on new or pre-owned vehicles

Trans Atlantic Relocation Purchase/Lease Program

 My name is Andy Taylor and I'm the Transatlantic Relocation Consultant here at Laurel Motors. As a fellow Brit who moved to the US 4 years ago, I understand how hard it can be to buy a house, car or obtain a credit card etc with no credit history here in America. It can be very frustrating.. Having excellent credit back home means nothing...I felt like I had just landed here from Mars.

 Over the Internet I came across other Europeans being relocated to America, who needed a vehicle but were experiencing finance problems. Laurel Motors have recognized this issue and now have a Finance Program in place.

* Non-US citizens
* No credit history established in North America
* Looking to lease or buy
* New or pre-owned vehicles
* As long as you have a current Visa, employment & housing agreement contract, Laurel can provide the vehicle and the financing ... hassle free!!!

For details on all programs plus current inventory listings, please call
or  e-mail
Andy Taylor
Tel:      708-468-1113
E-mail:  TaylorA4@autonation.com

If you are a Human Resources Director and have relocated employees from abroad and need a quick and easy program to Buy or Lease an Automobile, contact Andy for details.

"The Winner's Attitude : Using the "Switch" Method to Change How You Deal with Difficult People and Get the Best Out of Any Situation at Work"

Congratulations to Jeff and Val Gee on the publication of their new book, "The Winner's Attitude."  The book is its 2nd reprint.

MEMBER RECOMMENDATION

Do you have a restaurant, hotel, travel, or other tips you would like to share with fellow members? If so, e-mail your recommendations  to Chris Brenkus.

SAVE THE DATES

* June 1, 5:30-? Pub Quiz Night at Elephant & Castle, 160 E. Huron

* June 8, 5:30-7:30 - Festival of English Cheeses & Wine Networking Reception at Jack Waddell Interiors, 1016 W. Madison

* June 15, 11:30-2 p.m.  2006 FIFA World Cup.  Enjoy a Fish & Chips lunch while watching live football, England vs. Trinidad and Tobago, at the Hotel InterContinental.

* June 16, 2-7 p.m. Ascot Day at Arlington International Racecourse - SOLD OUT

* September 27, 6-10 p.m.  British Consul General Awards Dinner at the InterContinental Hotel

* December 8, 6-Midnight - Twelfth Annual British Christmas Gala at the Cultural Center-Yates Gallery
 

Business Information Databases

The BABC provides members with access to a variety of business information databases, on a highly concessionary basis. For more information, or to access these databases, please contact Sherry Dolatshahi at sdolatshahi@babinc.org

Databases

Bureau van Dijk – “AMADEUS”
AMADEUS is a comprehensive, pan-European database containing financial information on Top 250,000 public and private companies in 38 European countries. Up to 100 search criteria (including all financial items) can be combined so we can identify both individual, and groups of, companies quickly and easily.

The standard report includes the following:
Company name, address, phone number, fax number, URL and email address, legal form, year of incorporation, Main exchange, trade description and primary and secondary industry codes, financial profile (up to 10 years of information is available per company), number of employees, board members & officers, auditors, company ownership (shareholders, parents and subsidiaries for both public and private companies). Both direct and indirect ownership is detailed.


Bureau van Dijk – “ICARUS"
ICARUS is a database of top 250,000 US and Canadian companies. Up to 30 search criteria can be combined in order for us to identify both individual, and groups of, companies quickly and easily. The data on a company’s activities and executives is detailed, with various hierarchical search options making ICARUS ideal for marketing campaigns as well as research projects.


The standard report includes the following:
Company name, address, phone number, company type indicator (private/public), ticker symbol, stock exchange, year founded, state of incorporation, sales figures (estimated in bands), number of employees, (estimated in bands), US SIC code, NAICS Code, line of business, parents, subsidiaries, executive-senior management, bank, accountant.

 

"2006 FIFA World Cup™
Offered by the InterContinental Chicago
Friday June 9, 2006 to Sunday July 9, 2006


Thirty-two teams from across the globe make up the field for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ finals. Six continents are represented and six past winners will take part, including hosts Germany, who head the 14-strong European contingent, and holders Brazil who lead the South American challenge.

The InterContinental Chicago’s Salon will air live games and recorded games will be played though out the day on their 50” HD Plasma TV.

Executive Chef Hans Lentz will delight fans with culinary feasts from Germany, Italy, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Cote D’Ivoire and Korea to commemorate participants of the World Cup on a daily basis from 11:00 a.m. to Midnight. Breakfast items will be sold during the early morning games.

On the Salon’s menu during the celebration, fans will be inspired with Traditional German Weisswurst, Traditional English Fish and Chips, Freshly Italian Baked Pizza Margherita, Classic USA Chicago Hamburger, Brazilian Feijoada Black Bean and Pork Stew, Flan Steak Sandwich with Chimichurie and Acheote spiced French Fries from Argentina, Cote D’Ivoire Spiced Chicken Kebab Sandwiches and Crispy Seoul Spring Rolls. These menus items will be available all day, every day and range from $10.50 to $17.50.

For more information or reservations, contact Alex Ariel at 312-321-8858. The InterContinental Salon is located in the lobby level in the Historical Tower.