Frequently Asked Questions

No more than 30 waivers will be granted per federal fiscal year (October 1 through September 30).

In response to a federally approved program, South Dakota may place up to 10 of the allotted 30 positions in a non-designated area.  Please refer to the special program application.

You may find job openings in South Dakota in a variety of ways. You may wish to visit 3RNET.org or practicelink.com to search for openings. You may also search classified ads and professional journals or contact healthcare facilities directly.

We do not do direct J-1 physician placement. We only process applications that are submitted by a healthcare facility.

Visit j1visawaiverstatus.state.gov to follow your application process through the Department of State.

The amount of time necessary to completely process an application varies based on the level of accuracy in the initial application. Processing time is usually 3-6 months from the time we receive the application to when the Department of State makes a decision.

Visit the SD Department of Labor and Regulation website to learn about South Dakota wages.

Visit travelsouthdakota.com or sdgoed.com to get a feel for life in South Dakota. You may also wish to contact the Chamber of Commerce in the area in which you are interested.

Contact the Office of Rural Health at 605-773-3361 or DeAnn.Sprenger@state.sd.us.