No. The Department does not require sponsors to submit a Permission to Issue request when placing exchange visitors at U.S. businesses serving as STEM host organizations. Placement of academic exchange visitors at off-campus host organizations is currently permitted by the regulations and consistent with the current practice and placement of students performing academic training or student interns at off-campus host organizations in their chosen field of study. With respect to the STEM initiative, short-term scholars, research scholars, professors and specialists in the STEM field may also be placed at host organizations by academic sponsors.As clarified by the Department in Guidance Directive 2019-02, Permission to Issue Form DS-2019 authorization facilitates the entry of qualified exchange visitors to participate in BridgeUSA at academic or research institutions that are not currently designated as BridgeUSA sponsors. The Department uses this opportunity to further clarify that in this circumstance, “academic or research institutions” typically refers to institutions of higher education.Please note that student interns are still required to have a signed Form DS-7002 in place between the sponsor, student intern, and host organization. Designated sponsors issuing Forms DS-2019 must ensure that both exchange visitors and host organizations in the STEM field are sufficiently educated on and comply with the purpose and regulations of BridgeUSA. This obligation includes, but is not limited to, the following requirements: verifying the exchange visitors are eligible to participate in the selected BridgeUSA category; ensuring that the activities in which exchange visitors are engaged are consistent with the category and activity listed on their Forms DS-2019; monitoring the exchange visitors’ health, safety, and welfare; and meeting all reporting obligations of the designated sponsors, including updating the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).