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Irish J1 students flocking to America looking for work

Students snap up visas as economy in Ireland still in the doldrums

MOLLY MULDOON,

Irish Voice Reporter

Published Thursday, May 10, 2012, 6:59 AM

Updated Sunday, June 3, 2012, 10:47 AM

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Young men scan their passports at Dublin Airport - J1 season in New York begins

Photo by Google Images

“We want to save money and see all the sites of New York,” says Graham.

If their summer experience goes well, the two final year students are considering applying for the yearlong J-1 visa now available to Irish college graduates.

“I would love to stay there,” Treacy admits. “I don’t think my mother would be happy if I said I was coming for a year.”

Last December, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ordered an “extensive and thorough review” of the J-1 summer work travel visa in response to reports that many students from nations around the world were being exploited.

"We have already instituted one set of reforms and are working toward additional ones that take additional measures to protect participants and prioritize the original cultural intent of the program," a State Department spokesman said at the time.

In response, the State Department launched a new website designated for the J-1 program which details the different variations of the J visas on offer.

According to the website, in 2010 there were 132,342 visas issued.

Numbers for the coming summer J-1 program are expected to remain high. In the Aisling Irish Community Center in Yonkers, board chair Agnes Delaney says they have already received hundreds of J-1 related phone calls.

Established in 1996, the center provides invaluable assistance to Irish immigrants who arrive in the U.S, and the arrival of students in summer makes it their busiest season. The organization provides support and information for many students who arrive here, as for many their J-1 trip is their first time leaving home for an extended period.

“When they arrive at the center, we complete a comprehensive sheet with all their pertinent information including the names of their friends, local phone numbers and a family contact number in Ireland,” Delaney told the Irish Voice.

“We have an Internet cafe with Skype so that they can keep in contact with family and friends.”
The center provides students with folders packed with information. They also have bulletin boards with accommodation and job postings.

“We encourage them to check in with us regularly so that we can be of assistance to them,” says Delaney.

According to Simon Gillespie, games development officer for the New York GAA, he has noticed an increase in the number of J-1 summer students getting in touch this summer compared to 2011.

“My first email for this summer was last September,” Gillespie told the Irish Voice. “They are really planning ahead.

“We have been inundated with emails from students looking for clubs to play with and to come out for the summer and work. The emails started coming in December and January.”

The GAA is like a safety net for J-1 students, according to Gillespie, who says that June and July are the peak months for their involvement.

“It gives them a sense of community,” he says. “If they stay involved with the GAA they will be looked after.”

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15 - 34 | See all comments

MaryM232 | May 13, 2012, 04:42 PM EDT

MeadhbhB, yeah, we're in debt because we're told we need to provide aid to corrupt, cesspits like the one you crawled out of. We're not going to pay China back, but we will enjoy watching China take over Ireland, which your shanty politicians are enabling them to do. My paternal grandmother, who came from Ireland, warned all of her grand children, that it's better to avoid relationships with the Irish, because they're unfortunately over populated with corrupt, cowardly, weak minded and willed individuals. She felt a great deal of shame over her former countrymen, and her grand children listened.

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STEVENSTAR | May 13, 2012, 11:39 AM EDT

@@@ancavker | May 12, 2012, 10:58 AM EDT STEVENSTAIR: I was in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh, and the economy is in the toilet.Yout unemployment (16-25 years old) is at an all time record high. And the U.K. has officialy entered a second recession. Not only that the locals are not happy with the Irish and others coming over looking for scarce jobs. And more thsn a few of those Irish are hanging around doing nothing but drinking. The Irish community Manchester for example is not crazy about this latest batch that are crossing over. They have a real bad attitude.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NOT TRUE AT ALL AT ALL ... I THINK THE ONLY ONE WITH A 'BAD' ATTITUDE AROUND HERE IS YOU !!! ;-) HOW DO U FEEL ABOUT THAT COMMENT ? NO DOUBT YOU'LL LEAVE A BICHY COMMENT BACK AT ME AGAIN AS ALWAYS

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ciaradexy | May 13, 2012, 10:50 AM EDT

helen, this article is about J1 students visiting to work there for a summer. i dont know anyone under the age of 60 who hasnt visited the US. We are a well travelled nation and we are not naive.

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Helen Ferone | May 13, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT

Stay home in Ireland and appreciate what you've got. People are under the impression the US is a bed of roses, and will be sorely disappointed once they get here. New York City is expensive to live in, and pretty soon all the glitz and glamor gets boring. The Irish people are warm and caring, and would willingly help you if you needed it, but not so in the US and with good reason not to trust. If you want a long vacation, and try it come on over, but be sure you want to stay before you committ.

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ciaradexy | May 12, 2012, 06:18 PM EDT

I worked in Usit Now as a travel consultant and in Spring, selling the J1 and other working abroad visas was our main work.

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ciaradexy | May 12, 2012, 06:17 PM EDT

Abhainn, to get the J1 visa you must have insurance. Its pact of the J1 visa package and its compulsory to have. Students can be asked to prove they have insurance when they reach the immigration desk at the airport.

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abhainn | May 12, 2012, 03:05 PM EDT

"The average cost of a J-1 visa with flights and insurance included is around $1,300" but you can save unnecessary expense by skipping the cost of insurance. In all my years travelling in many countries, I only insured myself once, on my first bit trip abroad, because my inexperience made me wary. Don't give away your money to some insurance company; keep it for your own use.

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ciaradexy | May 12, 2012, 12:19 PM EDT

Ancavker, the US is the biggest exporter of arms in the world! Its responsible for more deaths than any other nation on this planet and you wanna talk about the IMF? How many trillions is the US in debt and where is the money gone? Oh thats right, on illegal wars and invasions of other countries and the imposition of your countries 'values' on everyone else. id take a good hard look at yourself and wonder why youre in this mess. Mary, Ireland isnt a socialist country, it never was! Im still quite glad that sick people here are still treated when they are ill regardless of whether they have insurance or not, is that what you mean by socialist? I have been offered a job in the US but decided against it because I couldnt stand to be surrounded by yanks. Youre ok for a holiday but any more of the self indulgent whining and my ears would bleed.

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ancavker | May 12, 2012, 11:02 AM EDT

CIARA: The IMF's largest contributor is the U.S. Countries who utilize the IMF are countries that cannot manage their own financial affairs, like the failed Republic of Ireland. With all of your education and sophisication, you Irish who live in Ireland have made a real mess of the place. And yet you dare to criticize the U.S., and Irish-Americans.

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ancavker | May 12, 2012, 10:58 AM EDT

STEVENSTAIR: I was in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh, and the economy is in the toilet.Yout unemployment (16-25 years old) is at an all time record high. And the U.K. has officialy entered a second recession. Not only that the locals are not happy with the Irish and others coming over looking for scarce jobs. And more thsn a few of those Irish are hanging around doing nothing but drinking. The Irish community Manchester for example is not crazy about this latest batch that are crossing over. They have a real bad attitude.

Report abuse

STEVENSTAR | May 12, 2012, 10:18 AM EDT

@@@@@@@@@@@@SarahinLA | May 12, 2012, 07:52 AM EDT Ciara should do a little research before spouting tripe out of her Irish behind. Who is the biggest funder of the IMF?..............LETS SEE... IS THE ANSWER DISNEYLAND ???

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SarahinLA | May 12, 2012, 09:12 AM EDT

Yet another example of an Irish based poster talking thru their backside. Stevenstar, the UK officially went into wht's termed a double dip reccession about two weeks ago. The unemployment rate in the US is 8.1%.

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SarahinLA | May 12, 2012, 08:45 AM EDT

MeadhbhB, yet another Irish based poster talking out of their behind. The Chinese have huge foreign currency reserves that they need to invest. They choose the safest haven in the world, the US. Yields on 10 year US treasuries are currently 1.82%. If Ireland went to the market at the moment they would have to pay 7.5%. Irish people have this tendency to talk out of their ar** about lots of things that they know nothing about. The Chinese are quite happy to invest in the US.

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SarahinLA | May 12, 2012, 08:10 AM EDT

Eamon12 asks why I am on an 'Irish site'. Irish parents and living in LA. Some of the Ireland based mutants that post here don't seem to understand that this forum is run by the 'Irish Voice' newspaper in New York and 'Irish America' magazine, for Irish Americans. Certain of the contributions from Irish based posters make me go down on my knees and thank the lord that my parents recognized the 'backwardism' in the homeland and move to the greatest country in the world.

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SarahinLA | May 12, 2012, 07:52 AM EDT

Ciara should do a little research before spouting tripe out of her Irish behind. Who is the biggest funder of the IMF?

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