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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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34 Comments

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

Photo by Google Images

Over the coming weeks, hundreds of Irish J-1 visa students will arrive in the U.S. for what is sure to be a summer of adventure. With the J-1 season about to kick off, many third level students will use their experience as a gauge for possible future immigration.

Speaking to the Irish Voice from his home in Limerick City, Andrew Graham was preparing for his imminent trip to New York. The 22-year-old student said he is using the J-1 program to sample life in America.

A final year construction management student at Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), he reflects that employment prospects in his industry in Ireland are minimal.

“It is hard to get a job in construction, but I am prepared to go anywhere there is work,” he told the Irish Voice.

Graham and his friend Brian Treacy decided to wait until they were over 21 to avail of the J-1 program, which allows visa holders to spend three months in the U.S.

“Myself and Brian are not going for the stereotypical J-1 experience,” he explained. “We want to get a better picture of what life is like.”

For Graham, his journey to the Big Apple is the trip of a lifetime.

“I have always wanted to go there but because of the recession it was not a financial option,” he said.
The two friends plan on hitting up Irish neighborhoods in search of work.

“I think we are aiming for Yonkers at the moment. We know there is a high percentage of Irish living there and Gaelic Park is there.

“We will do anything,” Graham says, “within reason. We just want to pay for our living expenses and have a good time”.

In the middle of his finals at the University of Limerick (UL), Treacy, 22, took a break from studying to speak to the Irish Voice.

New York was an obvious choice for his J-1 experience, having already traveled here four times. The two friends intend to stay with Treacy’s uncle until they can find jobs in a place he describes as the best city in the world.

In preparation, Treacy, a math student, got in touch with various GAA clubs New York and is gearing up to play for Kerry during his time here.

“There is no Limerick team,” he explained.

Treacy says a lot of his fellow students are heading abroad this summer to sample life in the U.S.

“When I went up for my interview in the American Embassy in Dublin, it was all UL students that day,” he said.

“I know 20 students studying business that are going to Ocean City.”

The price of a typical J-1 summer abroad does not come cheap. The average cost of a J-1 visa with flights and insurance included is around $1,300. As well as this, travel agents recommend students have at least a few thousand dollars to use as a buffer while they search for work and accommodation.

“Pretty much all my savings will be used,” Treacy said.

Despite the expense, the two friends are determined to enjoy their time in New York and have already made plans for the summer. The students are already looking forward to Labor Day weekend when they will attend the Electric Zoo music festival in Randall’s Island.

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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.

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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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