Up to 300 Irish a week are moving to New York to seek work, says Agnes Delaney, the Chairwoman of the Aisling Irish Community Center in New York.
Her comments were made in an interview with WCBS News.
“We probably see about 300 people come through these doors every week,” said Delaney. “More and more are coming, especially for the last four years, since 2008, when the economy in Ireland started to go down.”
She says they have the same good work ethic that generations of previous Irish have.
“It’s not that they’re walking in the door and saying ‘Poor me.’ They’re walking in the door and looking for the adventure and looking for work,” she said.
The flood of new Irish is confimed by Paul Finnegan, executive director of the New York Irish Center in Long Island City.
“I get e-mails all the time from people in Ireland wondering how they can come to live and work legally in the United States,” said Finnegan.
“We implement the ancient Irish spirit of welcome, which is the Gaelic word failte, so everyone is welcome here,” said Paul Finnegan, speaking of the center .
Finnegan stated that efforts to secure the E3 visa that would allow more Irish to come to work here legally are critical.
“Nobody’s looking for preferences for the Irish. We’re just looking for a level playing field,” said Finnegan.
“I have a very hard time telling people in Ireland that want to come here that they really shouldn’t consider it unless they have a viable option to become legal here,” he told WCBS.
The E3, which has been bottled up by Senator Charles Grassley in the senate, would allow 10,500 reciprocal working visas for the Irish in America.
Twenty other counties have reciprocal visa arrangements with the US but Ireland has none.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.gowestie | Mar 15, 2012, 09:52 PM EDT
I am American/Irish and to be honest I don't want more illegal immigrants in the USA no matter where they are from. If you have a legal work visa then good on ya..... But the USA has a high unemployment rate and the last thing we need is a bunch of quitters from their own country coming here to compete for jobs with unemployed Americans.
OBPiper | Mar 15, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT
BTW, last fall when I was in Ireland with my Galway Girl, we both were appalled at the number of business run (and staffed) by continental Europeans. Wake up, Erin!
OBPiper | Mar 15, 2012, 10:56 AM EDT
As said in the Pace salsa commercial, "NEW YORK?!?" Come to California, forget NYC. Some aspects of culture aside, it is quite a negative place and ranks very low in the U.S.A. I've never been there and don't intend to ever go.
ciaradexy | Mar 14, 2012, 04:48 PM EDT
IrelandNorth,are you and your family and friends applying for all those jobs I see everyday on nixers .ie? I doubt it! Yes there are jobs but the Irish arent applying for them! My mates cant get Irish experienced bar staff! What do you suggest they do?
IrelandNorth | Mar 14, 2012, 06:22 AM EDT
There are plenty of jobs in Ireland. But they're all taken up by foreign nationals who apparently are entitled to be her due to EU labour migration laws. The Irish Government is grant aided by both the EU and China to employ and train their nationals. Ireland is now a training agency for international capital. Monopoly capital is to blame.
brendanryan | Mar 14, 2012, 12:17 AM EDT
Its very likely that if they are 300 a week arriving in NYC that they are legal. It would be insane to come here without legal work status. Its straight forward to get a 1 year working visa... what the E3 Visa bill will give us ex-pats is the option to remain living and working in the US for a more long term stay as long of course as we are employed... Remember that any Irish immigrant here most certainly pays there own way and in that way actually contributes to the economy through spending and circulating money. I don't really understand, what the whole fuss about "immigrants coming over taking your jobs" is about. Its a completely ignorant statement, the US is a nation of immigrants, Italian, Mexican, Irish, Asian, Polish... the list goes on. Ireland is a very small nation which even in economic prosperity couldn't give the same kind of opportunities a city like NY can.
dukmarshal@aol.com | Mar 13, 2012, 11:59 PM EDT
Look at the whole picture. People, be they Nigerian, Polish, or Romanian migrate to where they might find work which will sustain life. Ireland in the Celtic Tiger years was better of and relative close. This is nothing more than the Irish did when they had a third world economy in the 1850's thru the 1880's, or the 1900's thru the 1930's or the 1960's thru the 1980's. The US has always been a home to immigrants, thou in recent years it has been restricted instead of a wide open door. Some of the post here echo the arguments we hear out here in western US. However many jobs taken by immigrants are bypassed by our own longer established citizens.
warrenpoint00 | Mar 13, 2012, 08:11 PM EDT
I think with the approval of America of course, the Irish emigrant worker should head on over to Iraq take advantage of all the post war resources that are available, tap into the GOP,S favourite Haliburton Corp, war/peace chest, humiliate the Iraqis...again, maybe make a buck on all the oil, man oil every where in Iraq . Then the Irish can make their way to Afghanastan Irish dudes might not make a lot of money in Afghan but they can all get gloriously high on the vast amount of poppy seeds available in this poor unfortunate place that has been raped murdered and pilaged by all of the so called super powers of the world.Now the question the emigrant Irish have to ask themselves is ' do you really need a job this badly". Really
MCCOLGAN1492 | Mar 13, 2012, 06:19 PM EDT
The great thing about America is we are a country of immigrants. Come on over!!! Streets aren't paved with gold however, if you work hard and save, the dream is here to be had. The New York Construction Industry is climbing out of a slump and new jobs are still a little lean so look to the West. North Dakota is the place to go...Go West Young Man and Lady, Go West. Three percent unemployment, plenty of opportunity for both the journeyman and the apprentice. Especially on the Oil Rigs and Ancillary Industries. President O'bama(our great Irish American Leader) is investing alot of resources into the development of the US Energy Industry as are Private Corporations. The same negative individuals on this site that say stay home, we don't want you, nothing here, are bitter as they don't have the drive,courage or determination of the immigrant. Ignore them!
el jefe | Mar 13, 2012, 06:15 PM EDT
i cant understand why so many irish have to leave ireland to make a decent living when our country is being over run by nigerians who can live verry good lives on our welfare system..its terrible to think what ireland wil be like in 20 or 30 yrs time .can we not learn from the other european countries who let in mass immigration to sit on their welfare checks
section4 | Mar 13, 2012, 06:12 PM EDT
There are jobs in Ireland alright but they are all being taken by immigrants, 10000 immigrants into ireland to date in 2012, 70000 came into ireland to work last year in the worst recession in irish history. In 2008 8 out 10 jobs in ireland were taken by immigrants, irish employers dont want irish people they want compliant foreign labour. And irish politicians know whats going on but dont care and then they have the4 cheek to come to the US and plead for visas when they are letting the whole world into ireland and thats why irish havew to leave
antoman | Mar 13, 2012, 05:50 PM EDT
Push inland lads. Lean into it. Its a big continent. Shur everyone goes to New York like.
section4 | Mar 13, 2012, 05:40 PM EDT
Its strange, as ireland has let in 10000 people into ireland this year already to work, 1000 alone from Brazil, and last year 70000 people came into ireland to work.
GeorgeDillon | Mar 13, 2012, 05:20 PM EDT
Bythebay: "The Irish Government should create its own jobs which it seems totally unable to do." You obviously are unfamilar with today's Ireland. There are countless jobs available in Ireland. Good, decent jobs--security guard, truck driver, hotel receptionist, retail sales,barman etc. etc. Don't have any sympathy with Irish looking for special treatment from US Immigration. They deserve nothing from us.
GeorgeDillon | Mar 13, 2012, 05:17 PM EDT
"Now can I go over to Ireland and obtain employment since I can't secure employment in this great country where I was born". Why don't you cut out the middle man? Go straight to Poland, beaumax.
Murph46 | Mar 13, 2012, 03:35 PM EDT
I was under the impression they had to HAVE a job to come until this new immigration bill gets sorted out.
roxolid1 | Mar 13, 2012, 02:54 PM EDT
I think this marks a groovy start of great things to come! Being in the employment creation process myself, these new immigrants should stand a very good chance of finding a job out here.
MegK311 | Mar 13, 2012, 02:51 PM EDT
With so many people out of work here in the US I think it is pointless for people to come here from other countries to find jobs. We need to find jobs for the people already here.
butlerreport | Mar 13, 2012, 12:06 PM EDT
Unless you have a visa to work in the U.S. don't waste your time and money coming here. Nobody will hire you - hiring illegals will land an employer in jail and he gets a $10,000 fine and you deported without the ability to return for a decade or more. Try Canada.
bob40wil | Mar 13, 2012, 11:29 AM EDT
To Irish paddy, if you dislike your Country so much just wait, Aer Lingus will have a sale and all it will take is a one way ticket for you to leave, as the saying goes, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.
1661996usmc | Mar 13, 2012, 11:13 AM EDT
Grassley must be an "Orange Man" as well as a republican
irishpaddy | Mar 13, 2012, 11:03 AM EDT
What irony! I would give my left arm to be able to return to my Grandparents ancestral home! I don't need a job. Because of years of playing football (US Style) I have a few bones fused in my beck and get a check each month. All I need is a small flat and Internet access. Plus a part time job for drinking money. My heart aches everyday being stuck in the US. But Eire is going through the final statges of economic problems. The US is on the edge and about to go over the edge. Mother Eire bring me home!
beaumax99 | Mar 13, 2012, 10:52 AM EDT
I don't know about this. Doesn't sound real. How can 300 Irish come here every week looking for work when there isn't 300 jobs for people who are already citizens and who were born here? But if the newly arriving Irish can manage to obtain work..I wish them all the best!! Now can I go over to Ireland and obtain employment since I can't secure employment in this great country where I was born? I am not being sarcastic! I would love to live in Ireland.
Mike1 | Mar 13, 2012, 10:44 AM EDT
I think it is a good article. Very informative. Niall, in your humble opinion how hopeful are you of the bill for the E3 visa being passed?
pilib04 | Mar 13, 2012, 10:41 AM EDT
cillowen, presumably you know a lot about this through personal experience. Take care of yourself, others will do the same.
Niall O'Dowd | Mar 13, 2012, 09:55 AM EDT
Eamonn fail to see why it is a poorly written article, it makes clear the Irish Center sees 300 new people a week, how is that misleading?
bogsidebunny | Mar 13, 2012, 09:30 AM EDT
I've heard thousands upon thousands are trying to get to Canada and Australia. 100,000 unfinished, vacant homes in the country going to seed. Unemployment approaching 15%. The politicians are trying the "auld traditional Irish bully-Boy" tactics on the European Union and the European central Bank to forgive huge bailout loans and lower interest rates for the poor, destitute innocent country that was forced into the Celtic Tiger by those Nazis in Berlin. Sorry, it just won't work Enda and cronies.The E.U. folks aren't culchies from Kerry!
Eamonn12 | Mar 13, 2012, 08:59 AM EDT
Poorly written article and misleading headline. The woman reported seeing 300 people a week not guessing 300 people are coming per week. Plus, this is only on immigration center in the Bronx/Yonkers. Other areas of the city not brought into consideration. Good going IC.