J-Visa for the USA!

Colmfatcamp

I think this deserves it's own thread, due to it's hugeness!

US to issue 20,000 one-year work visas

"TWENTY THOUSAND one-year working visas to the United States are to be made available under a deal to be agreed in a final round of talks in Washington today, it emerged last night.

Under the new agreement, the J visas will be available not just to students as the existing three-month J1 visas, but to anyone with a secondary-school education, or a trade.

The package has been worked on for several months by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Embassy in Washington, led by Ambassador Michael Collins, and the US state department.

Speaking in New York in July, Taoiseach Brian Cowen made it clear that action on visas and immigration to the United States would be a priority during his time in office.

The visa deal to be agreed today with the state department will come into force in the New Year, sources said last night. So far, it is not yet clear what the top qualifying age for applications will be.

Relations between the Irish-American community and the Government, which were near- poisonous in the final months before Bertie Ahern departed from office, have improved significantly in recent times."


This is the best news I've heard in a long time! I'm glad a deal has been brokered, it may not be a huge amount but it's definetely a start. Cant wait to hear more information on it, keep your ears to the ground people!

CC

Deedsie

Was there any indication when people will be able to apply for these visas? I fair regret not going on a J1. Not missing this opportunity.

Uncle Rico

It will be interesting to hear exactly what the stipulations to qualify will be. I know a lot of the foreign one year visas the age limit is 30.
There doesn't seem to be any update on the American Embassy site yet.

I'm guessing a huge amount of people will apply in the first year, particularly tradespeople due to the current climate of their sector.

Colmfatcamp

I'm reading and hearing various reports that there will be a cut-off age, which will presumably reduce the amount of applicants, but I dont expect there to be a mob of entries. 20,000 is quite a lot for a country like ours, and I'm sure those who really want it and are willing to act on it quickly, will indeed get the visa. As long as its not some sort of lottery system, I never really thought much of that idea.

I expect that if this works out well then further opportunities will exist for Irish people in the US down the line, like making the visa's longer or offering other opportunities like that. Ultimately, when you are actually living there for a year then there is a far greater chance of securing a livlihood for yourself there through other avenues.

CC

2Scoops

Hopefully, not very many people will overstay on these visas.

Sqaull20

When is it going to come in?

I'll be finished my apprenticeship next November or so if everything goes well ( it will probably come in Oct 28th with my luck )

States isnt really booming like OZ is it?

What would be the best place to go for work and weather?

Is it going to be like OZ with a 3 month limit on job?

jank

I would like to take one of these if im eligable. 27 now, 28 in 6 months, so not getting younger but nothing yet on an age limit

Kanney

Nothing yet on age limit, whats the site where we'll be able to know the details, I know they're supposed to be announced this week.
Whats everyones expectations for age? Early 20's? Late 20's? 30 Years old cut off point??

jank

It will be 30 or nothing

silja

Australia's cut-off is 26 so I am thinking it may be that. Though if these visas are aimed at making illegals legal, as some have speculated, there may be no age limit.

brendansmith

silja wrote: »

Australia's cut-off is 26

Incorrect

Benedict XVI

brendansmith wrote: »

Incorrect

Thanks for your insight, but could you please do us all a favor and tell us what the cut off age is seeing as you believe 26 is incorrect.

It would be helpful.

Xavi6

31 is the cut off

damnyanks

Got links? Is it all official now ? When can we apply

Benedict XVI

damnyanks wrote: »

Got links? Is it all official now ? When can we apply

Xavi6 wrote: »

31 is the cut off

Lets Avoid confusion here

Is 31 the cutoff for the US or AUS ?

Xavi6

Benedict XVI wrote: »

Lets Avoid confusion here

Is 31 the cutoff for the US or AUS ?

31 is the age for Australia

I was responding to your comment at brendansmith

damnyanks

my bad

silja

I stand corrected, it's 30 for Australia!
http://www.workpermit.com/australia/temporary/working_holiday_visa.htm

Colmfatcamp

It's 35 for Canada, but there's probably no point in speculating! I suspect that because it was never mentioned in initial reports then there may not be an age limit, but I haven't heard any more word about the visa's because I dont think everything is finalised on it yet.

CC

Kanney

What do you think will be the odds of a 22 year old? I'm out of college (dropped out), have family (as most) in Boston, and am starting college again in Sept. Hoping to get on this from Jan-Sept.
I'm getting my hopes up I guess, but I love America, pretty much everything about it.

estebancambias

Hate the ordeal of getting a visa....luckily for me if i ever go there my entery will be easy...the thing is i couldn't be bothered going back..

kjt

Kanney wrote: »

What do you think will be the odds of a 22 year old? I'm out of college (dropped out), have family (as most) in Boston, and am starting college again in Sept. Hoping to get on this from Jan-Sept.
I'm getting my hopes up I guess, but I love America, pretty much everything about it.

I'd say no bother to you

silja

Kanney wrote: »

What do you think will be the odds of a 22 year old? I'm out of college (dropped out), have family (as most) in Boston, and am starting college again in Sept. Hoping to get on this from Jan-Sept.
I'm getting my hopes up I guess, but I love America, pretty much everything about it.

I don't think the visas will be available for January 09 if that is what you are planning, as they haven't even announced the details yet, but maybe you could try for January 2010.

I would think it'll be a sort of lottery- an application period of a few weeks, and then if there are more applicants than visas, they'll draw names out of a hat.

Bonnie's Babe

The announcement on www.rte.ie/news last week said that details would be finalised by tomorrow so fingers crossed! We're planning on going to Toronto next May but may change to Boston if this was an option - just hoping for age limit of 35!!!

Kanney

silja wrote: »

I don't think the visas will be available for January 09 if that is what you are planning, as they haven't even announced the details yet, but maybe you could try for January 2010.

I would think it'll be a sort of lottery- an application period of a few weeks, and then if there are more applicants than visas, they'll draw names out of a hat.

Surely it wont take over a year to finalise the visas will it?

Carturo

estebancambias wrote: »

Hate the ordeal of getting a visa....luckily for me if i ever go there my entery will be easy...the thing is i couldn't be bothered going back..

Good post. :rolleyes:

silja

Kanney wrote: »

Surely it wont take over a year to finalise the visas will it?

No, but if you want to go in January, you'd need to have the visa by the end of 2008, and I do not think that visas will be issued this year- the original press release said "The visa deal to be agreed today with the state department will come into force in the New Year"- that sounds to me like the visas can be applied for early in 2009; add to that processing and security checks, and I would imagine that the first visas will actually be issues in spring 2009 at the earliest. If they do something similar like with the Diversity Lottery it could even take a year or more from application till you actually get the visa.

Darren1o1

silja wrote: »

No, but if you want to go in January, you'd need to have the visa by the end of 2008, and I do not think that visas will be issued this year- the original press release said "The visa deal to be agreed today with the state department will come into force in the New Year"- that sounds to me like the visas can be applied for early in 2009; add to that processing and security checks, and I would imagine that the first visas will actually be issues in spring 2009 at the earliest. If they do something similar like with the Diversity Lottery it could even take a year or more from application till you actually get the visa.

The J1 visa (internship) do not take long to arrange, maybe a few weeks, I do not see this being much different.

Bass Cadet

People have to remember that this works both ways. There are people in the states desperate to work and live here too (stop laughing at the back!). So I assume that the process will work at similar speeds...ie hopefully the same as the J-1 student visa's!

Bass Cadet

jank wrote: »

It will be 30 or nothing

when people say it might be '30'...do you mean 30 and under (inclusive)? Is that what it is in Oz?

Bonnie's Babe

Yes, up to age 30