US Immigration Reform 2013

iDann

Is there anything in the bill that benefits Irish citizens looking for a visa?

ProudDUB

I think it is mainly to regularize the situation for the millions of illegal immigrants & their families, who are over there already & who have been there for years. Whether they are Irish or not doesn't come into it. I don't think it's intended a leg up for people who are only now wanting to move over there.

silja

I agree- it is not country specific. It'll make some parts of immigration go away (both sibling petitions and the DV lottery are potentially on the chopping block). Now, if DOMA was an issue for you, there is good news!

duck_77

In the Immigration Reform document (about 800 pages) there is a specific mention of Ireland and the modification to the current E3 visa.

I have mentioned this in a previous thread, here is an excerpt:

Although the same bill does provide for E3 visas for Irish Citzens which are significant in difference from the Australian version (For Australian Citizens). It only requires High School dip and 2 years of experience/training in a job that requires it. However, it still needs a job before coming over.

Note that the Aus one was for Specialists (Bachelor Degree) qualified.

Here is the addition in the bill to the original E visa:

amended by inserting ‘‘, or solely to perform services as an employee and who has at least a high school educationor its equivalent, or has, within 5 years, at least 2 years of work experience in an occupation which requires at least 2 years of training or experience if the alien is a national of the Republic of Ireland,’’ after ‘‘Australia’’

The E3 visa is currently open to Austrailian Citizens to work in the USA but Charles Schumer (D-NY) is part of the Group of Eight looking to change US immigration laws.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-3_visa / http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/usc...00b92ca60aRCRD

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world...cans-1.1363598

rockonollie

God bless anyone willing to read the whole detail of the bill.....I actually think that half of those in the senate and house voting on the bill don't know what it contains. (When one senator was asked if he had read the healthcare bill, he responded saying that they have "people" to do that for them)

While there are minor changes to the procedures for issuing visas, the bill is mostly aimed at combatting illegal immigration and dealing with immigrants already in the US illegally.

It's another wait an see situation.......I wouldn't get too excited just yet.....most believe that it will fall in the House vote and will probably be changed mulitple times before it gets passed, if it ever does.

jjbrien

The bill as i take it is to A grant immigation status to people who have been there illigally for years some irish do fall into that category but its not for new irish looking for a greencard. The other main factor behind this bill is money. All the years of the illegal people not paying any taxes as soon as they get landed status then they have to cough up years of unpaid taxes which would be a nice winfall for the US government. The other aim is if anyone is unsuccessful gaining residency for a visa it makes it easier to deport them.

rockonollie

Some pretty strong statements from the republican sides this week....

they are against the parts of the bill that create a path to citizenship for those currently here illegally.

The democrats won't agree on any bill that doesn't include those provisions.

The republics said this week that if the democrats aren't willing to accept a bill that leaves out the path to citizenship, then they will end up getting nothing at all.

Looks like this will just be another bill that won't get anywhere because of the political sabre-rattling.