Press Releases

Press Release: J-1 Visas Up 50% for 2005

July 13, 2005

The U.S. Embassy in Dublin issued 7780 J-1 visas between January 1 and July 11 for young Irish wishing to spend a summer living and working in the United States, or seeking training, internship, or educational J-1 visas. This represents an increase of 50 percent over the same period in 2004, when 5171 J-1 visas were issued.

U.S. Ambassador James C. Kenny credits this increase to “a greater awareness among young Irish of the potential benefits of spending a summer in the States during their early adult years.” The increase can also be attributed in part to a consular outreach program over the spring that saw U.S. Embassy officials, including the Ambassador, visit campuses across the country to encourage greater participation by Irish students in the J-1 program.

While the decline in J-1 visas in previous years had been attributed to such causes as 9/11, a much stronger Irish job market, competing opportunities to work abroad, and even political differences over foreign policy issues, this year’s increase clearly demonstrates that many young men and women in Ireland see the value in spending a summer in America. “The J-1 program is about much more than just jobs,” said Amb. Kenny, “it’s about a cultural and educational experience you cannot get anywhere else.”

Early reports from students arriving in the U.S. indicated there were a few scattered problems with finding jobs and getting social security numbers, but intensive engagement by Embassy staff and sponsoring organizations resolved them quickly. “All in all,” said Amb. Kenny, “we have made every effort to ensure that the widest possible range of students across Ireland had the opportunity to learn about the J-1 visa program and, once engaged in it, to ensure that the process worked as smoothly as possible to ensure they have a fruitful and enjoyable experience in America. We are determined that this ‘rite of passage’ in Ireland will come to play a stronger role in the Irish-American relationship in the years ahead.”

July 13, 2005