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THE LOWER HOUSE of the US Congress has passed a bill that would open up a number of visas designated for Australians to Irish citizens.
The two-year, E-3 work visas (which can be renewed indefinitely) would come from the unused portion of the 10,500 E-3 visas currently allotted to Australia. The spouses of E-3 visa holders are permitted to apply for employment authorisation documents.
After 15 minutes of debate, it was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives last night. The bill needs the support of both the House and the Senate to become law.
Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, who tabled the bill along with Democrat Richard Neal, told the House before the vote that the bill would smoothen the process of legal immigration for “one of our oldest allies”.
“The United States was built on hard work and the determination of immigrants – many of them who hail from Ireland. Through their perseverance, they have enabled this country to grow and prosper.”
This modest proposal would give Irish nationals the opportunity to work in the US under the non-immigrant visa category of the E-3 visa, previously reserved only for Australian nationals. Ireland in the meantime, has proposed a reciprocal work visa specific to US nationals so that those wanting to live and work in Ireland can more easily do so.
He said that this deal would make the legal immigration process easier for both nations.
Applicants outside the United States may apply directly at a US consulate, thus avoiding lengthy processing times with US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
He stressed that this would not increase immigration, but would reallocate the visas already in existence.
Independent Senator Billy Lawless has been working with Democrats and Republicans to ensure that there is bi-partisan support for the initiative. He said previously of the bill:
“It is my ardent hope that in addition to creating future flow Irish immigration to the USA that many undocumented Irish will also qualify for this scheme,” said Lawless.
“We have seen disappointment in the past on immigration legislation, particularly in 2007 and 2013 when we came close, but I am cautiously optimistic in welcoming this new deal, given that the President, the Homeland Security Chief and the Speaker’s Office are pushing this bill forward during the lame duck session.”
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Not to worry, the Queen and Obama’s visit should kick extra tourism into gear any time now.. Lol
These figures and a decline in exports are the start of a further decline in economic activity.
The next Exchequer returns for the jan mar period will see a reduction in spend thus proving austerity is forcing the economy into a depression.
This allied to a budget taking 3.5 billion
out will lead to a bleak 2011/12
Part of the decrease may have to do with a slowdown in emigration also.
Please tell me you mean immigration Noel? ;)
What? People AREN’T going on holidays in the winter?
And partly the impact of circa 15 flights in and 15 flights out of the Galway Airport that are no more
The useless DAA should sell the old terminal building in Cork airport to Ryanair. Let them make a regional hub out of it like they wanted to do when the new one opened and then we’ll see the numbers rise…at the moment its just sitting there empty…lateral thinking is needed.
The decline in movements doesn’t necessarily correspond to passenger decline.
The Cork decline looks bad, but amounts to 6 movements a day. Then you look at what those movements were.
The Manx2 flight to Belfast, which was canned after the crash, accounted for 4 of them, yet the plane only had a capacity of 19 and usually carried 10-15 people.
Also gone are the Air SouthWest flights to Newquay and Plymouth after the airline ceased operating. Their aircraft would have been the same size that Aer Arann use.
And then there seem to be fewer ski charters.
Passenger numbers are only down by 2%, despite the large fall in flight movements.
These figures refer to number of flights – not necessarily the number of passengers. Airlines may be running less flights with higher passenger loads, or bigger aircraft.
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