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THERE COULD BE a new US visa available to Irish citizens that would allow them to live and work in the US.
A bill was introduced to Congress this week; it needs the support of both the House and the Senate to become law.
The two-year, renewable E3 work visas would come from the unused portion of the 10,500 E3 visas currently allotted to Australia, independent Senator Billy Lawless said.
Lawless and John Deasy the US Government Envoy have been working with Democrats and Republicans to ensure that there is bi-partisan support for the initiative.
In applying for an E3 visa, candidates must prove that they have a legitimate offer of employment in the US, and that they have the necessary academic or other qualifying credentials to fill the role.
“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.”
The last time Ireland received a new visa allocation was in the early 1990’s under a scheme initiated by former Congressman, Bruce Morrison.
Meetings on Capitol Hill
This isn’t the first we’ve heard about this visa scheme, it just seems more likely now – especially with a Democrat majority in the House.
Answering questions in the Dáil in December 2015, Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said that the US bill came about after he and the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met with members of congress on Capitol Hill.
“…In Washington at the end of September, I met key Democrat and Republican contacts on Capitol Hill, including Senator Patrick Leahy, Congressmen Joseph Kennedy III, Paul Ryan, James Sensenbrenner, Richard Neal and other members of the Congressional Friends of Ireland group.
Republican Jim Sensenbrenner and Democrat Richard Neal are the politicians who introduced the bill to Congress this week.
Following my meetings, a Bill was tabled by Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner in the US House of Representatives. The Bill is aimed at providing access to several thousand E3 visas for Irish citizens.
“I warmly welcome this positive step towards meeting the desire of many Irish people to live and work in the US for a time, but there is much work to be done in both Houses of Congress before this Bill might become law.
I am also aware that while this measure would advance our objective of securing improved legal migration channels, it would not address the concerns of the many undocumented citizens currently in the US.
“These remain a key priority and continue to be the subject of ongoing contacts with the US authorities,” Flanagan said.
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If whoever is disturbing the weather could please stop, that’d be great. Thanks.
@Dave Gillen: do you mean the good old gas guzzling USA!
@D O’S: God alone controls the weather, according to one of the most highly paid, expense claiming, contract winning public servants in the country
@Dermot Lane: don’t forget the fairies there a nasty bunch especially when they eat too much and drive.
@Dave Gillen: this is typical sensational journalism at its finest. It’s Ireland for Christ sake. We can handle some wind and rain.
@Noel Barnes: yes just close the Dall doors
@Noel Barnes: Wind and rain maybe, but dry and warm and the Country is fecked for months
Is this the end of the hose pipe ban so ted?
@alan doyle: ban on jox on washing lines now.
A red weather day would be great. Get the bread in
@Nell foran: Ah yeah, I’d love an auld red weather warning day…it’s been a while..
@Ben Jamen: 11 months already!
I don’t like when its very windy. Just saying
@aidan mccormack: Hurricane Bread, when it’s red we’re your bread
They said on the weather earlier it would tail off and not be as strong by the time it heads to Ireland, it’s more so heading for France
More fake news.
@Paul: You can even see on the map that it’s fully in the dark green / weakest stage by the time it hits the Irish coast. It’s due to be downgraded to a storm in the next few hours so it’s not going to be much by the time it hits here in 4 days. Torrential rain at most. Anything for a few more clicks on an article though I guess.
@Shane Corry: it’s Brennan’s bread propaganda.
@Paul: if only the weather could change.
Oh it has. Direct hit Ireland. But it could change again. That’s weather for you.
@Paul: Stop being silly. It’s not fake news. It’s all stated probability. If you did your own cross checking you would know they reported correctly.
So is that like a Red Weather Warning Warning?
Just in time for the Ploughing :(
Journal ‘The Storm is currently making its way towards the South East of the US Coast’ Did you even look at your graphic? You make TV3 weather look professional!
@Dónal: It hasn’t turned back towards us yet. That’s just tea leaf reading in the pic. Open the earth nullschool website and use the double chevrons to see the tracking they’re predicting.
Picked a great time to quit eating bread.
I don’t know about Helene but Hurricane Florence was hacked by the Russians around 1am.
@Mike Walsh: I think that any weather with my name is going to be soft like me!
They haven’t a fu€king clue really about the weather.
As the Washington Post said yesterday, Trump is complicit.
@Herbert: really? Bloody hell. What was there context?
@Dave O Keeffe: Global warming and his decision to drop out of the Paris accord.
@Herbert: they’re still in the Paris accord though. Silly Post.
@Herbert: There’s a list of their articles here ; https://www.washingtonpost.com/hurricane-florence-stories/?utm_term=.3d0feefd280e
could you show us which one that you are on about,thanks
I think they should shut schools down for 2 weeks just Incase
We are going to get the tail end of a few hurricanes this year, like we do every year. Nothing major to worry about Ophelia was a freak that changed course at the last moment so potential of us getting a direct hit are slim. Although a red wind day off would be nice
Woof woof
@Martin Brennan: Always with the negative waves…
That Picture……Hurricane Hard-On
This is a weak, tea-coloured weather warning. Make sure you know where the umbrella is, and buy lots of bread.
Perhaps,maybe,if,would,could,blah,blah………
Load of crap. It’s going to be 30 degrees next week
@Joeh: yup…here in Fuertaventura!
Here we go again folks….after the drought comes the rain. Better start buying rain barrels, then we won’t be short of water next summer!
The under headline lacks some geographical knowledge. Perhaps some confusion with so many storms out there. TS Helene is a bit nearer the Azores than SE USA.
pi$$ off Helen!
@Andy: Helene even
have your say