Those of you worried about the future of the J1 visa need not fear!
The year-long visa will be available to young Irish people for at least the next three years. The status of the 12-month visa has been in question after comments made by Donald Trump during his election campaign, where he stated that he wished to 'terminate' the jobs programme.
The 12-month J1 allows Irish people between the ages of 18 and 35 to work and live in the US. The Journal.ie reports that the Irish Ambassador to the US, Anne Anderson, along with the secretary of the bureau of education and cultural affairs at the US State Department signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday; extending the 12-month J1 visa for another three years.
Ireland and the United States have just signed an agreement extending the 12-month J1 visa for another three years
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 5, 2016
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This isn't the first time the J1 has come under threat, previously the four-month visa allowed students to travel the US and job search once they arrived, but this was changed, making it necessary for those on the visa to secure a job before they arrived.
