Today, marks an integral day. It's the day of the US Presidential elections where the Republican candidate Donald Trump is head to head with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
The news has been saturated with scandals, accusations and pettiness. Trump has become one of the most talked about candidates in the USA's history. I can safely speak on behalf of Irish students in knowing that Trump becoming president of the United States is a scary prospect.
However, what isn't talked about is what could happen if he does become successful? How could this effect Irish students?
There are multiple possibilities, but we've highlighted those which could have a monumental affect on Irish college students.
1. The J1 programme
Why:
Trump has stated on numerous occasions that he wants to replace the J-1 working visa with a programme for inner-city youth. He believes that by allowing around 300,000 students a year to work in the US, he is denying American citizens jobs.
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This means:
This would mean that there would be no access to J-1 companies and the entire programme would cease to exist. Not only this, but it will also affect people who plan on studying in the US for a semester in college. There hasn't been any concrete progressions about this in his policy, but it will definitely put restrictions on people wanting to work or study abroad in the US.
2. Graduate Visa
Why:
Trump believes that American citizens are getting over-looked for jobs, as stated in his manifesto. As a result of this, he has vowed to put restrictions on the H-1B visa which allows workers from overseas to become employed in the States. Immigration levels are at an all time high as well as unemployment levels and Trump wants to prioritise Americans over foreign workers.
This means:
This means that opportunities for seeking employment in the US will be extremely scarce. It also means that companies would have to hire American citizens over foreign candidates even if they're a better choice. He also wants to stop the issuing of green cards while they sort out the immigration crisis which means it will be extremely hard to secure American citizenship in the future.
Overall, Irish students and graduates will be seriously restricted with Trump's immigration policies. The opportunity to spend a summer working abroad or to progress in US companies will be limited.
