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« Previous Entries Next Entries »Will the Democrats’ victory assist US immigration reform?
Thursday, November 9th, 2006The chances for US immigration reform appear to have improved, following the electoral success of the Democrats in many Senate and House races, according to many stories in the US news media. The LA Times offers this analysis:
Many House Republicans based their reelection campaigns partly on opposition to immigration policies that Bush and many Democrats strongly support, including a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for most illegal immigrants.
That hard-line stance failed to rally voters or to turn tight races, even in border states where immigration is a major issue. Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.), Rep. John Hostettler (R-Ind.) and Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) all lost, as did Arizona congressional candidate Randy Graf, a Republican who co-founded the Minuteman border patrol group.
Those failures could help Bush within his party.
“The myth that members of Congress need to be afraid of immigration might have been put to rest, because no member of Congress was punished in this election for supporting pro-immigrant legislation,” said Josh Bernstein, federal policy director of the National Immigration Law Center, another advocacy group.
The report also notes, however, that Democrats themselves do not speak with a unanimous voice on the immigration issue, and bipartisan agreement will therefore continue to be difficult.
Closer to home, John Bruton, the EU’s ambassador to the US, told RTE’s News at One that the Democrat’s landslide victory in the House of Representatives would lead to a greater chance for change on immigration, as President Bush’s views on the undocumented were closer to those held by many Democrats.
VHI targets Irish in US with health plan
Tuesday, November 7th, 2006Health insurers VHI are marketing a plan to Irish people working in the US. The plan, Global, is designed for Irish expats who are working abroad for six months or more and who intend to reside in Ireland in the future. The plan covers emergency and elective medical treatment in the US, paying medical bills directly to US hospitals; it does not cover preventive visits. Current VHI members can transfer to Global and back to their domestic policy when resident in Ireland again, with no break in coverage.
More information can be found at www.vhi/global.
Minister proposes US-Ireland visa exchange
Friday, October 27th, 2006Tony Killeen, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has said he supports the idea of establishing a programme that would legalise undocumented Irish workers in exchange for giving Irish work visas to Americans. Mr Killeen was speaking after returning from the FAS Jobs event in the US. He said he would raise the idea with his colleagues in the coming weeks.
Mr Killeen supported his idea with the fact that there were 4,300 Americans who immigrated to Ireland in search of work in 2005, while only 1,700 Irish recieved work visas. The government estimates that there are 30,000 to 40,000 undocumented Irish workers in the US. Mr Killeen said, “There is clear evidence to support the establishment of some form of bilateral agreement between the US and Irish governments”. He added,
“A large percentage of those in attendance at the FAS Jobs Ireland Exhibition in New York were American. The interest expressed by Americans to come and work in Ireland was so great that a queue more than two and a half blocks long formed outside the Exhibition venue. In less than 15 years Ireland has gone from being the sick man of Europe to one of the most dynamic economies in the developed world. Irish incomes now exceed the European average, resulting in emigration being replaced by immigration. It is perfectly feasible to suggest that some form of working agreement can be pursued where the status of the undocumented Irish is regularised while work permits are offered to Americans seeking employment in Ireland. I hope to raise such a proposal with my colleagues over the coming weeks.�
Mr Killeen also announced the details for a new “Green Card” system for entry into the Irish labour market. The two-year visas will apply for an extensive list of occupations paying more than €60,000, and a smaller list of jobs paying between €30,000 and €60,000. Sectors involved include IT, healthcare, construction, financial services, and biotechnology.
Read the press release for more information.
Minister invites emigrants home at FAS NY event
Wednesday, October 25th, 2006Minister of State for Labour Tony Killeen spoke at the launch of the FAS Jobs Ireland New York event. He gave a background of Irish emigration and told the story of Ireland’s economic success in recent decades. He declared:
If you are an Irish person who emigrated to the United States ten or fifteen years ago you will find that the Ireland of today is dramatically different from the country you left. To Irish people who are thinking of returning to Ireland we say: Now is the time to come home. Instead of the depressed country you left behind you will find instead a wide range of jobs and opportunities. There has never been a better time to live and work in Ireland.
His entire speech is on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s website.
FAS NY event a success
Wednesday, October 25th, 2006The Irish jobs fair being held by Fás in Manhattan on October 20 and 21 turned out to be a success, with about 6,500 attendees, double the expected turnout. Exhibitors included the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Social and Family Affairs, and the Department of Education and Science. It also included the Western Development Commission, Enterprise Ireland, VHI Healthcare, and the Public Appointments Service, among others. Éan member Safe Home also exhibited. The exhibition, initially aimed at undocumented immigrants but which attracted a far wider audience, gave information on such issues as taxation, healthcare, employment rights, education and visas and permits.
The event attracted the attention of the New York Times, which noted that many American citizens were drawn by the lure of Ireland’s booming economy. The report also noted that nearly three times more Americans moved to Ireland last year than Irish moved to the United States: 4,300 Americans on the move vs 1,700 Irish in 2005.
Diversity Visa lottery accepting applications
Wednesday, October 4th, 2006The application period for the 2008 Diversity Visa Program begins today, and extends until noon on December 3, 2006. The program is a random lottery open to applicants with a high school education or equivalent, or who can show two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience within the last five years.
The programme selects 50,000 winners, divided among six geographic regions with a maximum of 7% available to people born in any single country. In last year’s lottery, there were 160 visa winners from Ireland and 42 from Northern Ireland.
Many of the local Irish immigration centres in the US are running workshops to help people apply for the visa lottery. Visit the US Department of State website for official instructions.
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