Vol. 491 No. 5
60 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the avenues, if any, available to intending emigrants to the United States of America to facilitate legal participation in the workforce there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12549/98]
Irish citizens in Ireland who wish to live and work permanently in the US must obtain immigrant visas. These are issued by US embassies and consulates on the authorisation of the US Immigration and Naturalisation Service. Immigrant visas can be obtained by applicants who are successful in the annual diversity immigrant visa lottery or through sponsorship by a US employer or by a relative who is a US citizen or who has been issued with a "green card".
Seven hundred and seventy-six Irish people were recently notified by the US authorities that they had been successful at the lottery stage in their applications for immigrant visas available in 1999 under the "Diversity Programme" and were invited to submit further documentation in support of their applications. Because more such notices are sent out than visas are available people should respond to them quickly. The application period for the visas available under the "Diversity Programme" in the year 2000 will be 1 to 31 October 1998. The US Embassy will in due course announce details of the application process.
Temporary work in the US may also be undertaken by holders of one of a number of different categories of non-immigrant visa. Apart from J1 visas, which permit full-time students to avail of summer work in the US, temporary work visas can be obtained only through sponsorship by employers in the United States. Detailed information and advice about going to live and work in the US and about US visa requirements are available from FÁS employment services offices throughout the country.
