Liberty Features

Students lose the liberty

This summer, thousands of students attending Post-Leaving Certificate courses will be unable to work in the US. Lisa Deeney talks to USIT and the American Embassy to find out why

Students attending the local Liberties College are not entitled to American J1 visa permits as Post- Leaving Certificate (PLC) colleges are disqualified from applying.

The J1 visa is a work permit which allows students to legally work in the United States of America for a period of up to four months. This summer approximately 6,800 students will be heading to the US on Usit’s programme, none of whom will be PLC students. They will not have the opportunity to sample the work life and culture of America as students.

The entry requirements are strict and are set up by the American Embassy. To qualify for the visa, students must be studying for a degree or higher national diploma and it must be rewarded by an Irish University, or another recognised third level establishment. Those attending PLC colleges do not reach the requirements as they are not recognised as a third level institution, despite being considered as "students" in every other aspect.

The 550 students in the Liberties College will not have the opportunity to travel to America during their stay at college. Mrs O’ Donohue, a lecturer there said, "several students want to go to America but can’t." She also insists "they should be entitled to J1 visas as this year they got Higher Education grants on the same terms as other third level colleges".

The Union of Students in Ireland Travel (Usit) allocates the J1 visas. Leonie Furlong, a spokeswoman for Usit said "the American Embassy sets the eligibility rules" and Usit is used as "a medium to sell the J1 visas". However, when the Liberty contacted the press office in the American Embassy, the spokeswoman said that the embassy "only issued the actual visas". Everything else was taken care of by USIT.

Usit is designed specifically to "cater for the needs of students with a passion for travel". They provide a Work and Travel programme to America that includes J1 visas. However, students studying on PLC courses find themselves ignored. Their wish to travel to America is not catered for, as they are not eligible for the programme.

Barry Grant, a student at the Liberties College, did not realise that he could not qualify for the J1 visa and believes that "it is contradictory that students are not eligible for a student working visa".