Cultural exchange

J-1 Summer students at an IPC orientation in 2015

Summer is always a busy time here in Boston, as tourists and holiday-makers from all over the world descend on the city. Amongst these summer visitors are, now iconic, young Irish students, known as ‘J-1s’ or ‘J-1ers’, here to spend the summer working and participating in a cultural exchange program. These ‘J-1s’ are now part of the fabric of Boston in the summer time, and their arrival is eagerly anticipated in early summer each year, as they help businesses fill seasonal employment posts that are often left vacant. The IPC is also busy during the summer, as we open our doors to the seasonal J-1 visitors for assistance during their time here in Boston.

The J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa Program was introduced under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, included in the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, and was signed into law by President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1961. Since the 1960s, hundreds of thousands of young Irish students and graduates have taken advantage of the program, spending their summer breaks in the United States gaining valuable work and life experience. The program was initiated to strengthen the United States’ foreign relations, by providing young people with the opportunity to upskill and ultimately return to benefit their home country.

In early spring, the IPC begins to receive calls and emails from young Irish people intending to travel to Boston in the summer. The staff of the IPC offers advice and information to help assist the Irish students in their preparations with securing their Visa and finding employment and accommodation. Prior to 2016, J-1s were able to travel to the U.S on their non-immigrant visa without having employment secured, however there now exists a stipulation which states that a J-1 program participant must have found employment before travelling. Even with this stipulation, many J-1s arrive without having secured employment or housing and seek support from the Irish Pastoral Centre.

While the majority of J-1 visitors have positive experiences while partaking in the program, some encounter difficulty that has a negative impact on their time in the United States. In these instances, be it a lost passport, an injury or illness, an issue with a landlord or homelessness, the Irish Pastoral Centre is there to offer support. A fine example of the IPC and the J1 community coming together in difficult occurred in 2015, when the IPC organized a mass and a dinner to support grieving J-1 students in the aftermath of the tragic balcony collapse in Berkeley, California, in which 6 J-1 visitors lost their lives.
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As we reach the end of summer, we wish all of the 2017 J-1 participants well as they make their return voyages home to Ireland. We hope that all of the J-1 summer visitors had a wonderful time here in Boston, with fulfilling experiences that will contribute to their development in their work and personal lives.