Irish students on J-1 visas face challenges finding summer employment in the USA.
Montauk on the tip of Long Island is a favourite destination for Irish students looking for summer work. The bad weather this year has meant the tourist season has got off to a slow start with fewer jobs for J-1 visa holders.
Emma Robinson from Dublin says the weather was worse than in Ireland and so there was no work available. To add to this, students have also been hampered by bureaucracy with many experiencing slow processing of social security numbers. Technically, they need a social security number to get employment. Sadhbh McKenna from Dublin managed to find a job without a social security number but has yet to be paid.
Her employer won't hand over the money she has earned until the number arrives.
In order to survive, most of the students take on more than one job. Now that the weather has improved, finding a job is not a problem. Finding somewhere to live is the challenge with many students paying very high rents to live in cramped conditions.
Deirdre and Maeve from Cork outline their financial situation, both hope to cover their costs and pay back some loans on the return to Ireland.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 8 July 2003. The reporter is Carole Coleman.
