US-Ireland Working Holiday programme to be extended

Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Peter Burke, today signed a Statement of Intent with US Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Claire Cronin, committing to extend the US-Ireland Working Holiday/Intern Work & Travel programme for a further five years. A formal exchange of diplomatic notes officially extending the programme will take place in Washington, DC, next week.

First established in 2008, the Intern Work and Travel programme allows Irish citizens or permanent residents, who are students or recent graduates, to spend up to 12 months living and working in the US. Likewise, eligible people in the US are welcome to take advantage of the programme to come to Ireland for up to a year also.

Minister Burke stated:

"This programme offers an unrivalled opportunity to current students and recent graduates to experience a way of life on the other side of the Atlantic. Ireland and the US enjoy a long-standing warm and mutually beneficial relationship, and the working holiday/Intern Work & Travel programme allows us to further strengthen our close people-to-people links.

"Overseas experiences create memories and connections that can last a lifetime. I encourage all those eligible, especially our young people, to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity for cultural exchange."

Ireland’s Strategy for the United States and Canada, 2019-2025, commits to making it easier to travel, work and live in Ireland. Increasing the numbers availing of the Intern Work and Travel programme is a valuable way towards achieving this commitment.

The Government of Ireland will continue to cooperate closely with the Government of the US to increase participation in the programme to further consolidate the long-running connections between our two countries. The signing ceremony today represents a revitalisation of the programme and a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to its continued success.