U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), after hearing concerns from Delaware constituents that the Trump administration’s policies were threatening the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program gained an amendment to protect the program from modifications in the Fiscal Year 2018 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously last week.
Nearly 300,000 international visitors come to America through the J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program every year. They participate in research and training programs, work as camp counselors and au pairs, and spend summers working in seasonal and temporary jobs. Delaware welcomed more than 2,000 visitors as part of the program in 2016.
“The Visitor Exchange Program builds people-to-people connections and drives economic growth in Delaware by placing international visitors in temporary work and study positions that are critical to Delaware businesses,” stated Coons. “As a member of both the Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees, I will continue to fight for this program.”
Many of Delaware’s tourist locations at the beach have come to rely on the Exchange Visitor Program to help them with their summer staffing challenges. The need for the students grew as the economy recovers from a deep recession
“Our members report that they cannot find enough workers,” said Carol Everhart, CEO of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. “There are simply more seasonal jobs than can be filled. The loss of J-1 students would only add to the labor shortage, forcing businesses to reduce hours of operation, or even close doors, which would not be good for the businesses or for the visiting tourists.”
EasterSeals Delaware and Maryland Eastern Shore reported that the Trump order would threaten the nonprofit’s Camp Fairlee in Kent County MD, which serves disabled children.
“Camp Fairlee depends on international students to fill camp counselor positions each year, as there are not enough American students and workers available,” the organization stated in a recent newsletter.
The statement continued, “During this past summer, international students filled 65 of the 82 summer positions at Camp Fairlee. Typically, our summer counselors arrive in mid-June for intense training, work through July and August and then return to school in their native country in early September. Many of them stay an extra week and use their summer earnings to travel and see places like Times Square, Washington DC, and the Grand Canyon. Over the years, this has been a very positive cultural exchange program that benefits all sides.”
This amendment makes it clear that there is bipartisan support for the Exchange Visitor Program in the Senate, a release from Coons stated.
The full Congress will consider the bill before December as it continues with the Fiscal Year 2018 budget cycle.