A new student placement initiative, providing J-1 work visas and support for 40 third-year students seeking quality, relevant, one-year paid internships in the United States was launched last month at Belfast City Hall.
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The program is the result of a partnership between the Irish International Immigrant Center in Boston, Ulster University, and Queen’s University Belfast that was brokered by the Belfast City Council as part of its Sister City Agreement with Boston.  The agreement was signed in May 2014 to explore academic, business, and cultural links between the two cities.

Officially launching the program, Belfast Lord Mayor and Alderman Brian Kingston said, “This initiative will help students achieve their full potential in their personal, academic, and business lives and it will strengthen links with our Sister City Boston. So it will benefit Belfast as a whole.”

Ronnie Millar, executive director of the Irish International Immigrant Center (IIIC), said, “The IIIC has many years of experience in leading international exchange programs between Northern Ireland and the United States, and this partnership is going to build upon that work.” 

Further information on the intern placement program is available at iiicenter.org.