The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) says capacity limits at United States embassies overseas could limit the number of J-1 visas given out this year and Rehoboth Beach businesses are worried that the workforce they rely on in the summer season won’t be able to come to the U.S.
Business continues to ramp up in Rehoboth Beach as more people gain confidence to travel and be in public settings again, but many businesses say not enough Americans are applying to fill their job openings.
Funland has been hiring J-1 students for over 20 years. Personnel Manager Chris Darr says they usually hire about 30 students, but they had none in 2020.
“It’s a cultural program,” Darr says. “They can come experience the United States for four months. They can work. They can earn some money, travel, but right now we’re looking for American employees.”
Hiring signs color more storefronts on Rehoboth Avenue.
“The Biden administration, a couple of days ago, got rid of a proclamation that the Trump administration put in, which prevented people from traveling on a visa, on the J-1 visa,” says CIEE Vice President of Professional Exchange Programs Phil Simon.
Simon says the program operated at about five percent of its normal enrollment in 2020 and that 2021 enrollment will be extremely low, at least at first.
“Normally students start to come next month in May and I think participation in May is going to be extremely low and hopefully we see an uptick in June, but at the moment, data does not support us seeing a lot of students here this summer,” Simon says.
Just oh well. Are there not enough American students here to fill jobs? I really think there are, give them a chance.
Rickie, u still traveling to Puerto Rico to gather help?
(Snicker snicker)