Proposed E-3 Visa for Irish Nationals: Status and Details

What the Proposed E-3 for Ireland Would Do

Multiple bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress to extend the E-3 visa classification to nationals of Ireland. None of these bills have been enacted into law. As of March 2026, the E-3 visa remains available only to Australian nationals.

The proposed legislation would not create a new visa category. It would allow Irish nationals to apply for unused E-3 visas from the existing 10,500 annual allocation. Australia would retain priority for its own applicants, and Irish nationals would only have access to visas that Australians did not use in a given fiscal year.

Legislative History

The idea of extending E-3 to Irish nationals was first proposed in 2018. Since then, the bill has been reintroduced in every Congress. The following is a summary of the legislative timeline.

1. 115th Congress (2017-2018): The concept was first proposed in the Senate as part of broader negotiations on immigration. No standalone bill advanced.
2. 116th Congress (2019-2020): A standalone bill was introduced with bipartisan sponsorship. It passed the House but did not receive a Senate vote.
3. 117th Congress (2021-2022): The bill was reintroduced. It did not advance out of committee.
4. 118th Congress (2023-2024): Reintroduced again with bipartisan support from Representatives Richard Neal and Mike Kelly. Did not advance out of committee.
5. 119th Congress (2025-2026): H.R. 1337 was introduced in February 2025 by Representatives Neal and Kelly. The bill is currently in committee.

The bill has consistently received bipartisan sponsorship and has been framed as a way to strengthen U.S.-Ireland ties. Despite this support, it has not cleared both chambers of Congress in any session.

Source: Congress.gov - H.R. 1337 (119th Congress) — Full text of H.R. 1337, the proposed E-3 extension for Irish nationals

How the Cap Would Work

The E-3 visa has an annual cap of 10,500, set aside exclusively for Australian nationals under current law. Australia typically uses around 5,000 of these visas per fiscal year, leaving roughly half unused.

Under the proposed legislation, unused E-3 visas would become available to Irish nationals. The bill would not increase the total cap or create a separate allocation for Ireland. Australian applicants would continue to have first access to the full 10,500.

This means the number of visas available to Irish nationals in any given year would depend on how many Australians applied. In years when Australian usage is low, more visas would be available for Irish applicants. In years when Australian demand is high, fewer would be available.

Requirements Under the Proposed Law

If enacted, the bill would require Irish applicants to meet the same requirements as Australian E-3 applicants. These include the following.

• A job offer from a U.S. employer for a specialty occupation position
• A bachelor's degree or higher (or equivalent) in the specific field required by the position
• A certified Labor Condition Application (LCA) filed by the employer with the Department of Labor
• Irish nationality (citizenship of the Republic of Ireland)

The application process would mirror the existing E-3 process: the employer files an LCA, and the worker applies for the visa at a U.S. consulate. No USCIS petition would be required for initial consular processing, the same as for Australian applicants.

Dependents of Irish E-3 holders would receive the same benefits as dependents of Australian E-3 holders. Spouses would be authorized to work in the United States incident to status, without needing a separate Employment Authorization Document.

Current Status

H.R. 1337 was introduced on February 13, 2025 in the 119th Congress. It has been referred to committee. No hearing has been scheduled as of March 2026.

Until the bill passes both the House and Senate and is signed by the President, Irish nationals remain ineligible for the E-3 visa. The existing E-3 classification is available only to nationals of Australia.

Source: USCIS - E-3 Specialty Occupation Workers — Current USCIS guidance on E-3 visa classification