[Federal Register: February 27, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 38)]
[Notices]
[Page 9850-9851]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27fe06-82]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 5319]
Title: Summer Work/Travel 12-month Pilot Program
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice with Request for Comment.
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DATES: The Department will accept comments from the public up to 60
days from February 27, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stanley S. Colvin, Director, Office of
Exchange Coordination and Designation, U.S. Department of State, SA-44,
301 4th St., SW., Room 734, Washington, DC 20547. E-mail:
jexchanges@state.gov; FAX: 202-203-5087.
SUMMARY: The Department hereby announces its intent to investigate the
possible adoption of a pilot program that will provide foreign
university students an opportunity to work and travel in the United
States for up to 12 months.
The Conference Report (H. Rep. 108-792) that accompanied The
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related
Agencies Appropriation Act, 2005, H.R. 4818, Public Law 108-447,
incorporated by reference certain language set forth in S. Rep. 108-
344, that accompanied S. 2809. In that report, the Senate Committee on
Appropriations directed the Department as follows:
''Working Exchanges--The Committee directs the Department of
State to work with the Governments of Australia, Canada, and New
Zealand to establish bilateral exchange programs that will allow
young people from these countries to visit the United States for a
period of up to 1 year for purposes of work and travel and vice
versa. The United States has long enjoyed close and valuable
exchange relationships with Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The
bilateral relationships between the United States and these
countries would be further strengthened by expanding opportunities
for young people to visit each other's countries for an extended
period. The Committee directs the Department to work within current
regulatory frameworks governing the exchange visitor programs, and
specifically the summer work travel program, administered by the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Committee recognizes
the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of New
Zealand in raising the visibility of this promising program called
``Working Holiday Schemes,'' within the United States Government.''
To further the above stated directive and better inform its
decision making, the Department hereby solicits comment and proposals
on the design of a pilot program that will provide a 12-month period of
work and travel that will operate within existing summer work travel
program regulations set forth at 22 CFR 62.32. Of specific interest to
the Department is the selection of eligible university students and how
their
[[Page 9851]]
participation will affect their student status in their home country.
Also of interest to the Department is the placement and monitoring of
participants in a manner that will satisfy the requirements of the
PATRIOT Act.
Dated: February 21, 2006.
Stanley S. Colvin,
Director, Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E6-2722 Filed 2-24-06; 8:45 am]
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