AT just 17 years of age, Irish native, Thomas Foley travelled to the states on a holiday visa to experience what the American racing industry had to offer. Pleased with his first trip, he returned on a J1 visa to gain more working experience. Later, his friend Robbie Walsh, also a jockey, travelled over.

Both jockeys knew they wanted to continue their careers in the states but found it was very difficult to get information and when their J1 visas were up there was nobody to advise them on the next steps.

They were left to navigate the often perilous visa system themselves. Luckily they were both successful, Foley now has American citizenship and Walsh has a green card.

Having successfully navigated the Visa system, they found a number of their fellow jockeys and friends seeking their advice. Foley and Walsh saw that there was a niche for an advisory and support body to help sports people establish a career across the Atlantic.

GETTING SET UP

In the last year the pair, with the help of Mr Jahan Arshid, their partner and lawyer, established Champion Sports Management - a company set up specifically to help sports people obtain the correct visa and to source employment.

“We wanted to not only help people get their visa but we also wanted to support people starting out in the States, we have a booklet on how to set yourself up over here, how to get a driver’s license, a social security card and health insurance etc. - all the things you don’t think about when deciding to uproot and try somewhere new,” Foley told The Irish Field.

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, approximately 140,000 immigrant visas are available each fiscal year for aliens (and their spouses and children) who seek to immigrate based on their job skills. If you have the right combination of skills, education, and/or work experience and are otherwise eligible, you may be able to live permanently in the United States.

“We work with everyone from young riders and jockeys with very little on their CV to seasoned professionals. We have built up an extensive network here and have an excellent rapport with top yards so that we will be able to help people find a work placement. In this way people can build up experience and improve their CV,” Foley continued.

“Most young riders come out first on a J1 visa, but once they have built up their CV they will then usually qualify for a professional visa which entitles the recipient to live in the States for up to five years. After three years on that type of visa, you would be eligible to apply for a green card. So far we have a 100% visa approval rate for our clients.

“Another aspect of our company is that we can act as both sponsor and agent. We operate on an unrestrictive basis so that clients are free to make the moves that are right for them.”

For more information you can contact Champions Sports Management at intvisa@hotmail.com

Champions Sports Management’s website is currently being updated but will be accessible in the coming weeks.