IRISH workers could access thousands of US visas every year after the House of Representatives passed a new bill.
The Irish government wants to be added to the E-3 visa programme which is only available to Australians.
Only around half of the 10,500 E-3 visas are taken up and the government hopes Irish workers can access the unused visas.
The US Senate will now have to vote on the bill.
E-3 visas, which allow the spouses of recipients to work in the US, are for an initial two years but can be renewed indefinitely.
Applicants must have a specialist occupation, have a US job offer or have other credentials.
Earlier this year, the Irish government agreed to ease restrictions on US citizens wishing to retire to the Republic as part of efforts to get access to the E-3 visa programme.
The government's special envoy to the US, Fine Gael TD John Deasy, welcomed the vote.
"The bill will now be sent to the US Senate and it needs to be passed there by unanimous consent meaning that it will require the agreement of all 100 senators for this to be signed into law," he said.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney tweeted that the move was a "a really positive development for future generations to travel to USA".
