Immigrant clampdown
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Foreign workers will find it harder to obtain permission to live and work in Ireland, as the government looks to roll out a variety of measures aimed at encouraging employers to hire high-skilled locals.
NON-EU immigrants hoping to find work in Ireland will face tough new rules from June, the Government has revealed.
Permits will no longer be granted for HGV drivers, domestic workers or low paid positions. Higher charges will also be rolled out to renew permits and employers are being encouraged to look to the home market to fill jobs.
Mary Coughlan, Tanaiste and Enterprise Minister, said the stricter regulations reflected the country’s dramatically-changing jobs market. “Our immigrant population have and continue to make a significant contribution to our economy and to society as a whole here in Ireland,” Ms Coughlan said.
“We need to ensure however that for our flexible migration policies to remain as a successful tool of Irish economic policy, that they are adapted on an ongoing basis to reflect the changing realities of the Irish labour market.
“Those realities have altered dramatically over recent months.”
The Tanaiste said it was now essential that employers find suitably-skilled workers from within the country.
Figures reveal the number of immigrants seeking work in Ireland plummeted in the last two years.
In 2007, in the three months to the end of March, 23,722 work permits were issued, compared with just 2,087 in the last three months.
New entrants to the labour market will be affected by the new regulations, which come into force from June 1.
The main features of the new measures are:
- More job categories will become ineligible.
- No new permits will be issued for jobs paying under €30,000 per year.
- Jobs will be advertised for longer, from four weeks to eight weeks.
- Higher fees will apply to renew work permits.
- Spouses and dependants of work permit holders will have to also apply for themselves.
