Mr. Enamur Chowdhury:

I am originally from Bangladesh and am now an Irish citizen. I came to Ireland in 2002 as a work permit holder. I have worked as a worker leader with MRCI for many years and have been involved in many campaigns to improve our work permit system and promote decent work conditions. We welcome the undocumented workers' scheme - the reactivation scheme - in section 6 of the Bill. This scheme will help people who have lost their permits through no fault of their own due to exploitation, as they can apply for the new permit without the normal conditions.

Since 2006 we have been working with the Department to improve the work permit system. In 2014 we are very pleased that, finally, it will be enacted in law. There will still be some risks in the work permit system, as workers will be very much tied to their employers. A worker may work only for the employer named on the work permit and his or her immigration status is fully dependent on his or her staying in the job. It means the employee seems to be a prisoner for one year. A worker may change employer when he or she has worked for at least one year with the same employer and has secured a new work permit. If I lose my job as a chef, I also lose my legal status in the country. That means the employer controls my legal status. It is very bad for work permit holders. Their immigration status should be out of the hands of their employers.

If I want to get a better paid job and change employer, I can do so if I apply and pay again after one year. I can get the new work permit but in one year it is hard to save €1,000 for the work permit fee. To make our system better, we should allow workers to work for different employers within the job sector they have been approved for. Workers would be obliged to notify the Department of the change in their place of work. This is a critical issue, which we have consistently raised with the Department and it needs to be addressed in the Bill. We have proposed some small changes in our submission that would make this happen.

I thank members for listening and we will take questions.