Dr. Kara McGann:

The 50:50 rule seems to be down to the decision to use that particular identifier number. If a cluster identifier number was used instead, then the 50:50 rule as a group would overcome that particular challenge. What is happening is, say, a company which has four entities in Ireland and, for intellectual property reasons, one is grouped around certain stills, they can find that a particular need for those critical skills falls into one or other of the four entities.

Whereas as a group it is meeting the 50:50 needs completely, one entity may fall out of line. We are seeing that it is leading to the loss of jobs and substantial projects to other international jurisdictions. As it is a kind of technical administrative issue, it could totally be overcome by the use of a different identifier, such as a cluster identifier.

On the low-skills occupation visa in Canada and the essential skills work visa in New Zealand, the eligibility around particular visas is around a high-skills diploma or two years of specific training. People can stay in the country from six to 24 months, with all of this set by the state. As such, it would fill immediate labour shortage where gaps exist. The visas would define the duration, wages and the conditions for stay. What would be different to how we stand currently is that there are still roles on the ineligible lists because they do not meet the criteria around the general permits that would fit within this cohort of permits and allow that flexibility within the system. In particular, in the care sector, for example, there may be particular needs at a particular time not meeting the criteria but there may be grave demand for them. What we have heard is that in those countries they can lead a pathway to meeting needs locally and potentially transferring to others if there was a desire to keep them in the country. There is a capacity to do that if desired.