Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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297. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the spouse or de facto partner of a person who holds a stamp 1 critical skills employment permit is entitled to work here; if the spouse is required to apply for a work permit prior to entering employment here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49876/19]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Since 6 March 2019, spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) holders can access the Irish Labour Market without the need to obtain an employment permit. Spouses and de-facto partners of CSEP holders can now apply to Immigration Service Delivery in the Department of Justice & Equality for permission to reside in this State on Stamp 1G conditions which provides direct access to the Labour Market without the need to obtain an employment permit.

Prior to this change, spouses and de facto partners of CSEP holders were granted permission to reside in this State on Stamp 3 conditions. Where they also wanted to access the labour market, they needed to apply for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit (DPSEP) from my Department. |I and the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan, both accepted that the process was administratively cumbersome and had asked officials work together to effectively address the issue.

This change has streamlined existing processes and has resulted in a more attractive offering for both investors and international talent.

Further information on the new arrangements, and how to apply for them, are available from the Department of Justice and Equality's website at the following link -