Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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333. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if changes can be made on the requirements for a working holiday authorisation for a person (details supplied) who was unable to leave the State during the Covid-19 lockdown as required. [13745/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Working Holiday Agreement (WHA) with Canada gives young people from Ireland and Canada the opportunity to live and work in the other country. The Agreement reflects the excellent relationship we enjoy with Canada and contributes further to that relationship by fostering increased personal, cultural and professional ties between our peoples.

The individual referred to by the Deputy was issued with a Working Holiday Authorisation by our Embassy in Ottawa on 5 July 2018. In accordance with the Agreement, it is a condition that the permission shall be for a period not exceeding 24 months after the initial entry into Ireland, without the possibility of extension.

Holders of a Working Holiday Authorisation, as per the terms and conditions of their WHA, must leave the State on expiry of the WHA. They cannot apply for an employment permit whilst in the State. WHA holders may consider submitting an application for an employment permit from outside the State, upon expiration or cancellation of their WHA, and on foot of an eligible job offer. This will be considered by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment subject to the usual criteria applying under the Employment Permits Acts and Regulations.

Considerable flexibility has been shown to those holding WHA authorisations and who were unable to leave the State owing to the disruption caused by COVID-19. On 20 March, the Department of Justice’s Immigration Service Delivery announced that, in light of these uncertainties, permissions to remain in Ireland that were due to expire between 20 March and 20 May would be automatically extended for two months. Subsequently on 13 May, it was announced that permissions due to expire between 20 May and 20 July would be automatically extended for an additional two months. These extensions apply to those on permissions related to the WHA. As a result, notwithstanding the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic, the terms and conditions of Working Holiday Authorisations which preclude applications for employment permits within the State continue to apply.

With direct air connectivity to Canada having resumed as of 1 July 2020, it remains practicable for Canadian citizens wishing to apply for an employment permit, following the expiration of their Working Holiday visa, to return to Canada and to apply from there.