Written answers

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Work Permits

Photo of James O'ConnorJames O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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21. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will allow those on general employment permits to have the same rights as critical skills permit holders with regard to spouse and partner work permits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39736/21]

Photo of Damien EnglishDamien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Employment Permits scheme is vacancy led and driven by the changing needs of the labour market, expanding and contracting in tandem with its inherent fluctuations. The system is managed through the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists, which are subject to twice yearly evidence-based review.

The critical skills employment permit is Ireland’s premium employment permit and is designed to attract highly skilled people into the labour market in roles identified as being in critical short supply (on the critical skilled occupation list) with the aim of encouraging them to take up permanent residence and employment in the State. As a result, it attracts a number of additional benefits over the other permit types including a fast-track to long term residency after two years, immediate family reunification and broad access to the labour market of dependent/spouse/partners.

The general employment permit is the main permit used by the State to attract non-EEA nationals in occupations of a more general nature. It requires a range of criteria be met including a labour market needs test demonstrating that the employer was unable to fill the position from the Irish and EEA labour markets.

After one year, the permit holder may apply for family reunification and after five years, long term residency permission from the Department of Justice. Should the spouse/partner secure employment in an eligible occupation, they may apply for a permit in their own right. Non EEA nationals who have resided in the State for five years are eligible to apply for citizenship.

The additional benefits attached to the critical skilled employment permit are designed to attract workers in possession of skills of critical importance to the economy and to encourage them to apply for long term residency.

Extending these additional benefits to other employment permit holders would require consideration of the potential impacts, including on the domestic labour market, our community preference obligations to the EU and on broader immigration policies. My officials continue to engage on an ongoing basis on range of matters where economic migration polices and immigration polices intersect including those issues raised by the deputy.

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