Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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139. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which improvements can be made in the processing of visas for employment here to ensure that employers have quick and efficient access to the skilled workforce that they may require; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8720/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Before coming to work in Ireland for a period greater than 90 days, a non EEA national must have a contract of employment and then apply for the relevant work permission from the Department of Justice, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) or the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). If the relevant work permission is granted and if the person is a national of a visa required country, they must then apply for a long stay visa (D) from my Department before travelling to Ireland.

Visa applications must be made using my Department's on-line facility. Upon creating an online visa application, the summary sheet must be printed and signed by the applicant and then submitted to the relevant Visa Office, along with supporting documentation and the relevant fee. Upon receipt of the necessary documentation and fee, the visa application will be processed.

The processing times for visa decisions are published on the Visa pages of each Visa Office and the relevant Embassy website.  The average time taken to process an employment visa received in my Department's Visa Offices in Dublin and overseas is three weeks.

The processing time in each location is determined by a number of factors such as the volumes and complexity of applications, individual circumstances, peak application periods, seasonal factors, and the resources available.  While every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible, processing times inevitably vary as a result.

The granting of an employment permit by DETE is not the sole determining factor as to whether a visa will subsequently be granted by my Department. These are two very distinct application processes with different checks and procedures in place in each respective Department.