Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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168. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permit-related visa applications currently awaiting process, with particular reference to various aspects of the economy particularly affected by staff shortages; the means by which he expects to address this issue in the short to medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17286/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that as of 15^th of April 2024, the number of new employment permit applications awaiting processing is 2,779. The number of applications being processed is 465 and the number of applications awaiting payment of the fee is 194. Therefore the total number of applications in the processing queue as of 15th April 2024 is 3,244.

All applications for employment permits are dealt with in date order.

The current processing dates as of 15^th April 2024 in respect of each permit type are as follows:

• Standard New Applications – 6^th March 2024
• Trusted Partner Applications – 2^nd April 2024
• Standard Renewal Applications – 30^th January 2024
• Trusted Partner Renewals – 8^th February 2024
• Standard Critical Skills Employment Permits – 6^th March 2024
• Trusted Partner Critical Skills Employment Permits – 6^th April 2024

2024 has been a particularly busy period for Employment Permits applications. This is due to a range of factors, including the changes to the employment permit system that were announced in December 2023 which delivered comprehensive changes to the employment permit system by adding an additional 11 roles to the Critical skills occupations list and the removal of 32 roles from the ineligible occupations list.

A roadmap up to January 2026 for increasing salary threshold for employment permits was also introduced which commenced the first adjustments to the Minimum Annual Remuneration thresholds from 17th January 2024.