Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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197. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will review the renewal fee for general employment permit applications, in view of the fact that the renewal fee is greater than the initial application fee and the renewal fee is a significant financial burden incurred by the employer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28318/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The employment permits system is run on the principle of cost recovery. The fee for processing an employment permit application is intended to cover the costs involved in administering the service, which includes enforcement as well as the provision of information.

The application fee was last set on 1st October 2014 and has not been increased for applicants since. A General Employment Permit can be granted for a period of up to two years for a fee of €1,000. That permit can be renewed for a further period of up to three years at a cost of €1,500. Reduced fees of €500 and €750 are applicable for shorter periods of six months or less for new and renewals of General Employment Permits, respectively.

After five years on a General Employment Permit, the non EEA permit holder may apply to the Department of Justice for immigration permission allowing them to continue to work in the State without the need for an employment permit.

The legislation provides fee waivers for certain categories of non EEA nationals and for a refund of 90% where an application is either withdrawn or refused.

The purpose of the Employment Permits System is to assist economic growth by facilitating the filling of key skills gaps which cannot be filled using domestic or EEA labour markets and not to facilitating access to cheap labour. There are no plans at present to adjust the application fees for the various permit types which are detailed in the below table.