Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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606. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current turnaround time for long stay employment visa applications for individuals with a general skills work permit submitted to an embassy (details supplied); the date range of applications currently being processed under this category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33532/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that the New Delhi Visa Office publish a list of processing timeframes for visa applications submitted to that office. These indicative timeframes, which were last updated in April 2025, detail that an employment visa application from a General Employment Permit holder can expect to have their application processed within 60 working days. These processing times are available at the following link:

As of close of business on 18 June 2025, the New Delhi Visa Office have 468 employment visa applications pending. This includes all forms of employment visa applications such as Critical Skills Employment Permits, General Employment Permits and Atypical Working Scheme applications. Of this number, 87% are within the current processing time.

Visa and preclearance applications provide legal avenues for people moving to Ireland for employment, study and family reasons and also to facilitate visitors who wish to travel for business and/or tourism. It is important to recall these applications are screening processes, designed to establish that the person has a legitimate reason to come to Ireland prior to travel.

Visa applications can only be determined when all the required information is received and considered by the Visa Office. This information is not limited to considering the documentation submitted by the applicant themselves. The Visa Office also must take steps to verify the details and documentation submitted in support of each application. This is an important part of our immigration system and the checks involved can take time to complete. These requirements are detailed in the privacy notice which all visa applicants agree to upon submitting their application.

In 2024, approximately 201,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of 21%, compared to 2023, with over 35,000 additional applications received. These increases have continued, in the first five months of 2025, my Department's Visa Division received approximately 88,400 visa applications and has issued over 76,900 decisions. This reflects an increase in applications of 14%, compared to the same period in 2024, with over 10,700 additional applications received. My officials are working to meet the increased level of demand, and over 5,400 additional visa decisions have issued in the first five months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications.