Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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464. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to support more teachers’ ability to transfer from a stamp 1 visa to a general employment permit, which is currently hindered by a 28-day labour market needs test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62114/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration provides a range of immigration permissions for a non-EEA national to enter the State. The Third Level Graduate Programme is available for the purpose of seeking graduate level employment for a limited period post studies in the State and to transition to an employment permit provided by my department.

The purpose of the employment permits system is to assist economic growth by facilitating the filling of key skills gaps which cannot be filled from the domestic/EEA labour market. The system is administered through the operation of a Critical Skills Occupations List (CSOL) and an Ineligible Occupations List (IOL). The role of teacher is eligible for a General Employment Permit where the employer can demonstrate that they have first advertised the vacancy by undertaking an Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) but are unable to fill the role from within Ireland or the EEA.

The LMNT is a legal requirement under the employment permits legislation designed to ensure that job vacancies are first offered to nationals of Ireland, the EEA, the UK or the Swiss Confederation. It underpins the Government’s employment objectives by ensuring employment opportunities are also accessible to those already in the local and EEA labour markets. The LMNT requires the vacancy be advertised for at least 28 days on the broad employment platforms JobsIreland and EURES, plus, chosen at the discretion of the employer, on at least one other online platform, whose principal purpose is to publish offers of employment. If no suitably qualified candidate can be found within Ireland/the EEA, it is open to the employer to apply for an employment permit.

In framing economic migration policy, thought is given to wider policy instruments that are also available in meeting the challenges presented by skills shortages. Economic migration is intended to complement the primary policy objective of Government, namely, the upskilling of the resident population at all levels.