Client Payment Portal

IRELAND: Upcoming changes to Employment Permits system announced

Nov 8, 2019 | Global

What is the change? The Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation has proposed changes to the Employment Permits system.

What does the change mean? The proposal aims to revise the current labor market test, streamline the process for Trusted Partner and renewal applications, simplify remuneration requirements and introduce new permit categories, among other changes.

  • Implementation time frame: The draft bill was published on Nov. 1.
  • Business impact: The bill, once implemented, should address inefficiencies in the employment permits system and make it more accessible for certain employees to obtain work authorization.
  • What’s next: Various departments will now review the proposed legislation.

Additional information: In September 2018, the Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation conducted a review of Ireland’s economic migration policy. The initial review examined inefficiencies within the Employment Permits system and concluded that the existing employment permits legislation needed to be amended. After further review, however, the Minister determined that amendment would only complicate the current system and decided to draft an entirely new bill to replace the current legislation.

The proposed bill introduces the following:

  • New “Seasonal” employment permit
  • Revision of the Labor Market Needs Test
  • New “Special Circumstances” employment permit
  • Streamlining the processes for Trusted Partner and renewal applications
  • Fee refunds for employment permits that are not used or approved
  • Simplification of remuneration requirements
  • Changes to the 50:50 rule, waiving the rule if the permit holder is the sole employee

Analysis & Comments: The proposed changes, if implemented, will have a significant impact on the employment permits system. The introduction of new permit types, including the seasonal and special circumstances employment permits, will allow more individuals to be eligible for work authorization. Meanwhile, the simplification of remuneration requirements and changes to the 50:50 rule will eliminate some of the complexity that has frustrated users in the past.

Should you have any questions, please contact a Wolfsdorf Rosenthal immigration attorney or email Global@Wolfsdorf.com

Related Posts:

Global Newsletter

In this look around the globe, find the latest immigration news regarding Brazil’s re-introduction of visa requirements, Canada’s announcement of new post-graduation work permit measures and the UK’s upcoming electronic travel authorization scheme. But first, we start with this month’s WReview and WR Updates. WReview: Working as a Tourist? Challenges and Risks of Short-Term Assignments and Business Travel With the complexities and time involved in obtaining a work visa many clients ask us why their employees can’t simply travel for work on a tourist visa or visa waiver basis. While this may seem like an easy and expedient option, it is unfortunately fraught with risks for both the traveler and the company involved. Depending on the rules of the country the employee is traveling to, even short-term business travel to perform activities such as giving training, conducting an audit, or installing or troubleshooting a system or product, may require a work visa. If the employee is detected traveling without the appropriate work visa, the best-case scenario is that they will simply be denied entry, detained briefly at the airport, and sent back to their home country on the next available flight. Note that even in such a scenario, they may […]

Read More

Traveling to Schengen Countries: Information for Non-European Union Nationals

Non-European Union (EU) visitors can stay in the Schengen countries for maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, but the calculation is not easy. The Schengen area currently includes 26 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The scannable QR code below leads to EU Migration and Home Affairs, which includes visa policy information and lists of countries whose citizens must have a visa or are exempt from visa requirements when crossing Schengen external borders. Third-country nationals (e.g., those who are not citizens of the EU and Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland), irrespective of being visa-required or exempt, who intend to travel to the Schengen area for a short trip for business or tourism can stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. A few terms and rules apply: Date of entry: The first day of stay on the territory of the Schengen Member State Date of exit: The last day of stay in the Schengen Area This applies only to short-term visitors. Periods of stay authorized under a residence permit or a […]

Read More