As the Deputy will be aware, when the Departments are issuing visas and residence permits, it is not just the responsibility of my Department but also of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Both Departments work closely together to ensure that labour market migration arrangements are fair, efficient and responsive to the needs of our society and, more generally, our economy.
The Government agreed in principle last year that a single application procedure for employment permits and immigration permissions should be developed and it established an interdepartmental working group to develop an implementation plan for consideration by the Government. Over the course of the year, work has been under way to examine and reform the current system whereby separate applications have to be made for employment permits and immigration permissions. This reform is with a view to improving the overall user experience, enhancing Ireland’s competitiveness in attracting skilled migrant workers and aligning ourselves with EU standards. We often find, whether it is a chef applying to work in a restaurant or a doctor or nurse, that they first have to apply for a work permit and go through a different process. The checks are different through the Department of enterprise concerning the applicant's skills, the labour work test and the needs test. Separate from that is the justice work and the checks, which is more of a vetting process. Often people who have their work permit are surprised they have to go through the separate process. It is important we have a single process.
I understand a range of operational improvements will be made to assist applicants in the interim. These will be introduced over the next 18 months and will include streamlining fees, removing duplication of certain checks carried out by both Departments and reducing the number of documents required at immigration registration by pre-validating certain key documents. Over the medium term, these steps will be built on to develop a fully integrated single application process.
This is about putting everything on one system and making sure those applying for a job here do not have to go through separate channels. It is beneficial not just for the individual in question but also for the companies, particularly in sectors which cannot access workers here and have to go abroad. It opens up more options for them.