Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Mar 1990

Vol. 397 No. 5

Written Answers. - Work Permits.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

39 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Labour the criteria employed in processing applications by aliens for work permits; whether these criteria have been changed or modified in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

49 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Labour the number of applications by aliens for work permits processed by his Department in each of the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive; the number granted each year; the number refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Labour (Mr. B. Ahern)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 49 together.

Work permit applications are considered in accordance with the provisions of the Aliens Act, 1935, Aliens Orders, 1946 and 1975 and the European Communities (Aliens) Regulations, 1977.

Policy in relation to the granting or refusal of a work permit is based on the need to ensure that employment opportunities arising here are reserved, as far as possible, for Irish and EC nationals. The granting of a work permit is not considered unless an employer can show that, despite all reasonable efforts, no suitably qualified Irish or European Community nationals are available for the position in question or unless the application falls into one of the following categories: (a) the prospective employee is a key worker and a substantial amount of high quality employment for Irish/EC nationals will arise as a result of his/her employment; (b) the prospective employee is married to an Irish or EC national or a dependant or child aged under 21 of an Irish or EC national; (c) the person is coming as part of an officially recognised exchange programme; (d) the prospective employee is an officially recognised refugee.

Non-EC nationals in respect of whom work permits are issued must also satisfy immigration regulations.

The main change in recent years is that the spouses, dependants and children of workers who are nationals of other EC countries are now accorded the same treatment as if they were relations or dependants of an Irish national. This is in accordance with European Council Regulation 1612/68.

In general, my Department are more vigorously ensuring that work permits are not issued except where it is clear that EC nationals are not available for the employment in question. As well, permits are issued only for the exact period of employment. This has contributed, for example, to the increase in the number of permits issued to the medical sector — more work permits have issued but for shorter periods.

In relation to the number of work permits processed, the situation is as follows: Before 1986, records kept by my Department related only to work permits actually issued each year. Since then, records are also kept of the number of work permit applications refused, and the task of extracting information about application refusals prior to 1986 would be very costly and could not be justified. Subject to that limitation the number of work permits issued each year during the period 1980 to 1989 and the number of applications refused each year since 1986 are as follows:

Work Permits Issued

	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Number Issued	1,534	2,866	1,988	1,402	1,199
	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Number Issued	1,967	1,951	1,869	2,318	2,521

Applications for Work Permits Refused

	1986	1987	1988	1989
Number Refused	88	217	157	135