The Government decided on 28 March 2000 on a range of measures to address Ireland's skill requirements, that is, realising the potential of the Irish labour market, investment in people-retraining, proactive promotion of skill requirements in the EEA, EU-applicant countries and globally.
The Government also decided that a working visa system be introduced in respect of information and communication technologies, nursing skills and building professionals which are in short supply. The working visa system does not envisage quotas for particular countries or skills but the system will be informed by the realities of the labour market. As part of that process the social partners have been, and will be, consulted in the development and adjustment of immigration policy.
For the sectors in short supply the working visa system will permit applicants to apply abroad to an Irish embassy or consulate for a single working visa, or authorisation if coming from a country where visas are not required for entry. The application will have to be supported by a job offer. Working visas-authorisations issued by embassies and consulates abroad will be valid for two years and permit multiple re-entry on the part of the holder. The visas-authorisations may be renewed in Ireland.
Nurses from certain countries may be required to undergo a period of supervised clinical practice in an Irish teaching hospital before they will be eligible for full registration with An Bord Altranais. Having obtained full registration with An Bord Altranais on satisfactory completion of the period of supervised practice such nurses will be issued with a further working visa-authorisation permitting them to work for a further 21 months. Such visas are renewable at two year intervals thereafter in the normal manner. visas-authorisations may be renewed in Ireland.
As already stated there are no quotas attaching to countries. However, the fact that applications are made through Irish embassies-consulates will permit an element of local knowledge and labour market impact to be gauged and ultimately assessed by the immigration policy advisory group which the Government recently decided to establish on which the social partners will be represented.
The FÁS skills audit of asylum seekers is under way. The areas being covered are language proficiency, computer skills and technical skills. The audit will cover some 2,500 people over a two year period. The average age of those being interviewed is 25 to 30 years old.
