Vol. 523 No. 1
218 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the average time for the handling of an application for a work permit; if any additional staff have been made available in the work permit section of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20411/00]
The length of time taken to deal with an application for a work permit to employ a non-European economic area national will always depend on the individual circumstances of the case concerned. In the first six months of this year the average monthly number of applications received was about 1,420 which was a significant increase on the level in the same period for 1999. After a considerable effort by my Department involving the allocation of three additional staff, procedural simplification and overtime working, the processing time was reduced to about 15 working days by late July.
However, the numbers of applications received in July, August and September were 1650, 2,116 and 2,366 respectively. This level of increase, combined with staff turnover has clearly placed pressure on resources and the processing time has been pushed out to about six weeks. A range of streamlining and organisational initiatives are being taken to speed up the processing of applications and this will be supplemented by further staff increases as appropriate. My objective is to get processing time down to around one week.
219 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permits granted in 1998 and 1999; the nature of such work permits; the categories of work undertaken through those work permits; the nationalities of those who received work permits; the life of each work permit granted in those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20412/00]
The total number of work permits granted to employers to allow them to employ non-European economic area nationals in the State for the years 1998 and 1999 is as follows:
|
Year |
Total Issued |
|
1998 |
5,716 |
|
1999 |
6,262 |
|
Year |
Sector |
NewPermits |
Renewals |
GroupPermits |
Issued |
Refused |
|
1999 |
Agriculture & Fisheries |
425 |
24 |
0 |
449 |
40 |
|
Catering |
458 |
236 |
0 |
694 |
76 |
|
|
Domestic |
36 |
44 |
0 |
80 |
8 |
|
|
Education |
172 |
132 |
0 |
304 |
6 |
|
|
Year |
Sector |
NewPermits |
Renewals |
GroupPermits |
Issued |
Refused |
|
Entertainment |
168 |
18 |
266 |
452 |
3 |
|
|
Exchange Agreements |
57 |
3 |
0 |
60 |
0 |
|
|
Industry |
274 |
140 |
0 |
414 |
15 |
|
|
Medical & Nursing |
528 |
192 |
1 |
721 |
6 |
|
|
Service Industry |
2,164 |
862 |
2 |
3028 |
123 |
|
|
Sport |
51 |
9 |
0 |
60 |
1 |
|
|
Total |
4,333 |
1,660 |
269 |
6,262 |
278 |
|
|
1998 |
Agriculture & Fisheries |
63 |
7 |
0 |
70 |
7 |
|
Catering |
304 |
303 |
0 |
607 |
54 |
|
|
Domestic |
22 |
37 |
0 |
59 |
3 |
|
|
Education |
174 |
124 |
0 |
298 |
3 |
|
|
Entertainment |
174 |
32 |
233 |
439 |
6 |
|
|
Exchange Agreements |
33 |
3 |
0 |
36 |
2 |
|
|
Industry |
390 |
315 |
2 |
707 |
7 |
|
|
Medical & Nursing |
415 |
205 |
0 |
620 |
3 |
|
|
Service Industry |
1,959 |
859 |
4 |
2,822 |
90 |
|
|
Sport |
57 |
1 |
0 |
58 |
4 |
|
|
Total |
3,591 |
1,886 |
239 |
5,716 |
179 |
|
Year |
Nationality |
New Permits |
Renewals |
Group Permits |
Issued |
Refusals |
|
1999 |
Albania |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
Algeria |
12 |
10 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
|
|
America |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Angola |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Argentina |
8 |
2 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
|
|
Armenia |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Australia |
271 |
76 |
0 |
347 |
28 |
|
|
Azerbaijan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Bahamas |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Bahrain |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Bangladesh |
45 |
30 |
0 |
75 |
0 |
|
|
Barbados |
3 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
|
|
Belarus |
7 |
7 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
|
|
Bosnia Herzegovina |
2 |
6 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
|
|
Botswana |
3 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
Brazil |
145 |
20 |
0 |
165 |
11 |
|
|
Brunei |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Bulgaria |
24 |
2 |
0 |
26 |
0 |
|
|
Burma |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Burundi |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Cameroon |
3 |
4 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
|
|
Canada |
142 |
41 |
0 |
183 |
9 |
|
|
Cape Verde |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Channel Islands (Jersey Guernesy Alderney Sark Herm) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Chile |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
China |
97 |
62 |
0 |
159 |
26 |
|
|
Colombia |
6 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
|
|
Comoros Islands |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Congo (Democratic Republic of ) |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Costa Rica |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Croatia |
21 |
10 |
0 |
31 |
4 |
|
|
Cuba |
1 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
|
|
Cyprus |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Czech Republic |
112 |
26 |
0 |
138 |
1 |
|
|
Egypt |
22 |
14 |
0 |
36 |
2 |
|
|
El Salvador |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
Eritrea |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Estonia |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Ethiopia |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Gambia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Georgia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Ghana |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Year |
Nationality |
New Permits |
Renewals |
Group Permits |
Issued |
Refusals |
|
Guyana |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Hong Kong |
48 |
54 |
0 |
102 |
5 |
|
|
Hungary |
76 |
29 |
0 |
105 |
1 |
|
|
India |
244 |
146 |
0 |
390 |
10 |
|
|
Indonesia |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Iran |
14 |
5 |
0 |
19 |
2 |
|
|
Iraq |
5 |
7 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
|
|
Israel |
43 |
14 |
0 |
57 |
0 |
|
|
Italy |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Jamaica |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Japan |
103 |
88 |
0 |
191 |
6 |
|
|
Jordan |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
|
|
Kazakhstan |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Kenya |
3 |
7 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
|
Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic of (North)) |
3 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
Korea (Republic of (South)) |
23 |
31 |
0 |
54 |
1 |
|
|
Kosovo |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Kuwait |
4 |
4 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
|
|
Kyrghyz Republic |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Latvia |
254 |
9 |
0 |
263 |
16 |
|
|
Lebanon |
13 |
5 |
0 |
18 |
1 |
|
|
Lesotho |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Liberia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Libya |
8 |
4 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
|
|
Lithuania |
16 |
4 |
0 |
20 |
1 |
|
|
Macedonia (FYR) |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Madagascar |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Malaysia |
179 |
67 |
0 |
246 |
7 |
|
|
Malta |
6 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
|
|
Mauritius |
9 |
3 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
|
|
Mexico |
21 |
9 |
0 |
30 |
2 |
|
|
Moldova |
13 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
|
|
Morocco |
5 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
Namibia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Nepal |
11 |
4 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
|
|
New Zealand |
176 |
47 |
0 |
223 |
20 |
|
|
Nicaragua |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Nigeria |
31 |
14 |
0 |
45 |
3 |
|
|
Oman |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
Pakistan |
158 |
96 |
0 |
254 |
7 |
|
|
Palestine |
14 |
5 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
|
Panama |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Peru |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Philippines |
108 |
48 |
0 |
156 |
9 |
|
|
Poland |
156 |
37 |
0 |
193 |
3 |
|
|
Romania |
84 |
10 |
0 |
94 |
21 |
|
|
Russia |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Russian Federation |
143 |
56 |
0 |
199 |
5 |
|
|
Rwanda |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Senegal |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Sierra Leone |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Singapore |
24 |
4 |
0 |
28 |
0 |
|
|
Slovak Republic |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Slovakia |
23 |
9 |
0 |
32 |
1 |
|
|
Slovenia |
7 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
|
|
Somalia |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
South Africa |
295 |
57 |
0 |
352 |
12 |
|
|
Sri Lanka |
10 |
2 |
0 |
12 |
1 |
|
|
Sudan |
26 |
8 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
|
|
Switzerland |
167 |
49 |
0 |
216 |
4 |
|
|
Syria |
6 |
6 |
0 |
12 |
1 |
|
|
Taiwan |
4 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
|
|
Tanzania |
2 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
Thailand |
28 |
10 |
0 |
38 |
0 |
|
|
Trinidad & Tobago |
15 |
4 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
|
Tunisia |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
|
|
Turkey |
45 |
15 |
0 |
60 |
4 |
|
|
Uganda |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Ukraine |
42 |
7 |
0 |
49 |
1 |
|
|
United Arab Emirates |
17 |
1 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
|
|
United States of America |
593 |
299 |
0 |
892 |
32 |
|
|
Year |
Nationality |
New Permits |
Renewals |
Group Permits |
Issued |
Refusals |
|
Uruguay |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Uzbekistan |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
|
|
USA |
7 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
|
|
Venezuela |
6 |
5 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
|
|
Vietnam |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
West Indies |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Yugoslavia (Federal Republic of) |
24 |
22 |
0 |
46 |
0 |
|
|
Zimbabwe |
11 |
2 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
(Group Permits) |
0 |
0 |
269 |
269 |
0 |
|
|
Total |
4,333 |
1,660 |
269 |
6,262 |
278 |
|
Year |
Nationality |
NewPermits |
Renewals |
Group |
Issued |
Refused |
|
1998 |
Algeria |
36 |
12 |
0 |
48 |
5 |
|
Angola |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
Argentina |
12 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
|
|
Armenia |
1 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Australia |
222 |
90 |
0 |
312 |
15 |
|
|
Bahamas |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Bahrain |
4 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
Bangladesh |
14 |
37 |
0 |
51 |
1 |
|
|
Barbados |
9 |
2 |
0 |
11 |
1 |
|
|
Belarus |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
|
|
Bolivia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Bosnia |
3 |
4 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
Botswana |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Brazil |
16 |
18 |
0 |
34 |
2 |
|
|
Brunei |
18 |
2 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
|
|
Bulgaria |
11 |
2 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
Burma |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Cameroon |
2 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
|
|
Canada |
147 |
72 |
0 |
219 |
2 |
|
|
Chile |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
China |
49 |
67 |
0 |
116 |
7 |
|
|
Colombia |
3 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
|
|
Croatia |
13 |
9 |
0 |
22 |
2 |
|
|
Cuba |
14 |
2 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
|
|
Cyprus |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Czech Republic |
24 |
14 |
0 |
38 |
3 |
|
|
Ecuador |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Egypt |
28 |
20 |
0 |
48 |
1 |
|
|
Eritrea |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Estonia |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Ethiopia |
4 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
|
|
Ghana |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Guatemala |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Guernsey, UK |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Guinea Republic |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Guyana |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Hong Kong |
60 |
89 |
0 |
149 |
7 |
|
|
Hungary |
46 |
17 |
0 |
63 |
2 |
|
|
India |
322 |
124 |
0 |
446 |
2 |
|
|
Indonesia |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Iran |
23 |
12 |
0 |
35 |
1 |
|
|
Iraq |
19 |
12 |
0 |
31 |
0 |
|
|
Israel |
68 |
7 |
0 |
75 |
0 |
|
|
Ivory Coast |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Jamaica |
2 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
Japan |
107 |
141 |
0 |
248 |
9 |
|
|
Jordan |
6 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
|
|
Kenya |
10 |
8 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
|
|
Korea |
2 |
19 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
|
|
Korea People's Republic |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Korea (Republic of (South)) |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Kuwait |
6 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
|
|
Latvia |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
|
Lebanon |
10 |
3 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
Year |
Nationality |
NewPermits |
Renewals |
Group |
Issued |
Refused |
|
Liberia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Libya |
14 |
10 |
0 |
24 |
2 |
|
|
Lithuania |
6 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
2 |
|
|
Macedonia |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Madagascar |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Malaysia |
131 |
69 |
0 |
200 |
7 |
|
|
Malta |
3 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
|
|
Mauritius |
10 |
3 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
Mexico |
17 |
13 |
0 |
30 |
2 |
|
|
Moldova |
3 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
|
|
Morocco |
14 |
3 |
0 |
17 |
5 |
|
|
Mozambique |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Nepal |
5 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
New Zealand |
128 |
38 |
0 |
166 |
14 |
|
|
Nicaragua |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Nigeria |
33 |
15 |
0 |
48 |
3 |
|
|
Nigeria/USA |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Oman |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Pakistan |
117 |
107 |
0 |
224 |
12 |
|
|
Palestine |
7 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
1 |
|
|
Panama |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Papua New Guinea |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Peru |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Philippines |
38 |
25 |
0 |
63 |
5 |
|
|
Poland |
68 |
22 |
0 |
90 |
4 |
|
|
Qatar |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Romania |
46 |
15 |
0 |
61 |
3 |
|
|
Russia |
67 |
34 |
0 |
101 |
5 |
|
|
Russian Federation |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Rwanda |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Saudi Arabia |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Senegal |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Serbia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Seychelles |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Sierra Leone |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Singapore |
23 |
11 |
0 |
34 |
1 |
|
|
Slovak Republic |
10 |
9 |
0 |
19 |
1 |
|
|
Slovenia |
7 |
6 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
|
|
Somalia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
South Africa |
124 |
54 |
0 |
178 |
9 |
|
|
South Korea |
9 |
13 |
0 |
22 |
1 |
|
|
Sri Lanka |
12 |
8 |
0 |
20 |
1 |
|
|
Sudan |
21 |
10 |
0 |
31 |
0 |
|
|
Swaziland |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Switzerland |
123 |
49 |
0 |
172 |
2 |
|
|
Syria |
6 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
|
|
Taiwan |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Tanzania |
4 |
4 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
|
|
Thailand |
14 |
8 |
0 |
22 |
1 |
|
|
Tonga |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Trinidad |
13 |
8 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
|
|
Tunisia |
8 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
|
|
Turkey |
39 |
23 |
0 |
62 |
2 |
|
|
Turkey/Switzerland |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Uganda |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Ukraine |
6 |
7 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
United States of America |
14 |
2 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
|
|
Uruguay |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
USA/Australia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
USA/Japan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
USA/Switzerland |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
UAE |
9 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
|
|
USA |
985 |
441 |
0 |
1,426 |
26 |
|
|
USSR |
3 |
10 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
Venezuela |
11 |
2 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
|
|
Vietnam |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Yugoslavia |
33 |
19 |
0 |
52 |
0 |
|
|
Yugoslavia (Federal Republic of) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Zaire |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Zambia |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Zimbabwe |
19 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
|
(Group Permits) |
0 |
0 |
239 |
239 |
0 |
|
|
Total |
3,591 |
1,886 |
239 |
5,716 |
179 |
