The data supplied by the Work Permits Section of my Department shows that the number of permits being issued has reduced, in particular due to EU Enlargement in May 2004. This is in line with the obligation contained in the Accession Treaty to give preference to nationals from the EEA when filling job vacancies, including both new and renewal permits. The total number of work permits issued to non-EU Nationals to date, including both new and renewal permits, in 2006 is 22,280.
The following are the numbers issued from 2002 to 2005:
Year
|
New
|
Renewals
|
Total
|
2005
|
7,344
|
18,945
|
26,289
|
2004
|
10,003
|
23,203
|
33,206
|
2003
|
21,930
|
25,013
|
46,943
|
2002
|
23,306
|
16,547
|
39,853
|
The chart shows permits issued per country of origin from 2002 to date in 2006:
Nationality
|
Issued
|
Afghanistan
|
2
|
Albania
|
272
|
Albanian
|
5
|
Algeria
|
442
|
Anguilla
|
1
|
Antigua & Barbuda
|
6
|
Argentina
|
379
|
Armenia
|
17
|
Australia
|
3,913
|
Austria
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
9
|
Bahamas
|
9
|
Bahrain
|
42
|
Bangladesh
|
4,364
|
Barbados
|
16
|
Belarus
|
3,704
|
Belize
|
1
|
Benin
|
1
|
Bhutan (Kingdom of)
|
4
|
Bolivia
|
16
|
Bosnia Herzegovina
|
309
|
Bosnian
|
5
|
Botswana
|
173
|
Brazil
|
6,752
|
Brunei
|
15
|
Bulgaria
|
3,297
|
Burma
|
5
|
Burkina Faso
|
3
|
Burundi
|
5
|
Cameroon
|
57
|
Canada
|
1,488
|
Chad
|
1
|
Chile
|
93
|
China
|
6,440
|
Chinese
|
8
|
Colombia
|
99
|
Congo Republic of
|
7
|
Congo (Democratic Republic of)
|
8
|
Costa Rica
|
16
|
Croatia
|
670
|
Cuba
|
36
|
Czech Republic
|
2,514
|
Cyprus
|
5
|
Dominica
|
1
|
Dominican Republic
|
2
|
Ecuador
|
53
|
Egypt
|
1,156
|
El Salvador
|
21
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
1
|
Eritrea
|
9
|
Estonia
|
2,136
|
Estonia Alien
|
6
|
Estonia (alien)
|
29
|
Ethiopia
|
69
|
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
|
1
|
Fiji
|
6
|
Gabonese (Republic of)
|
1
|
Gambia
|
15
|
Georgia
|
46
|
Ghana
|
87
|
Grenada
|
3
|
Guadeloupe
|
2
|
Guatemala
|
13
|
Guyana
|
5
|
Haiti
|
4
|
Honduras
|
10
|
Hong Kong
|
804
|
Hong Kong S.A.R.
|
5
|
Hungary
|
848
|
India
|
6,741
|
Indonesia
|
269
|
Iran
|
168
|
Iraq
|
99
|
Israel
|
195
|
Ivory Coast
|
16
|
Jamaica
|
74
|
Japan
|
1,063
|
Jordan
|
123
|
Kazakhstan
|
161
|
Kenya
|
67
|
Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic of (North))
|
11
|
Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic of (South)
|
5
|
Korea (Republic of South)
|
76
|
Korea (Republic of (South))
|
104
|
Kosovo
|
115
|
Kuwait
|
41
|
Kyrgyz Republic
|
21
|
Latvia (Alien)
|
15
|
Latvia
|
5301
|
Latvia (Alien)
|
105
|
Latvia (Alien)
|
132
|
Latvia (Alien)
|
150
|
Latvia/Alien
|
46
|
Lebanon
|
105
|
Libya
|
53
|
Macedonia (FYR)
|
52
|
Malawi
|
36
|
Malaysia
|
4,610
|
Malaysian
|
1
|
Maldives
|
3
|
Mali
|
2
|
Mauritania
|
33
|
Mauritius
|
109
|
Mexico
|
208
|
Moldova
|
3,938
|
Mongolia
|
50
|
Morocco
|
612
|
Myanmar
|
5
|
Myanmar (Formerly Burma)
|
183
|
Namibia
|
17
|
Nepal
|
352
|
New Zealand
|
2,789
|
Niger
|
25
|
Nigeria
|
384
|
Oman
|
13
|
Pakistan
|
4,039
|
Paraguay
|
31
|
Peru
|
98
|
Philippines
|
19,160
|
Romania
|
10,225
|
Romanian
|
8
|
Russian
|
4
|
Russian Federation
|
4184
|
Samoa (USA)
|
3
|
Santa Lucia
|
1
|
Saudi Arabia
|
5
|
Senegal
|
18
|
Serbia
|
17
|
Sierra Leone
|
16
|
Singapore
|
118
|
South Africa
|
10,139
|
South Korea
|
4
|
Sri Lanka
|
618
|
Sudan
|
73
|
Swaziland
|
10
|
Syria
|
166
|
Tanzania
|
71
|
Thailand
|
2,562
|
Tonga
|
3
|
Trinidad & Tobago
|
70
|
Tunisia
|
376
|
Turkey
|
2,293
|
Uganda
|
19
|
Ukraine
|
10,507
|
United Arab Emirates
|
58
|
United States of America
|
3,722
|
Uruguay
|
14
|
Uzbekistan
|
58
|
Venezuela
|
94
|
Vietnam
|
388
|
West Indies
|
9
|
Western Samoa
|
6
|
Yemen
|
3
|
Yugoslavia
|
10
|
Yugoslavia (Federal Republic of)
|
526
|
Yugoslavia (Federal Republic)
|
5
|
Zambia
|
47
|
Zimbabwe
|
1,157
|