Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
502. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he intends to move or relocate the Employment Permits Section of his Department and align it with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service under the auspices of the Department of Justice and Equality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37362/13]
View answerEconomic migration policy must be flexible and responsive to different stages of economic development and to labour market conditions. A continuing challenge for the Irish labour market is to attract from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) those skills we cannot source from within the EEA and which we need to exploit the potential for growth in high performing sectors. This is the over-arching objective of the employment permit system and my Department, through its links to the labour market and industry, is best positioned to cater for and react to trends in this area.
The current system, whereby applicants for an employment permit undergo separate application processes with my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality, does ensure a clear division between economic migration and general immigration policies and ensures each Department has clear control of those areas of responsibility which fall within its remit.
An amalgamation of the functions and the separation of labour market access from my Department would also be problematic from an industry prospective.
We also have to be mindful of the fact that the employment permits regime complements other Government initiatives, especially in the education sector, which are aimed at increasing the domestic supply of skilled labour. This requires adjusting the employment permit regime when sufficient domestic supply becomes available.
In addition, any relocation may incur substantial up-front costs and it is questionable what benefits may arise.
Notwithstanding this, both Departments are closely aligned and meet on a regular basis to discuss issues of mutual concern and some joint initiatives have been undertaken by my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality in 2013 in order to provide a more coherent service across both the employment permits and visa regimes:
- With effect from April, certain categories of non-EEA immigration permission holders, who have been offered employment in an eligible occupation are allowed to apply for an employment permit whilst already legally residing in the State. Up until that point DJEI had to refuse applications for EPs solely on the basis of the applicant being resident in Ireland and not having an appropriate residency stamp for the purposes of making an EP application.
- With effect from July, the Department of Justice and Equality permits non-EEA nationals, who have been invited to attend a job interview by an employer based in the State in a recognised occupation on the “Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations” list to seek entry to the State on a temporary basis in order to attend such interviews, and if successful, apply for and await a decision on an employment permit application.
- With effect from September, the Department of Justice and Equality, in conjunction with this Department, are piloting an Atypical Working Scheme. This scheme provides a streamlined mechanism to deal with atypical employment where the nature of the work is not governed by the Employment Permits Acts or by administrative procedures under the Employment Permits Acts. In essence, the Department of Justice and Equality will grant permission to work in the State where it is for less than 90 consecutive calendar days provided the employment is not in respect of an occupation on the “Ineligible Categories of Employment” List. This Scheme also facilitates non-EEA nationals on a trial employment in respect of an occupation on the “Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations” List for a period of up to 90 consecutive calendar days with a view to applying for an employment permit and awaiting the outcome of the application within that timeframe.
- In addition, short term staff exchanges between both Departments will commence shortly. This initiative is designed to improve staff awareness of the respective schemes.
