Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 June 2014
151. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a person (details supplied) in County Laois qualifies for an upgrade of stamp 2 to stamp 4; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26535/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that this person entered the State on 01 April 2007 and is registered as a student in the State until 30 September 2014.
All non-EEA students resident in the State are subject to the student immigration rules set out under the "new immigration regime for full time non-EEA students" which was published in September 2010 and has been in effect since 1 January 2011. These rules stipulate that non-EEA nationals may reside in Ireland as students, subject to the provisions of the new regime, for a maximum period of seven years. Three years are permitted at non degree level. The person referred to by the Deputy arrived in the State in 2007 and will have accumulated 7 years as a student by the expiry date of his current permission. As such he does not qualify for Stamp 4 status.
If this person wishes to work in the State he will be required to hold a work permit. The issuing of work permits is a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of Parliamentary Questions Process.
