Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
649. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if an exemption can be made for a two-year working holiday authorisation for a person (details supplied) in County Clare due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32292/20]
View answerWorking Holiday Authorisations (WHAs) play an important role in building Ireland’s bilateral relations with Canada and a number of other non-European countries and regions with which we have reciprocal agreements, encouraging people-to-people contacts.
Due to the pandemic, we have temporarily ceased processing new applications under the Ireland-Canada WHA programme. Canada has likewise temporarily suspended the processing of applications. Our primary concern remains the health, welfare and well-being of those who would seek to travel to Ireland on a WHA. We do not expect that we will be in a position to process any further applications in 2020. Applications already submitted remain on file until operations resume. The Canadian citizen referred to by the Deputy is welcome to submit an application for a WHA to our Embassy in Ottawa, where it will be kept on file and processed once we have resumed operations. For further information and assistance on the application process, she may contact the Embassy at ottawaemexternalmail@dfa.ie.
We continue to monitor the rapidly evolving situation here, in Canada and in other relevant locations abroad, in terms particularly of public health advice, travel restrictions, job opportunities and the availability of short-term accommodation. We will instruct our Missions abroad, including the Embassy in Ottawa, to re-open the application process when circumstances allow young people to benefit from a working holiday here and to fully experience Ireland’s culture and way of life. We will also take account of the resumption of Canada’s working holiday arrangements. We will make a public announcement when we begin to process new applications.
