Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2021
91. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which improvements can be made in the processing of visas for employment here and the processing of applications for naturalisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36757/21]
View answerThis question seeks to ascertain the extent of the time taken to process applications for visas, whether they be work visas or immigration requirements, in the immigration section of the Department, given the importance of the need to facilitate the economic recovery that will follow the pandemic.
I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this very important issue. The pandemic has created significant challenges for visa processing. Applications are made to Irish embassies and missions worldwide, each with different public health measures in place. This has caused difficulties for individuals and families but the Government has had sound public health reasons for discouraging, and at times prohibiting, non-essential travel. Nevertheless, my Department continues to process visas for essential workers and decisions on employment visas have issued since 25 September 2020. There are currently no significant delays in processing employment visas and my Department's Dublin office is processing employment visas within ten working days. Some 7,780 employment applications have been processed globally since the beginning of April 2020, with almost 34,000 visas processed across all categories. The granting of an employment permit by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is a separate process, with no bearing on whether a visa will subsequently be granted. These are two distinct applications with different checks and due diligence procedures in place in each Department.
Similarly, I appreciate how important the granting of naturalisation is to those who have to apply for it. My Department has continued to adapt and process applications throughout the pandemic. Processing rates, however, have been negatively impacted by the necessary health and safety-related restrictions and from a High Court case in 2019, which was subsequently successfully appealed. As a result, regrettably, there are just over 24,600 applications currently on hand at various stages of processing. Since opening the statutory declaration system in January, we have invited 6,500 applicants to complete the final steps prior to the granting of a certificate of naturalisation. Almost 3,900 people have received their certificates so far. Approximately 900 more will receive them in the coming weeks. Additional staff are being assigned to the administrative team and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency.
I appreciate the magnitude of the task. Nonetheless, the size of the task ahead should not become a dominant factor or feature. It should be possible at this stage to make preparations, which would have to be made in any event. There is likely to be an upsurge in economic activity in the aftermath of the pandemic, which will result in applications for work permits and visas from abroad. These applicants must meet the skill requirements in this jurisdiction at a time when it is felt that the processing of the applications is a major issue insofar as filling the positions is concerned.
I wish to further ask the Minister about asylum seekers. I fully appreciate the size of the backlog. Notwithstanding all that, however, there is now an acceptance of the fact there is a backlog that will be there for some considerable time. How quickly can we overhaul that?
We introduced the new statutory declaratory process last January to address the backlog of applications. A number of amendments were needed to be able to carry this out. In the normal course of events, people would make their declarations in the presence of the relevant Ministers at that time at a set location. Because that could not be done, however, this new statutory declaration process was brought in.
As I said, 6,500 applicants have been invited to complete the final steps prior to the granting of the certificate of naturalisation, and 3,900 people have received their certificates so far. Almost 1,000 people are due to receive their certificates very soon. We are, therefore, using this process to try to clear off that backlog as quickly as possible with regard to citizenship. We hope that in the near future, we will be able to get back to in-person granting of citizenship as quickly as possible, which is a hugely emotional and important day for people who become citizens of this country. It is something we can all be very proud of being part of.
By way of supplementary or further inquiries, two issues arise. The first issue is the extent to which a positive outcome can be expected with regard to applications for work-related visas. How quickly, for instance, can the employer here expect a positive decision given that all other requirements are met?
In addition, the time taken to process applications is an issue, as is the degree to which the employer can expect a satisfactory outcome. My last point relates to the necessity of the process. The process is necessary in order for employers to fill their various positions. They expect and depend on the alacrity with which the Department can respond to their continuing in the business they are in.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment determines whether to issue an employment permit based on a labour market needs test. This decides whether employment opportunities that arise in Ireland should be offered to suitably skilled Irish and other EEA nationals before being offered to non-EEA nationals where no suitable candidate emerges from within the EEA system to fill that vacancy. Immigration checks done by the Department of Justice are a separate part of the process for entry to Ireland and an examination of the visa application will include checks on qualifications and experience for a role, for example. Visa officers must ensure visa applications for entry into Ireland are fully in order, including aspects such as the qualifications, skills and previous experience being claimed by applicants. There are about 5,500 applications for employment visas received per year on average. We expect to get back to the normal processing times quite soon. Perhaps some communications work must be carried out if some employers feel that once they get the employment permit, the job is almost done as within the Department of Justice and the visa application, subsequent checks must be done on employment qualifications in addition to other background checks on the applicant.
Deputy Bríd Smith has informed the Chair she will take a written answer to Question No. 92.
