Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
428. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice if consideration is being given to reducing the minimum salary for family reunification concerning non-EEA healthcare assistants under the general employment permit, in view of changes to the scheme in 2021 that set the annual minimum salary at €27,000 for healthcare assistants under the general employment permit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19534/23]
View answerAll immigration schemes and the requirements in relation to those schemes, including the policy for non-EEA family reunification, are kept under ongoing review.
The position in regard to applications of this nature is set out in the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification which is available on my Departments website. In general terms. the sponsor must demonstrate their capacity to provide for their family member(s) if they are to be granted a permission to come to Ireland. As a guideline, Category B sponsors such as those on General Employment Permits, regardless of occupation, must have a gross income in each of the previous 2 years in excess of that applied by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) in assessing eligibility for the Working Family Payment (formerly Family Income Supplement) and the expectation must be that this level of income will be maintained. The Working Family Payment does not apply in cases of couples where there are no children and in such cases the policy provides that a minimum level of gross income required in such cases would be €30,000 per annum.
The minimum remuneration threshold for applications for General Employment Permits are matters for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
