Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2023
271. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware that healthcare assistants who have been recruited by the HSE from abroad, are facing terrible difficulties reuniting with family members in Ireland because their income does not meet the income threshold for family reunification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31056/23]
View answerAccess to the General Employment Permit for non EEA nationals wishing to take up employment in the role of health care assistant was announced in June 2021 to address skills and labour shortages in the healthcare and nursing home sector. The framework agreed following constructive engagement with the Department of Health provided a salary of at least €27,000 for the role and the requirement for the permit holder to attain a relevant qualification at least QQI Level 5 after 2 years employment in the State.
Remuneration for employment permit purposes is a labour market policy instrument in which setting minimum remuneration thresholds is a delicate balancing act. Economic migration seeks to serve the skills needs of the economy without impacting the wider labour market. Therefore, being cognisant that there are a range of remuneration levels in the sector (€24,000 - €32,000) and recognising the need to be able to recruit staff while ensuring that there is no disruption to the domestic labour market, a minimum annual remuneration threshold of €27,000 has been set for this occupation.
The conditions governing the eligibility requirements for family reunification and the granting of Stamp 1G visas for spouses and/or dependents of employment permit holders are a matter for the Minister for Justice. The Department of Justice policy requires that the sponsor demonstrate their capacity to provide for their family member(s) if they are to be granted a permission to come to Ireland. The policy sets out the rationale for applying resource requirements as part of the overall assessment of whether to approve an application for family reunification and the conditions attaching to permissions issued to family members.
I understand that there are many healthcare assistants living in Ireland who do not qualify for family reunification and that this is a very difficult situation for those workers and indeed their families. The Department of Justice policy on reunification, which was last amended in 2016, is currently under review.
