Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 May 2018
134. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the reason the employment permit process for highly skilled eligible occupations and the ineligible categories of employment are reviewed only twice yearly. [19549/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State's economic migration policy is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy. It is vital that the employment permits system is responsive to changes in economic circumstances and labour market conditions. In order to orient the flow of skilled migrants into the country to meet skills and labour demands that, in the short term, cannot be met by the resident labour force, it is necessary to review the highly skilled and ineligible lists on a regular basis.
The Department’s review of the highly skilled and ineligible lists is predicated on a formalised and evidence-based process. An EU-wide study in 2015 showed that Ireland is ahead of most EU member states in terms of linking market intelligence to labour migration policy.
The review of the lists is an evidence based process undertaken twice a year, informed by the annual publication of the National Skills Council’s National Skills Bulletin and the Vacancy Overview Report, which is also an annual release. In addition, an extensive internal consultation between officials of my Department and Solas, reviews of relevant sectorial reports or other pertinent releases are undertaken and a public consultation process with Government Departments, agencies, industry and social partners are invited to provide observations. Revised lists are included as schedules to Employment Permits Regulations which are laid before these Houses.
Therefore, the biannual updating of the lists is the culmination of continual consideration by my Department of labour market needs and the approach taken has been developed to ensure the sourcing of skills required for economic and social development without undue disruption to the State’s labour market.
However, in the light of the changing macroeconomic context, my officials are currently engaged in an overarching review of the employment permits system to ensure that it remains a good fit to support the State’s skills and labour requirements where these can’t be met from the resident and EEA labour pool. I expect this review to be completed by the end of June.
