Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
138. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the details of the operation of the employment permit scheme; and the number of employment permits by category including general permit and skills shortage permits that have been issued since 2010 to or on behalf of or following an application from a third party such as an employment agency that is not the employer involved or the employee. [25597/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The employment permits system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages, however, this objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one. The system is, by design, vacancy led and managed through the operation of the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for consideration for an employment permit.
An employment permit may be granted where there is a direct contractual arrangement between an employer and an employee to fill a vacancy that qualifies for the type of employment permit being applied for, subject to other relevant criteria. Once granted, the employment permit allows the non-EEA national to commence employment in the State in the employment, with the employer, and for the period as stated on the permit.
Under the Employment Permits Acts applications for employment permits cannot be considered from employment agencies where it transpires that the foreign national is to be assigned to work for, and under the direction and supervision of, a person other than the employment agency. Therefore, an employment agency is precluded from applying for an employment permit for this category of employee as they are not considered to be the employer. No employment permits have, therefore, issued to a third party such as an employment agency.
