Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021
242. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of non-EEA doctors that are offered critical skills work permits from 2015 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50472/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraPolicy responsibility for the medical practitioners falls under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Health.
The employment permits system is managed through the use of lists designating highly skilled and ineligible occupations. In order to maintain the relevance of these lists of occupations to the needs of the economy and to ensure their ongoing relevance to the State’s human capital requirements, they undergo twice-yearly evidence-based reviews.
Occupations appearing on the Critical Skills Occupations List, including Medical Practitioners, are eligible to apply for the Critical Skills Employment Permit. This permit type is designed to attract highly skilled people into the labour market in roles identified as being in critical short supply with the aim of encouraging them to take up permanent residence and employment in the State. The qualification criteria for this permit includes a two-year job offer, a relevant third level qualification and a minimum remuneration of €32,000.
Individual contracts of employment and the type of employment permit for which an application is submitted are matters between the employee and employer, in this case the Health Service Executive. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has agreed an arrangement with the HSE to facilitate multi-location rotations without requiring a new employment permit for each medical rotation.
The statistics requested by the Deputy concerning the figures for Critical Skills Employment Permits provided in respect of non- EEA doctors for the period January 2015 up to and including 12th October 2021 are set out in the table below.
Critical Skills Employment Permits Issued to Doctors from 2015 to 12th October 2021 inclusive
|
Year |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Critical Skills Employment Permit |
40 |
48 |
54 |
55 |
84 |
169 |
198 |
