Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 October 2022
280. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice if she will create a separate unit within the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service to ensure that visa applications relating to medical professionals are strategically prioritised and fast-tracked; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48798/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that decisions regarding the grant or refusal of employment visas are made in a number of Immigration Service Delivery Visa Offices and at Embassies of the Department of Foreign Affairs which process certain visa applications under delegated sanction from my Department.
Every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible. Processing times inevitably vary during the year and from one location to another. The processing times for employment visa decisions are published on the visa pages of each Visa Office and Embassy website. Applicants are advised to allow eight weeks for visa processing.
As of 27th September 2022, the Visa Office in Dublin is processing employment visa applications it received before 10 August 2022.
More generally, the processing time for visas in each location will vary based on a number of factors such as the number of applications, seasonal pressures, the complexity of the applications, whether further information or investigation is required, and the resources available. My Department is currently examining whether there are opportunities to further streamline the overall application process for these and other groups.
The central concern, as with all visa services worldwide, in deciding on visa applications is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime, while at the same time facilitating travel for those who meet the criteria. Each visa application is therefore decided on its own merits taking all factors into account.
