New rules which make it more difficult for non-EEA workers to obtain Irish work permits have come into force today.
The changes apply primarily to first-time entrants to the labour market.
Under the new arrangements, permits will not be granted for jobs paying under €30,000 per annum. Permits will also not be given for a number of professions including domestic workers and HGV drivers.
In addition, the length of time that employers have to advertise jobs will be increased and tougher conditions for the renewal of permits - including higher fees - will also apply.
Tougher conditions on renewals mean that before a non-EU permit can be reissued, the job will have to be re-advertised to ensure there is still no suitable EEA candidate for the post. This will only apply to permits issued from today.
Under the new regulations an employer must also double the length of time for which a vacancy is advertised before hiring a non-EEA candidate (the EEA includes the EU as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland).
A further change will see spouses and dependants of future work permit holders having to apply for permits in their own right.
Non-EEA permit holders comprise 1.5 per cent of the labour force (some 30,000 people).
There has been a sharp fall in the number of permits issued in recent years. They fell by 40 per cent last year (to just over 13,000) and look set to fall further this year, with just 2,000 permits issued in the first quarter of 2009.
A demonstration was held last week by the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) in Dublin against the new arrangements.
