Tighter Restrictions On Work Permits Announced

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise has announced stricter rules for work permit applications in the wake of growing unemployment in Ireland.

The changes will include a tougher labour-market needs test for all future applicants.

Mary Coughlan says the move is an effort to give people already in the Irish labour market a greater chance to fill any job vacancies.

"Our immigrant population have and continue to make a significant contribution to our economy and to society as a whole here in Ireland.

"We need to ensure however that for our flexible migration policies to remain as a successful tool of Irish economic policy, that they are adapted on an ongoing basis to reflect the changing realities of the Irish labour market," said the Tániaste.

She added: "Those realities have altered dramatically over recent months. As a result, it is essential that we now take steps to ensure that every possible effort is made by employers to find a suitably skilled employee from within the existing labour market."

Currently some 30,000 people, or only 1.5% of the labour force, are employment permit holders, and the number handed out have fallen since 2007 when 23,722 were handed out.

(DW/BMcC)