FÁS has called for a radical overhaul of procedures for granting of work permits to immigrants to link the system to skills shortages rather than employment vacancies.
In its Irish Labour Market Review 2002, the national training and employment authority has recommended the introduction of an Australian-style points-based system.
This would see potential workers awarded points for skills they hold. The sum of points, awarded for practical, language and educational skills, would provide for a far more targeted system.
The number of work permits issued to workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) more than doubled to 36,500 last year and a similar number of permits are expected to be issued to non-EEA citizens in the current year.
At the publication of the document, FÁS director-general Rody Molloy said: "There are still skills shortages in some crucial areas of the economy and these need to be addressed. In the short term, as the demand for labour falls we will need to adopt a more targeted approach to immigration which will focus on skilled immigrants in occupations where there are critical skills shortages".
Mr Molloy cited civil engineering as a sector where there are "critical skills shortages" and said a shortage of civil engineers could create serious difficulties in completing aspects of the National Development Plan.
Mr. Molloy said the Australian points system for work permits is one model that Ireland could use when revising the criteria for issuing work permits. "A points system would be a more effective way of planning immigration in the medium-term," he said.