NEW EMPLOYMENT permits are being issued at roughly the same level as 2010, according to statistics issued by the Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation, which has responsibility for permits for non-European Economic Area nationals.
The number of renewals appears to have dropped significantly. However, according to sources within the tourist industry, this may be due to the fact many employees brought in from Asia and other areas are now in the Republic for five years.
When working continuously for the same company for five years, and with valid immigration stamps, they no longer need to renew their permits, a spokeswoman for the department explained.
So far this year, some 1,119 work permits have been issued, and there have been just under 700 renewals. Some 257 persons were refused a permit.
In the first four months of 2010, some 1,211 permits were granted.
Renewals so far this year are at 697, compared with 1,521 for the first four months of 2010.
In the whole of 2010, there were 3,672 new permits granted and 4,042 renewals, bringing to 7,714 the total number of work permits granted. Work permits may be granted for six to 24 months in the first instance and renewed for further periods of up to three years. Applicants must have a job application from a company.
The service industry – mainly hotels, restaurants and tourism – continues to be the largest single sector seeking work permits, ahead of nursing, and medical industry. When combined with catering, the services and catering sectors accounts for most of the work permits issued.
In April, out of 260 new permits, 133 were issued to the service industry sector along with 25 to catering. The bulk of the 205 renewals are also in these combined sectors.
Among the counties for which new work permits have been granted, Dublin (with 571) is the lead county, followed by Cork (100), Kildare (63), Westmeath (61), Galway (41), Tipperary (33), Clare (31), Louth (22), and Kerry (21). Some 562 Indian nationals have been issued with new permits or had their permits renewed this year. This is followed by those from the Philippines (253), the USA (182), Romania (123) and Malaysia (86).
In 2003, more than 47,000 work permits were issued, the biggest numbers being for the service and catering sectors.