Language difficulties are the biggest single barrier to employers recruiting non-EU nationals, according to a survey by the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation. Legal, bureaucratic and cultural difficulties were also cited as significant factors, along with a lack of basic information on how to recruit people from outside the union.

Refugees who had been admitted to the labour market said the biggest barriers to employment were racism, lack of appropriate skills and verification of qualifications. However, the vast majority of employers and employees had found working with non-EU nationals a "positive" experience. The survey, Employment of Non-EU Nationals/Refugees in Ireland was carried out by IBEC and Interact Ireland as part of the confederation's involvement in Anti-Racist Workplace Week. It covered 251 companies and more than 324 employees.