Ireland needs to improve the current work-permits system and introduce a permanent points-system for workers in essential sectors, according to research published today.
Managing the Immigration and Employment of Non-EU nationals in Ireland
, published by the Public Policy Institute in TCD, sets out a series of policy options to develop the work permit system.
Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen
The report notes the type of immigrant worker coming to Ireland is changing, with an estimated 50,000 workers from the new EU member states taking up employment in the State since enlargement on May 1 st, 2004 and December that year.
Author Dr Martin Ruhs suggests work permit employers should be required to offer wages and working conditions that meet or exceed the average in that industry.
"This would help to protect wages and employment conditions of competing local workers (including all EU nationals). . . . It would also encourage employers to more carefully consider the alternatives before employing non-EU nationals to fill labour shortages," said Dr Ruhs.
He also wants to make work permits portable "within a defined job category and after a certain period of time." Dr Ruhs argues in his paper that this would help to protect migrant workers' rights be enabling them to leave unsatisfactory working conditions.
Dr Ruhs said the absence of a permanent immigration programme causes problems for Ireland's efforts to attract highly skilled workers.
He suggests that Ireland could initiate a "points system" similar to those used in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, to complement the temporary visa system.
Dr Ruhs added that the employment of non-EEA nationals registered as students needs to be monitored, with a more active role for the labour inspectorate.
Commenting on the study, Minister for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen said: "The new Employment Permits Bill which is currently in the final stages of preparation and is due to be published shortly will allow for a more pro-active role in the area of economic migration."
"The Bill will also allow for the introduction of a system of entry for specified highly skilled migrant workers, similar to that proposed by Dr. Ruhs."
"The legislation will include additional protections for migrant workers. It is intended that employers will be prohibited from making deductions from the remuneration of migrant workers of any costs associated with their recruitment.
Mr Killeen said the new legislation would also include a prohibition on the retention by employers of personal documents belonging to migrant workers.
He added that the number of labour inspectors would be almost doubled to 31.