Students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will have their access to employment restricted from next April, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell announced today.
The EEA is made up of countries within the EU as well as Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland.
Minister for Justic, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell
From next April, all non-EEA nationals studying in Ireland will only be allowed to take-up casual employment if they are attending a full-time course of at least one year's duration and leading to a recognised qualification.
Casual employment is defined as up to 20 hours part time work or full-time work during holiday periods.
Up to now, all non-EEA students were entitled to avail of casual employment regardless of the type of course they were attending.
This led to a minority of educational institutions abusing the entitlement and selling their customers an educational product that amounted to little more than access to the Irish labour market, according to the Department of Justice.
Announcing the new arrangements, Mr McDowell said: "Allowing all students access to the labour market made sense when it was introduced in 2000, but it no longer does in 2004 with the evidence of widespread abuse in the sector. The changes being implemented will eliminate the attractions for those who seek to abuse the system."
The minister added: "I am prepared to deal with those students already present in Ireland on a sympathetic basis and it is not proposed to change the situation of students already in Ireland, who will continue to be allowed access to work."