New Online Employment Permit System for the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation :
A new Employment Permits Online System (EPOS) for the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) will be implemented for Employment Permits in September 2016. Once rolled out, Employment Permit applications and submission of supporting documentation can be made online via EPOS along with payments of fees (where applicable) by credit/debit card through a secure payment gateway. We haven’t been notified if the DJEI will accept paper based applications once the online system has been implemented but we will update you on same.
The Employment Permits Online System is being implemented and is being marketed as:
- Intuitive online user experience
- Ease of application completion with help information and relevant mandatory fields.
- Mandatory documentation identified per Permit Type with help information.
- Fast turnaround of Applications
The Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation is asking applicants to hold off on submitting in new applications for employment permits during the month of August 2016, if at all possible. Stating such applications can then be submitted online in early September offering applicants a more seamless and speedier process. Corporate Care Relocation realise that this will not be possible for much of our clients due to business needs. We would therefore recommend any current employment permit applications should be submitted as soon as possible up to the 15th of August. Applications in the gathering stage and being initiated should be made aware that there could be slow down in processing. Furthermore from previous changes there could be a change in the documents required (different forms, signatures required etc.) As previously, when substantial changes have been implemented by the DJEI there is very short overlap time for permit applications on the current forms and can lead to the return of applications near the change over time. The DJEI have not currently released the new changeover date for implementation and if there will be a window for submission of old applications.
For full release on change please see: https://www.djei.ie/en/What-We-Do/Jobs-Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Latest-updates/
Change in Legislation for Employment Permits
With the new rollout the DJEI are introducing new changes in the legislation. These changes come in to affect from the 2ndof August 2016.
- The minimum period a Trainee under the Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit Scheme is required to be in the employment of a foreign employer is reduced from 6 months to 1 month.
- Clarification on information to be submitted by employers who use the SEPA Direct Debit online facility to make returns to Revenue Commissioners.
- Where an application is made in respect of an occupation listed in Part C, Schedule 2 a copy of the foreign national’s registration with, or recognition of their qualifications by, an appropriate regulatory body or Minister listed in Part C is required to be provided with an application for grant or renewal of an employment permit.
- Where an application is made in respect of accountants working in MNC Global Audit Services, a copy of the foreign national’s registration with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) is required to be provided with such applications.
- Clarification provided that in in order to be eligible for an employment permit as an executive chef, head chef, sous chef or specialist chef each must be specialising in non-EEA cuisine.
- New employment permit application forms incorporating these changes will be made available from the Department shortly.
For full release on these changes and for the change in the legislation please see https://www.djei.ie/en/What-We-Do/Jobs-Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Latest-updates/ and https://www.djei.ie/en/What-We-Do/Jobs-Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Latest-updates/
Change in Highly skilled and Ineligible Occupation Lists for Employment Permits;
There has been a change to Highly skilled occupation list and ineligible list , please see below.
- Highly skilled occupations in short supply: The following occupations have been added to the HSEOL: Paramedics, Respiratory physiologists, accountants working in MNC Global Audit Services, and tax consultants specializing in non-EEA tax consultancy. For full list of Highly skilled Occupation please see https://www.djei.ie/en/What-We-Do/Jobs-Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Eligibility/Highly-Skilled-Eligible-Occupations-List/
- General skills in short supply: The following occupation is now ineligible for employment permits: Legal associate professionals who are fluent in the official language, apart from English, of a state which is not a Member State of the EEA and who have market knowledge of the non-EEA state. Applicants should ensure that a Labour Market Needs Test in respect of a vacancy for such a legal associate professional does not commence before 2 August 2016.
For full list of Ineligible list please see: https://www.djei.ie/en/What-We-Do/Jobs-Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Eligibility/Ineligible-Categories-of-Employment
Appointment System for GNIB registration in Dublin :
In line with the move to appointment systems (re-entry visa system last September) , Irish Naturalisation and Immigrations Services (INIS) have also posted formally that they will be introducing an appointment system for GNIB registrations (registration of residency).
This online appointment system has been long awaited (has been in the pipeline for the last 2 years) and is set to be introduced in late August and early September,
For a full release on the changes please see: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/new-immigration-appointment-system
Irish Passport Renewal Process
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs has announced that the passport renewal process will be digitized, from early 2017. Currently those renewing passports deal directly with the Irish Passport Office. Now from early next year it will be possible to process applications online. The new system will reduce paperwork and streamline the renewal process. Given that half of applications made to the Passport Office are made by Irish citizens seeking to renew their passports this is beneficial and will cut down the waiting times.
Brexit
While the full impact of the UK’s decision to withdrawal from the European Union is still not known in terms of how it will impact the UK and Irish relationship from an immigration point of view. The initial impact has led to an Increase of Demand for Irish Passports -. Passport applications had increased by 12.5 percent this year, compared to the same period in 2015. The number applications made by UK citizens has risen by 27.6 percent, with 31,707 applications so far in 2016. This has led to more civil servants been brought in the Irish passport offices both in Ireland and at the embassies which could have an knock on effect in terms of Visa processing in certain embassies.
For more official reports on Brexit impact for Ireland and the UK, the following website is very useful http://www.merrionstreet.ie/en/EU-UK/
