Foreign residents in Ireland, especially those who plan to travel outside Ireland during the Christmas period, are encouraged to renew their permissions in October, as the country’s immigration services have alerted about a backlog of applications.
In a press release by the Irish Department of Justice, foreign nationals who are residents of the country are being advised to submit their applications for permissions by October 31, Schengen.News reports.
Those who plan to travel home for the Christmas holiday period and foreigners whose current permission expires in the upcoming weeks or during their travel dates are strongly encouraged to file their applications ahead.
Non-EEA nationals in the State who are required to apply for a renewal of their IRP card before or during any intended international travel over the coming Christmas holiday period should apply online via the ISD online portal as soon as possible.
IRP Cards Renewals Are Currently Taking Up to 1 Month to Be Processed, Authorities Reveal
In the same press release, the Immigration Service noted that the processing time to renew an IRP card is currently between three and four weeks. This prolonged delay is due to a very large volume of applications for renewing permissions submitted at the Immigration Services Registration Office Burgh Quay in Dublin.
In addition to the delay in processing the applications for renewing permissions, the full process could be even longer – as it can take up to two weeks to receive the new IRP card visa post. An in-date IRP card, which allows the holder to travel freely and return to the country, may be required to facilitate travel.
The Immigration Services Office disclaimed they ‘cannot guarantee that any renewal submitted after October 31, 2023, will be processed and an IRP card delivered in time to facilitate travel over the Christmas holiday period’. However, the authorities promised to do the best they can.
Ireland Granted Over 27,000 Work Permits in First Eight Months of 2024
According to data from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), Ireland has granted a total of 27,181 work permits between January and August of 2024.
Out of the total, 9,125 permits were granted for the health and social work sectors, followed by those engaged in information and communication activities (4,628). For the sectors of agriculture, fishing and forestry, a total of 2,533 work permits were issued. In August alone, 12 per cent or 3,358 of work permits were granted to foreign workers.
Based on the 2023 EURES report, Ireland has labour shortages across 20 jobs, with the most affected being healthcare, IT, engineering, manufacturing, construction and transportation.