Irish organisations used International Migrants Day (18 December) to unveil fresh initiatives aimed at making workplaces more welcoming to newcomers. Momentum Consulting introduced a multilingual mobile app under its ‘Welcome Work’ project that teaches construction-site safety and recognises overseas trade qualifications—a timely move as the sector battles chronic labour shortages.
Separately, Diversity Charter Ireland hosted a virtual summit where member companies shared best practice on intercultural onboarding and remote-first mentorship for refugee professionals. Attendees heard that one in eight workers in Ireland was born abroad, yet only 54 per cent feel they can progress at the same rate as Irish colleagues.
![International Migrants Day sees Irish firms launch new workplace-inclusion tools]()
Business lobby group IBEC seized the moment to reiterate its call for a streamlined foreign-qualification recognition pathway. The group estimates that slow credential checks in healthcare, engineering and ICT are costing the economy €600 million a year in lost productivity and has proposed a ‘green-lane’ mechanism modelled on the Critical Skills Employment Permit fast-track.
NGOs welcomed the corporate engagement but warned of persistent structural barriers such as limited affordable housing and long waiting times for driving-licence exchange, both of which can derail job offers. They urged the government to align its forthcoming national skills strategy with the EU’s revamped Blue Card directive, which Ireland opted into earlier this year.
For HR and mobility teams, the new resources provide practical tools—translated safety modules, mentorship templates and policy check-lists—to support international hires. Companies that need site-ready construction staff or multilingual customer-service agents may find faster ramp-up times if employees use the new training app.
Separately, Diversity Charter Ireland hosted a virtual summit where member companies shared best practice on intercultural onboarding and remote-first mentorship for refugee professionals. Attendees heard that one in eight workers in Ireland was born abroad, yet only 54 per cent feel they can progress at the same rate as Irish colleagues.
Business lobby group IBEC seized the moment to reiterate its call for a streamlined foreign-qualification recognition pathway. The group estimates that slow credential checks in healthcare, engineering and ICT are costing the economy €600 million a year in lost productivity and has proposed a ‘green-lane’ mechanism modelled on the Critical Skills Employment Permit fast-track.
NGOs welcomed the corporate engagement but warned of persistent structural barriers such as limited affordable housing and long waiting times for driving-licence exchange, both of which can derail job offers. They urged the government to align its forthcoming national skills strategy with the EU’s revamped Blue Card directive, which Ireland opted into earlier this year.
For HR and mobility teams, the new resources provide practical tools—translated safety modules, mentorship templates and policy check-lists—to support international hires. Companies that need site-ready construction staff or multilingual customer-service agents may find faster ramp-up times if employees use the new training app.
Source: VisaHQ
