The Department of Social Protection released its Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026-2030 on 22 May 2026, setting out 63 cross-government actions to cut poverty to 2 per cent and make Ireland one of Europe’s most inclusive societies by the end of the decade. While primarily an anti-poverty strategy, the roadmap contains several measures of direct interest to global-mobility programmes and foreign employers. Key commitments include: • Doubling funding for labour-market activation schemes targeting refugees and other third-country nationals; • Expanding the Employment Support Grant so newcomers can access language training and skills recognition up to Level 7; • Fast-tracking Professional Qualifications Recognition through a one-stop digital portal by 2028; • Introducing “Integration Impact Assessments” for major housing and transport projects to ensure new communities have access to public services. For HR leaders the most tangible change is Action 27, which tasks the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with piloting an “Employer Inclusion Standard” – a voluntary accreditation recognising companies that offer onboarding support, language provision and career pathways to non-EEA workers. Certification will carry weight in future public-procurement scoring and may eventually link to expedited employment-permit processing. The roadmap also promises annual progress reports with disaggregated data on migrant poverty and employment outcomes – welcome transparency that will help multinationals benchmark diversity efforts. Businesses are invited to join a Social Inclusion Steering Group that will shape implementation and provide feedback on practical barriers such as childcare availability for mobile talent. Participation offers a chance to influence future immigration supports and demonstrate corporate citizenship in the Irish market.
