Companies attempting to recruit non-EEA talent for Irish operations are facing processing dates that have slipped back to late August, according to figures published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 2 October. The latest dashboard shows General Employment Permit (GEP) applications of 26 August are only now being examined, while renewals are backed up to 10 July. Critical Skills Employment Permits (CSEP) are faring slightly better, with the queue sitting at 25 September – but that still represents a three-week delay for Ireland’s flagship high-skill visa. Why is the queue lengthening? Immigration advisers cite an unprecedented summer volume as multinational life-sciences, tech and construction employers competed for the same global talent pool that Britain and the Netherlands are also chasing. At the same time, extra compliance checks were introduced after several high-profile fraud cases earlier this year, adding minutes to every file. Officials insist applications are processed strictly by date-of-receipt and are recruiting 20 additional case-workers, yet practitioners warn that relief will not be felt until year-end. For business, the knock-on cost is measurable. HR directors told the Roscommon People they are paying for “bench time” abroad while waiting for Irish permits, or shifting assignees to EU subsidiaries that can grant local work permission faster. Smaller exporters complain that delayed permits for welders, chefs and HGV drivers are already forcing overtime and lost orders in the run-up to Christmas. Practically, mobility managers should build a minimum eight-to-ten-week lead time into hiring plans for standard permits and flag the issue to clients and headquarters. Critical Skills cases are still moving more quickly, so upgrading roles to meet the €38,000 (or €64,000) salary thresholds where feasible can shave weeks off onboarding. Employers can also press contractors to file fully-complete applications – the Department confirms incomplete files are being returned without queue priority, adding further delay.
Source: Roscommon People
