Registration fee waived for migrant victims of domestic abuse
The Department of Justice announced the domestic abuse concession scheme for migrant victims of domestic abuse. Under the scheme, anyone who experiences domestic abuse – and whose permission to be in Ireland is linked to the perpetrator of that abuse – can apply to the Immigration Service for separate independent immigration permission and will not be required to pay the usual € 300 registration fee.
Government publishes new family reunification policy
The Irish government published a new policy document on family reunification, replacing the previous policy of 2016 and introducing several key changes. Adult children aged 18–23 in education are no longer eligible unless they are dependent due to medical or psychological reasons. Financial requirements have increased significantly, with sponsors now required to demonstrate income of at least €92 789 over three years for one dependent and €125 390 for two, and only one sponsor’s income is considered. The appeal period for refusals has been reduced from 2 months to 30 days. Specific requirements vary by sponsor category – more information is available online.
Changes to right to work for children of employment permit holders
The government announced several changes to the right to work for children of employment permit holders, which will allow them to take up employment without the need to obtain a separate employment permit of their own.
The dependent residence permit ‘Stamp 3’ has been abolished for children whose parents currently hold employment permission or whose parent previously held that permission and now holds a residence permit ‘Stamp 4’. Children aged between 16-18 who are granted a ‘join family’ entry visa will now be issued with a Stamp 1 G permission instead. The changes also apply to children who are already living in Ireland, but do not apply to those who were granted entry into the country based on exceptional circumstances (for example via a sponsor in Ireland who has humanitarian leave to remain).
Changes to naturalisation residence requirements for refugee applicants
The Department of Justice announced that refugee applicants for citizenship are now required to demonstrate 5 years of ‘reckonable residence’ in the 9 years prior to the date of their application, instead of 3 years as was previously required.
In addition, only residence in Ireland after receipt of the Ministerial Decision Unit (MDU) letter granting refugee status will be counted toward citizenship.
Students call for clear school mechanisms to report racist incidents
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) published the report ‘Roots of Racism: Revealing Racism in Irish Secondary Schools’. It is based on a survey conducted with 3 655 teenage students. 1 in 4 students from ethnic minority backgrounds – many of whom also have migrant backgrounds – who took part in the survey said they experienced racism at least once a month, with most experiencing it once a week or more. Only 15% of students said they had reported the racist incidents they had experienced, due to fear of reprisal, scepticism about effective intervention and the belief that incidents are not taken seriously. ISSU is calling for clearer, more accessible reporting mechanisms in schools for such incidents.
MRCI report recommends reforming the employment permit system
Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) launched a report based on a survey conducted with over 1 000 employment permit holders. The report, ‘Tied to Exploitation: The Experience of Migrant Workers in Ireland’, examines the experiences of migrant workers with general employment permits. The findings show that 71% of general employment permit holders have experienced exploitation in employment, and that fear of losing a permit or job is the biggest barrier to reporting exploitation.
Based on the survey findings, the main recommendation made by the report is that all employment permit holders be granted the freedom to work in any job after 2 years in the job to which their original permit is tied, rather than the current 5-year requirement.
Campaign launched to promote positive immigration narratives
Ireland’s Labour party launched the ‘Together We Thrive’ campaign, which features personal stories of immigrants to Ireland from Ukraine, Syria and India and shares accurate information on their numbers and economic contributions. There is also a petition for people to sign in demonstration of solidarity with migrants in the country. The Party, including Dublin MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, is calling for the government launch its own positive information campaign highlighting the significant role migrants play in Irish society.
Report on immigration misconceptions and negative attitudes
A new study published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and funded by the Department of Justice found that the majority of people in Ireland overestimate the number of migrants living in the country. The study involved an anonymous survey of 1 200 adults, the majority of whom underestimated education levels and employment rates of immigrants and overestimated their representation in social housing and the prison population. The study concluded that when people hold more inaccurate conceptions around immigration they are significantly more likely to feel negatively about immigration.
International Protection Application Portal launched
Ireland launched its International Protection Portal on 27 February 2025. The portal allows international protection applicants – who submitted their application on or after 31 July 2024 and ‘opted in’ with a registered email address – to check the status of their application. Find further details on portal registration and access here.
The portal was launched through the Department of Justice’s wider modernisation project, part of its 2024 “Digital First” immigration policy. The project has also seen creation of the national Digital Contact Centre (DCC), a self-service portal that enables users to book or amend first-time immigration registration appointments, track their applications and submit queries online.
