New permit to allow foreign workers bring families in straight away

Government reforming ‘critical skills’ permit system in bid to attract more skilled workers from outside the EU

Non-EU workers on general work permits must wait a year before they can apply to bring family members from abroad to live with them

The government is going to allow more foreign IT workers, nurses and doctors to bring their family members with them immediately upon moving to Ireland, under a reform of the work permit system.

Under the current rules, workers from outside the EU need an employment contract of two years or more to be allowed to immediately bring partners and children to live with them.

But as part of the government’s plans to attract more skilled ...