'Policy change' required to alter permits for migrants

ALTERING THE permit system to allow migrant workers to change employer to protect them against exploitation would require a fundamental policy change, Minister for Labour Affairs Dara Calleary has said.

Mr Calleary told the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Innovation yesterday that “a core and crucial element” of the current permit system is that it is “vacancy-driven”.

Permits are only issued on the basis that a vacancy cannot be filled from within the European Economic Area.

This means that employers have to carry out a labour needs test, in addition to which the employer or potential employee must pay between €500 and €1,500 in an application fee.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1027/1224282072494.html

Poles based in Ireland repatriate €841m

POLES WORKING in Ireland sent home almost €1 billion last year, which amounts to a fifth of all global transfers of cash back to Poland from overseas workers.

About €841 million in wages earned by Polish long-term and temporary employees in Ireland was sent back in savings or payments to support relatives. This amounts to €4,205 each for the estimated 200,000 Poles who live in the Republic.

Since Poland joined the EU in 2004 enabling Poles to work all across the EU, some $6.42 billion (the National Bank of Poland compiles the statistics in dollars; the figure is €4.58 billion at today’s exchange rate) has been sent back to Poland by workers in Ireland.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1026/1224282006224.html

Migrant workers 'powerless'

Migrant workers in Ireland are being put in a “powerless situation” where they are wholly dependent on the employer for their permit and continued legal immigration status, an Oireachtas Committee has heard.

An ongoing campaign by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland aims to give migrant workers the right to freely change employer, thereby stopping the exploitation of workers by unscrupulous employers.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0928/breaking62.html

Ireland's outward migration highest in 20 years: CSO

A total 65,300 people left Ireland between April 2009 and April 2010, while the number of immigrants into the country stands at 30,800.

About 27,700 of the emigrants were Irish, up from 18,400 the previous year.

http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/ireland/irelands-outward-migration-highest-in-20-years-cso-474450.html#ixzz10AZ9XCqR

Migrants not "going home"

The level of calls to the Immigrant Council of Ireland’s (ICI) Information and Referral Service in the first half of 2010 has remained consistent with previous years and does not support the rhetoric that migrants are ‘going home’ and instead highlights that many migrants have made Ireland their home.

While some migrants have returned to their countries of origin, they are mainly migrants from the EU12 accession states.

http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie/press_detail.php?id=145

Immigrants stay put despite recession

A MASSIVE 'exodus' of immigrants who made Ireland their home has not materialised due to the recession, new research has found.

However, unemployment has been rising faster amongst new EU member state migrants than amongst Irish workers, the study from the Trinity Immigration Research Programme revealed.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/immigrants-stay-put-despite-recession-2241327.html

Migrant workers suffering "overt racism" from within the system

MIGRANT workers who become homeless experience "overt racism" from within the system and are not being provided with sufficient translation services, according to a homeless charity.

Crosscare officer Wayne Stanley said migrant workers were facing discrimination and being told they are not entitled to any welfare payments when they might be, and in some cases people have not been provided with translation services and so were not fully aware of what was required.

He said latest figures from the charity’s Amien Street service showed that more than 30% of new clients presenting in the first four months of this year were not Irish.

http://irishexaminer.com/ireland/migrant-workers-unaware-of-rights-123702.html#ixzz0sGZnDcmg

Loyalist speaks up for migrants

Migrant workers are a benefit to Northern Ireland's society and should be protected from racists, a leading loyalist has claimed.
Former Progressive Unionist Party leader Dawn Purvis spoke out in defence of minorities who have come under sporadic attack in parts of the province.

She said: "I want to be clear - migrant workers are here, they are here to stay and they are an important and positive part of not only our economy, but of our community.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/uk-ireland/loyalist-speaks-up-for-migrants-14857137.html

Investigation finds migrant workers face discrimination

A formal investigation into the role of the recruitment sector in the employment of migrant workers in Northern Ireland has found non-nationals are being discriminated against.

Those findings include:

•Participants encountered barriers to equality of opportunity for those using the recruitment sector.
•Irregularity of work.
•Large amounts of money being paid in their native countries to find work which was not as expected.
•Poor employment practices.
•Securing predominantly low paid work.
•Difficulties in having qualifications gained outside the UK recognised by employers.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/investigation-finds-migrant-workers-face-discrimination-14842879.html#ixzz0rJJB2pBw

€35m bill for non-resident benefits

Immigrants who have returned to mainly eastern European countries are claiming their entitlement to around €35m a year in social welfare payments here, figures released to the Sunday Independent reveal.

The Department of Social Protection is obliged to pay just over €15m a year in Jobseeker's Benefit and a further €20m a year in Child Benefit to immigrants who no longer live in Ireland.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/836435m-bill-for-benefits-wide-open-to-fraud-2209858.html

Migrant workers stage Dublin protest

A demonstration was held in Dublin today over the right of migrant workers to change their employer.

Up to 200 workers, banging drums, blowing whistles and carrying placards reading "work permit = licence to exploit", took part in the march outside the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation.

The MRCI said the current system means that migrant workers are unable to leave exploitative working conditions because of the rigid and inflexible employment permits system.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0602/breaking52.html

No right to work for non-EU family members

THE GOVERNMENT is removing the right to work for non-EU family members of EU citizens while they await a decision on their right to residency in Ireland.

The decision reflects concerns over rising unemployment and the Department of Justice’s ongoing campaign targeting so-called “sham marriages” between EU citizens and third country nationals.

Under current rules, the family members of EU citizens who settle in the Republic can work while the Government considers their right to residency. It usually takes six months for the department to process residency cards.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0511/1224270128873.html

Two-thirds of immigrants planning to stay

TWO-THIRDS of immigrants plan to stay in the Republic despite the recession and many working in jobs below their skill level, a new reports shows.

An EU-funded report on the training needs of young immigrants found 68 per cent of immigrants planned to stay on.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0508/1224269946958.html

Migrants' group calls for reform of work permit system

The campaign, which is being launched today in Dublin, is calling for a change in the regulations governing the approximately 25,000 migrant workers currently in the Employment Permit System.

As the system currently operates, these workers are only allowed to work for the employer designated on their permit. They are not allowed to freely change employer.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/migrants-group-calls-for-reform-of-work-permit-system-117115.html#ixzz0l03XAnA8

Migrant workers 'get less favourable treatment'

FOREIGNERS are only half as likely as Irish nationals to have favourable working conditions here, new figures reveal.

And those working in the hotel and restaurant sector are faring badly, with the worst rate of access to favourable working conditions in every category.

Almost twice as many non-Irish nationals did not expect to be in their current job in six months, as compared to Irish workers. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) yesterday published its national household survey on working conditions for the first quarter of 2008.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/migrant-workers-get-less-favourable-treatment-2080650.html

Nigerian 'king' lost Tesco job because of regal duty

A Nigerian king-in-waiting who was fired after he overstayed a Tesco time-off deal for regal duties in his home village has been awarded €10,000 compensation for unfair dismissal.

Mr Agbaje, who said he is now a taxi driver taking home €31 a week after expenses, had started work with Tesco in May 2006. Speaking at his home in Co Offaly yesterday, Mr Agbaje expressed disappointment at the level of the tribunal settlement.

As he comes from royal lineage, Mr Agbaje had been required to carry out ceremonies in his native village in preparation for his ascendancy to the throne.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/nigerian-king-lost-tesco-job-because-of-regal-duty-2066348.html

Immigrants unable to renew permits over admin blunder

THOUSANDS of immigrants are terrified they could yet lose their eligibility for citizenship after they found themselves unable to renew their residency permits over the past six weeks.

Parents of Irish-born children, who have to renew these permits every three years. were being turned away by gardaí this year even though INIS had taken advertisements in newspapers last December saying that GNIB and local immigration offices were now taking charge of processing the permits. Up to 17,000 immigrants have this IBC/05 status due to their children’s Irish birth.

Such immigrants cannot legally work in this country without an up-to-date permit and the Immigrant Council of Ireland say several have contacted them to say they have lost their jobs over a lack of up-to-date documentation.

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/immigrants-unable-to-renew-permits-over-admin-blunder-112181.html#ixzz0fd3tigQ9

Immigrants on the dole

One in three people signing on last month was an immigrant worker.

An extra 3,876 foreigners joined the live register in January compared with 9,465 Irish people, the new Central Statistics Office figures show.

Some 18.6pc of the 437,000 on the live register are now non-Irish nationals, a total of 81,395, though they comprise just 14.7pc of the workforce.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/downturn-hits-foreign-workers-hardest-2051114.html

Migrants from new EU states 'denied welfare'

INCREASING NUMBERS of migrant workers from new EU states are being unfairly denied access to social welfare payments because residency rules are applied inconsistently, a charity has claimed.

The charity issued the warning as new figures showed the Government spent €151,863 on flights to repatriate 663 EU nationals who became destitute last year.

Some 394 Romanians and 93 Poles were sent home under the repatriation scheme for destitute EU-12 nationals, which was introduced by the Government for EU nationals who are not entitled to access social welfare payments.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0111/1224262053852.html

Rise in foreign nationals claiming welfare

The amount of foreigners claiming social welfare in Ireland has risen despite large numbers leaving the country, it has been revealed.

Of the 118,000 people arriving in Ireland in 2004, 10% registered for benefits but that figure jumped to almost a quarter last year.

The Central Statistics Office blamed rising unemployment for driving greater numbers of migrants to the dole.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rise-in-foreign-nationals-claiming-welfare-1987234.html