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New Scheme commencing in January 2022 allows for undocumented immigrants to apply for legal residence in Ireland.

Published: 9 Dec, 2021
Author: Ritika
Reading Time: 2 minutes

A new scheme launched in January 2022 offers undocumented migrants a chance to regularise their residency in Ireland. If you’ve lived in the country without permission for several years, you may now be eligible to apply.

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New Scheme commencing in January 2022 allows for undocumented immigrants to apply for legal residence in Ireland.

The Dept. of Justice have announced that the Government has approved a scheme to regularise thousands of undocumented migrants and their families who are living in Ireland. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for immigrants to access permission to remain and reside in Ireland.

The scheme will commence in January, there is a six month window from then to submit an application. The scheme is for people who have been undocumented in Ireland for at least 4 years at the start of the scheme, or for at least 3 years for families with children under 18.

In addition, international protection applicants, who have been waiting for a decision for 2 years or more, can apply for the scheme.

How do I know if I’m eligible?

  • You have a period of 4 years residence in the State without an immigration permission, or 3 years in the case of those with children on the date the Scheme opens for applications;
  • Be granted an immigration permission that allows for unrestricted access to the labour market; and
  • You have years of residence with that permission reckonable for the purposes of pursuing citizenship by way of naturalisation.
  • Those with an existing Deportation Order can apply, if they meet the minimum undocumented residence requirement.
  • Applicants must meet standards regarding good character and criminal record/behaviour and not pose a threat to the State.
  • Having convictions for minor offences will not, of itself, result in disqualification.

It is estimated that up to17,000 undocumented people, including up to 3,000 children, to live in Ireland and regularise their residency status. A fee of €700 will apply to a family application, while individual applications will cost 550 euro.

If you think you might be eligible for the new scheme, it is advisable to get in touch with our immigration team today to discuss your application in preparation for the scheme opening in January 2022.

Don’t delay, please call us now on +353 1 264 5555 or complete our Online Enquiry and we’ll be delighted to help you.

Author

  • Ritika Tiwari is a Digital Marketing Executive based in Dublin with over four years of experience in digital marketing, branding, and social media strategy. She began exploring the marketing industry at the age of 17 and has since developed expertise in content creation, social media campaigns, lead generation, and digital storytelling.

Immigration FAQ's

Do I need to apply for a work permit?

A non-EEA national who has been granted permission to remain in Ireland on one of the following grounds does not need to apply for a work visa:

  • Permission to remain as a spouse or dependant of an Irish/EEA national
  • Permission to remain as the parent of an Irish citizen
  • Temporary leave to remain on humanitarian grounds, having been through the asylum process
  • Explicit permission from the Department of Justice and Equality to remain as a resident and employer in Ireland
  • Permission to be in the state as a registered student who is permitted to work 20 hours during term time and 40 hours during holiday periods
  • Permission to be in the state under the terms of the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967, and are assigned to a mission of a country with whom the government has entered into a working dependents agreement
  • Swiss nationals in accordance with the terms of the European Communities and Swiss Confederation Act 2001

All other non-EEA nationals are required to make an application for an Irish work visa.

Can you help me if I have an employment permit application refused?

We help with employment permit refusals. If you have had a work permit application refused, our experienced immigration team will help you to submit an appeal or a new application that follows all the relevant procedures and legislative requirements to ensure you stand the best chance.

Can you help with group work permit applications?

We can help you to submit group employment permit applications for your company, so you can bring employees from abroad to your business in Ireland. We have helped many multinational companies from various industries, including construction, haulage, health care and technology, to make successful group applications.

However, an employment permit will not be issued if it will result in more than 50% of a workforce being made up of non-EU/EEA nationals.
An exception to this rule is where a business is a start-up company, is within its first two years of establishment and is supported by the IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland.

What are the penalties of working without a relevant permit?

Under the Employment Permits Act, it is a criminal offence for a non-EU/EEA national to work without an employment permit.
Penalties, including a fine of up to €250,000 can be enforced on parties who breach regulations.

What is a Van der Elst visa?

A Van der Elst visa entitles non-EEA employees already working in an EEA member state to work for their employer in Ireland temporarily. Our immigration team can help you make an application for a Van Der Elst visa.

Got Questions? We’re Here to Help!

If you have concerns or would like to understand your eligibility,get in touch with our expert team for advice [email protected]

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I was very happy that I received my Irish citizenship in less than two years. You must gather all your “original” documents establishing the connection to the Irish-born grandparents; all understandable. The staff guided us each step of the way. Very pleased.
Kris Laurenti

Everyone made the naturalization process so easy. It was very daunting when we first started out, but the kindness and helpfulness of all the staff made us feel confident we had done all the paperwork correctly. It was nice to have several pairs of professional eyes looking over our application and giving us the thumbs up that everything turned in was pointing to a successful outcome. Thank you to everyone.
Michelle

I understand the challenges trying to sortout my visa application but the moment I choose Gibson and Associates LLP they assisted me in my application with a very good lawyer, I rate Gibson and Associates LLP five stars and I still give Thanks for the good work from the Solicitor
Ehigiato Michael

I used the service from Gibson and associates to apply for a work permit. First of all thanks to Gibson and associates for all the service they rendered for this. Especially, thanks to Kellie. She provide detailed guidance regarding the work permit type I need to apply for and the requirements that needed for this application. These guidance really helped me to secure the work permit successfully. Also thankful to Jade for the valuable assistance provided in submitting the application. Once again thanks to Kellie and Jade for the services they rendered on behalf of Gibson and associates for this.
Jeswin Jose

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