After several months of significant changes to Ireland’s immigration process, further changes and the impact of each of these changes are on the way.
This update outlines the expansion of the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) online renewal service to all residents, the impact of the minimum wage increase from Budget 2025, and travel advice ahead of the Christmas season.
Move to online IRP renewal for all counties
The Department of Justice announced that starting November 4, 2024, online renewals of immigrant residence permits by all applicants nationwide must be submitted using the ISD Online Renewal Portal.
Applicants must upload all required documents for the application before submitting the application. If you do not upload, your application will not be processed.
All residence permit renewal applications nationwide will be accepted at the Registrar’s Office up to 12 weeks before the expiration of the current IRP card to allow sufficient time for processing, including for changes in stamp category.
This means the final transfer of responsibility for renewing Irish immigration residence permits, which has been underway over the past few years, from the Garda National Immigration Board (GNIB) to the Immigration Service Delivery and Registration Department (ISD).
This change is intended to improve the efficiency and ease of use of the update process. The ISD online portal allows applicants to electronically submit renewal applications, track progress, and receive timely updates on their submissions. This work is part of our ongoing efforts to improve Ireland’s immigration system.
ISD online processing time
The Department of Immigration website provides live processing updates for online renewal applications that are being processed. To ensure fair service delivery, applications are processed in the order they are received.
Late updates in Galway
Galway Immigration Office is currently processing a high volume of applications, resulting in significant backlogs. As a result, reservations are currently not accepted until April 2025.
Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) are working towards a solution to address the current backlog based in Galway.
The following are interim measures in place while the backlog is addressed:
If an employee’s IRP card has expired and they have not been able to obtain a valid registration card by the expiry date of their current IRP card, they may still be able to enter Ireland in accordance with the existing terms and conditions of their current IRP card, including access to the labor market. allowed to stay. This provision is conditional on the employee applying to Galway Immigration Office for renewal of their residence permit and providing proof that they have secured a booking before their current IRP card expires. (Even if you plan to change the stamp category).
All bookings at Galway Immigration Office will be confirmed by email.
Traveling during the holiday season
The Immigration Services Registration Office in Burgh Quay, Dublin is currently facing a significant increase in the number of applications, with estimated processing times for IRP card renewals of three to four weeks.
To assist non-EEA nationals planning to travel over the Christmas holiday period, the Minister is urging applicants to apply for renewal online by 31 October, especially if their current permit is about to expire. We encourage you to submit. If your application is submitted after October 31st, we will make every effort to process it, but you may not be able to make it in time for your holiday trip.
raising the minimum wage
As part of Budget 2025, the minimum wage in Ireland will increase to €13.50 per hour from 1 January 2025 (annualized €13.50 per hour x39 x52 = €27,378.00).
This will impact on contracts for intra-company transfer employment permit applications and service provider employment permit applications, which require salaries to rise to the Irish minimum wage and meet relevant criteria.
Raising standards towards 2025
The increase in thresholds outlined by the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in December 2023 is still under consideration. As of October 2024, DETE has stated that it is not in a position to confirm whether it will be implemented in January 2025.
The proposed increases are:
The salary threshold for a general employment permit increases to 39,000 euros per year. The threshold for a critical skills employment permit for applications under the High Skills Eligibility List will be increased to €44,000 per year. The intra-company transfer employment permit threshold for trainee permits increases to 39,000 euros per year. The threshold for intra-company transfer employment permits and service employment contracts will be increased to 53,000 euros per year.
Similar to the January 2024 threshold increase, these increases will be significant. CCR is in contact with DETE and will update clients on any changes or implementation of these new thresholds.
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