Intra EU Mobility of Third-Country Nationals: Ireland

Abstract

This study, compiled according to commonly agreed specifications, provides an overview of the key issues and challenges that are apparent in relation to the intra-EU mobility of third-country nationals to and from Ireland.

The intra-EU mobility of third-country national workers is an area that has received little policy attention in Ireland. The Irish immigration system does not actively facilitate the intra-EU mobility of third-country nationals, nor are there measures introduced specifically to restrict such mobility. Intra-EU mobility rights are provided for certain categories of third-country nationals within the EU acquis subject to the necessary conditions being met. However, Ireland has not exercised its opt-in to several EU Directives that are relevant in this regard: the Long-term Residents Directive, the Blue Card Directive and the Students Directive. A third-country national, who is resident in another Member State under the terms of one of these Directives, holds no advantage over a third-country national travelling to Ireland from outside the EU: each must meet the same immigration requirements.

Most relevant data sources in Ireland are not designed to record the intra-EU mobility of third country nationals: detailed figures on visa applications by current location of applicant are not readily available; the employment permits administrative system has the potential to capture information on the place of residence of the applicant, but this field is not consistently filled. Furthermore due to measurement issues associated with sub-populations in sample surveys, data on migration flows by origin/destination, broken down by nationality, are not published by the Central Statistics Office. Sufficient data exist to indicate that intra-EU mobility to and from Ireland is low.