COVID-19: Suspension of visa processing extended

The Irish government has announced that it will continue to suspend the processing of new entry visa applications at Irish embassies/consulates and visa processing centers around the world.

Key Points:

• Under the current extension, the suspension will remain in effect until at least May 5, 2021.
• The suspension affects all visa-required nationals seeking to apply for an entry visa, including employees with approved employment permits who need a visa to enter Ireland.
• Employers are encouraged to remind affected employees that they will not be able to apply for a visa at this time.

Background: All non-EEA nationals must apply for an employment permit to work in Ireland. Certain nationalities must apply for an entry visa to enter Ireland to commence work. Once in Ireland, all non-EEA nationals must apply for an Irish Residence Permit to register their permission to reside.

Analysis & Comments: The Irish government extended the suspension as part of its efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The extension means that employees from visa-required countries who have an approved employment permit will not be able to apply for an entry visa to enter Ireland at this time. Certain emergency entry visa applications will be accepted, e.g., for urgent business-critical cases or for health-care professionals or immediate family members of Irish nationals. The Irish government has announced that anyone coming into Ireland, with some exceptions based on purpose of entry, will be required to restrict their movements or self-isolate on arrival for 14 days.

If you have employees impacted by the changes described above, please contact Deloitte immigration team to assist. We continue to update our FAQ for employers, available here.

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