EMN Asylum and Migration Overview (AMO) 2024 published, detailing key legal, policy, and operational changes
The European Migration Network (EMN) has published its new EMN Asylum and Migration Overview (AMO) 2024, alongside a Statistical Annex developed by Eurostat. The Overview highlights key legal, policy, and operational changes across a range of asylum and migration themes during the year 2024, as well as statistical trends in 2024 and comparisons with previous years. It draws on contributions from … Read More
30 Jun 2025Review of Ireland’s opt in Protocol on the area of freedom, security and justice recommends continued use
On 26 May 2025, the Irish Government approved the findings of a Review of the operation of Protocol 21 (commonly referred to as the opt-in Protocol). This is the part of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union that allows Ireland to be able to opt in to measures that relate to the area of freedom, security … Read More
25 Jun 2025Ireland’s National Implementation Plan made publicly available
One of the first submissions to the European Commission that Member States must make as a part of their formal preparations for the implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact is the National Implementation Plan (NIP). The National Implementation Plan is intended to give an outline of how Member States plan to approach the necessary legislative, technological and … Read More
16 Jun 2025New EMN Glossary app and website now live
As a flagship product of the European Migration Network (EMN), the EMN Glossary is essential in fulfilling the network’s mission to provide up-to-date, objective, and comparable information on migration and asylum. It provides reliable and verified translations for terms and definitions related to migration and asylum, making them accessible to all interested stakeholders. The EMN Glossary is a result … Read More
10 Jun 2025New EMN Ireland Migration Memo on contributions to international protection accommodation
EMN Ireland has published the fifth in the Migration Memo series, “How do EMN countries manage contributions to international protection accommodation?” The Memo, which summarises responses from 24 EMN countries to two EMN Ad-Hoc Queries from 2024, presents insights on this question in a clear and easy-to-digest format designed specifically to support the work of policymakers, academics, and professionals … Read More
27 May 2025New EMN Ireland series on the EU Migration and Asylum Pact
This is the first in an ongoing series of news items on the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. For the next year, EU countries will be preparing to implement the Pact which will have different implications for different countries. It continues work that began in 1999 when the European Council committed to establishing a Common European Asylum System based … Read More
14 May 2025New EMN Inform published on access to remedies for international protection applicants
The European Migration Network (EMN) has just published ‘Access to remedies for international protection applicants’, providing a detailed examination of how EMN Member Countries organise their first instance appeals procedures. This EMN Inform delivers a comprehensive comparative analysis, reflecting on procedural safeguards, key challenges, and good practices observed across the EU. This assessment supports the EU’s Pact on Migration … Read More
04 Apr 2025Latest CSO data on arrivals from Ukraine shows slowing rate of increase
On 19 February 2025, the CSO released the 15th in their Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland series. According to the latest data, there were 112,189 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine in Ireland who were issued a PPSN. Of this number, 71% (79,654) had administrative activity after 30 November 2024 which could indicate that nearly 30% of those arrivals … Read More
12 Mar 2025New EMN-OECD joint Inform shows many approaches to strategy for migration
The European Migration Network (EMN) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have just published the joint inform ‘Designing migration strategies’. It focuses on the development and implementation of migration strategies by governments in EMN Member and Observer Countries, and non-EU OECD countries, highlighting common challenges and good practices. In this inform, strategies are divided into six … Read More
05 Mar 20252024 statistics on employment permits released
On 2 January 2025, the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment released statistics on employment permits for 2024. There was a total of 39,390 permits issued, 2,456 were refused, and 1,064 were withdrawn. Since 2021 there have been some fluctuations in the number of employment permits issued. While 2024 saw an increase of a little over 8,000 from the … Read More
03 Mar 2025New joint EMN-OECD inform examines innovative strategies to attract foreign talent
The latest joint European Migration Network (EMN) – OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) inform examines new and innovative ways to attract foreign talent used by EMN Member Countries and selected non-EMN OECD countries, covering the period January 2021 and March 2024. Based on input from 21 EMN Member Countries and data provided by the OECD, on OECD … Read More
21 Jan 2025Latest Annual Report on Migration and Asylum shows nuanced picture of progress and challenge
The European Migration Network (EMN) Ireland and the Economic and Social Research Institute have jointly published this annual review of migration and asylum in Ireland. With an overview of the latest data as well as policy and operational developments, research, and case law from 2023, this report is a comprehensive reference that gives an opportunity to view the entire … Read More
03 Dec 2024New EMN Ireland study on irregular employment of non-EU nationals shows low inspection rates
While reliable data on the extent of irregular employment of non-EU nationals is limited, new EMN Ireland/ ESRI research published today shows that it occurs across a range of sectors in Ireland, particularly in ‘food service activity’, and mainly within small enterprises. The food service activity sector accounted for 54 per cent of employment permit law breaches in 2023 … Read More
30 Oct 2024The latest CSO “Arrivals from Ukraine” series shows 75% still in Ireland
On 23 October 2024, the CSO released the 14th “Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland” series. This publication uses administrative data to estimate the number of arrivals from Ukraine, and the number of arrivals still present in Ireland. Overview The total number of beneficiaries of temporary protection (BoTPs) from Ukraine granted PPS numbers was 109,566 as of 29 September 2024. … Read More
12 Sep 2024New ad-hoq query published on citizenship tests as a part of the naturalisation process
What EMN countries have citizenship tests as part of the naturalisation process? Naturalisation is the process through which an individual can receive a nationality not previously held at the time of their birth. A recent EMN ad-hoc query offers comparative information on citizenship tests as part of the naturalisation process across EMN Member and Observer Countries. The ad-hoc query … Read More
07 Aug 2024What changes have been made to immigration and international protection under the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Misc. Provisions) Act 2024?
On 23 July 2024, various changes to immigration and asylum legislation were enacted under the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Misc. Provisions) Act 2024. Process for designating safe third countries In March, the High Court ruled that Ireland’s designation of the United Kingdom (UK) as a safe third country is not compliant with EU law. The UK was … Read More
06 Aug 2024High Court rules that the State failed in duty to provide for basic needs of international protection applicants, breaching their right to dignity
On 01 August 2024, the High Court ruled that the Irish State failed in its duty to provide for the basic needs of international protection applicants, breaching their right to dignity. This case related to the difficulties encountered by the State in providing accommodation to applicants for international protection within the timeframe of December 2023 and May 2024. The judgment … Read More
31 Jul 2024Data limitations a key challenge for monitoring integration of third country nationals
A new EMN Inform on Monitoring the Integration of Third Country Nationals has found that a lack of data and limitations in the type of data available is a key challenge for monitoring the integration of third country nationals. The availability and detail of data is of key significance for monitoring integration, as 35% of EMN Member and Observer Countries … Read More
29 Jul 2024Further expansion of accelerated processing of international protection applications
On 29 July 2024, the Department of Justice announced further expansion of measures to accelerate processing of international protection applications. In April, the Department announced that international protection applicants from the country with the highest number of applications in Ireland over the previous three months will have their cases processed under an accelerated procedure. This has now been expanded to the … Read More
23 Jul 2024Legislative changes to process for revocation of citizenship of naturalised citizens
On 23 July 2024, changes were made to the process for the revocation of citizenship of naturalised citizens by the Court, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024. These amendments follow a 2021 Supreme Court judgment which found the current citizenship revocation process to be unconstitutional as it was not sufficiently independent and lacked appropriate safeguards for … Read More
17 Jul 2024Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 signed into law
On 17 July 2024, new legislation for a mechanism for the identification and support of victims of trafficking in human beings and the combatting of human trafficking was signed into law. This Act will, for the first time, put an identification and support process for victims of trafficking into legislation. What does the legislation entail? The legislation establishes a revised … Read More
11 Jul 2024EMN publishes Annual Report on Migration and Asylum 2023
The European Migration Network has just published its Annual Report on Migration and Asylum. This report provides statistical data and an overview of the most significant legal and policy developments in the European Union Member States and EMN Observer Countries in 2023. Key Findings The report presents a number of key findings such as the political agreement reached in December … Read More
02 Jul 2024Employment Permits Act 2024 signed into law
On 25 June 2024, the Employment Permits Act 2024 was signed into law, bringing in new changes to Ireland’s employment permit system. Based on recommendations of the Review of economic migration policy published in 2018, the Employment Permits Act 2024 aims to consolidate the law concerning employment permits and modernise the employment permit system, according to the Department of Enterprise, … Read More
02 Jul 2024New additions to safe country of origin list
On 02 July 2024, the Department of Justice announced that Brazil, Egypt, India, Malawi and Morocco have been designated safe countries of origin for the purpose of making a claim for international protection in Ireland. Algeria and Botswana were also added to this list in January 2024. The purpose of the safe countries list is to expedite international protection … Read More
01 Jul 2024Oireachtas votes to opt into EU Asylum and Migration Pact
On 26 June 2024, both houses of the Oireachtas voted to opt into the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The Dáil passed the motion by 79-72 votes. What will this mean for Ireland? As a result of this decision, Ireland will need to make significant changes to current asylum law, policy and procedures, including to the International Protection … Read More
26 Jun 2024Ireland remains Tier 2 in US Department of State 2024 Trafficking in Persons report
On 24 June 2024, the United States Department of State published the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, which tracks and assesses countries’ anti-trafficking efforts according to a tiered ranking system. In the report, Ireland is designated as Tier 2 for the third consecutive year after being moved from the Tier 2 watch list where it was placed in 2020 … Read More
25 Jun 2024Council of the European Union extends Temporary Protection until 2026
Today the Council of the European Union has adopted a decision to extend the Temporary Protection Directive until March 2026. Temporary protection provides immediate and collective protection to a large group of displaced persons from non-EU countries who arrive in the EU and who are not in a position to return to their country of origin. The temporary protection … Read More
24 Jun 2024New data on arrivals from Ukraine in CSO’s latest release
On 24 June 2024, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the 13th report in the Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland series. The figures on numbers of arrivals are based on Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) allocations to people protected under the Temporary Protection Directive, as of 02 June 2024. Summary of arrivals In total there have been 107,406 arrivals … Read More
20 Jun 2024Ireland received just 0.3% of total global international protection applications in 2023
World Refugee Day, observed on 20 June each year, is designated by the United Nations to raise awareness about the situation of refugees worldwide. Given the salience of the topic of migration and asylum both in Ireland and across Europe, it is important that discussions on these subjects are situated in the wider context. Below, we provide you with … Read More
14 Jun 2024Commission adopts Common Implementation Plan for the Pact on Migration and Asylum
On 12 June 2024 , the European Commission published the Common Implementation Plan for the Pact on Migration and Asylum (‘the Pact’). The Plan sets out administrative, operational and legal requirements that Member States must put in place in order to prepare for the implementation of the legislation underpinning the Pact. It is expected that these requirements will be … Read More