Migrant Worker Salaries Increase to Meet New Work Permit Requirements

The Irish government has introduced a roadmap for increasing migrant worker salaries, aligning them with new work permit requirements. This initiative is set to unfold gradually up to 2030, with key salary adjustments made for various employment permits.

Migrant Worker Salary Changes

Effective March 1, several salary adjustments for migrant workers will take place:

• General employment permit holders will see a raise from €34,000 to €36,605.
• Those with critical skills employment permits will experience an increase from €38,000 to €40,904.
• Minimum salaries for meat processors, horticultural workers, healthcare assistants, and home carers will rise from €30,000 to €32,691.

Response from Trade Unions

Concerns have been raised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu). A spokesperson noted that the proposed salary increases are lower than initially suggested. They argue that these adjustments will perpetuate a trend of low-paid labor availability.

Laura Bambrick, Ictu’s social policy officer, emphasized that the increases are significantly less than previously planned. The general employment permit salary threshold will increase by only 7.6% instead of the anticipated 14.7%. Similarly, the critical skills permit threshold will rise by 7.6% instead of nearly 16%.

Government’s Justification

The government aims to address medium-term skill shortages while ensuring employment permits are utilized when jobs cannot be filled through resident workforce training or recruitment. This new roadmap follows an evaluation of a 2023 plan that aimed at raising salary thresholds over two years.

Authorities stated that the phased approach allows businesses enough time to adjust to the new salary requirements while enhancing Ireland’s attractiveness to global talent.

Consultation Process

The roadmap was shaped by over 150 public submissions from various advocacy groups and business organizations. Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, and Alan Dillon, Minister of State for Employment, highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance between worker rights and business needs.

Dillon underscored the essential contributions of migrant workers, noting their role in enriching Irish society and bringing critical skills to various sectors, including healthcare and construction.

Overall, the new salary adjustments reflect an effort to align with average earnings while ensuring competitive employment conditions for migrant workers in Ireland.