Background information

The new employment permits will replace the ‘Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) for non-EEA Crew in the Irish Fishing Fleet’. That scheme was established in 2016 and facilitated the recruitment of non-EEA fishers to work onboard certain fishing vessels. Following a review of the scheme in 2022, it was closed and recommended that the scheme be normalised into the Employment Permit System.

An implementation group was established to oversee the transition which included officials from the Department of Transport, the Workplace Relations Commission and an Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Content of measure

A new quota has been introduced of 150 General Employment Permits for the role of sea fisher in the Irish fishing fleet. The new quota was introduced following a recommendation by a cross-governmental group to move the management of non-EEA sea fishers from a previous scheme to the Employment Permit System. The role of sea fisher in the Irish fishing fleet will now be eligible for a General Employment Permit with a minimum salary requirement of €34,000. The permits were introduced because, Ireland has reached full employment and sea fisher is one of the occupations where there is a shortage.

Use of measure

150 permits available.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Particular professions Migrants or refugees in employment	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Public employment service Public support service providers	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment invited submissions from representative bodies, government departments, agencies, and other interested parties to a consultation to review the eligibility of occupations for employment permits. Submissions were received from the fishing sector and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment had a series of engagements with representatives from this sector, migrants rights advocates and unions concerning access for non-EEA fishers through the General Employment Permit System

Views and reactions

No information

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 03 July 2024: Minister Higgins announces 150 employment permits for sea fisher (enterprise.gov.ie)