992. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the current average processing times for employment permit applications, renewals, and appeals; the actions being taken to reduce the current backlog of applications; the further measures being considered by his Department to reduce processing times for these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55861/26]

Ireland operates a managed employment permits system designed to maximise the benefits of economic migration while minimising disruption to the domestic labour market. The system facilitates the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to address identified skills and labour shortages and to support enterprise and economic growth.

The current average processing time for employment permit applications, renewals and appeals is as follows:

Up-to-date processing dates are published on the Department’s website, and the Employment Permits Online System provides applicants with real-time updates on the status of their applications.

From 01/01/2026 to 30/06/2026 the Department received 24,881 applications which is 47% increase on the number of applications received for the same period in the previous year (16,877). The number of permits issued from the start of the year to 30/06/2026 is 22,527 and this is 32.5% increase for the same period in 2025 (16,994). This year alone the Department has received 1,031 appeals.

My Department has implemented a range of measures to improve processing times, including the allocation of additional resources and the introduction of more efficient processing methods, to ensure the system remains responsive to sustained demand across all permit types.

My Department continues to monitor processing times closely and is committed to ensuring that the employment permits system remains efficient, modern, and responsive to the needs of a dynamic labour market.