Ahern To Overhaul Student Immigration

The discussion document drawn up by the Department, in consultation with a number of other Government Departments, contains more than 20 specific proposals, including capping the length of time a person can spend in Ireland as a student, introducing a two tier system to facilitate the targeting of incentives towards the upper end of the academic spectrum, a tighter inspection regime, possible changes in respect of visas and new guidelines on work placement or internship.

Some transitional measures are set out for those already in the system. Examination of the current provisions regarding access of students to the labour market is to be the subject of a separate review.

Announcing the Review, Minister Ahern said: "We need a take a fresh look at how we are dealing with non-EEA students. International education is a vital industry with significant growth potential and we will only achieve that potential by having a visibly strong regulatory environment. The vast majority of our service providers offer a quality product and it is everyone's interest to root out those who do not or who engage in abuses of the system.

"From an immigration perspective we also have to be satisfied that people coming to Ireland do so for a genuine purpose and comply with any conditions applicable to their stay."

The student immigration review forms part of a comprehensive overhaul by Government of the international education system in Ireland, combining regulatory and organisational reform, a more co-ordinated approach to marketing and development and better alignment with Ireland's approach to immigration generally. In this context, the Government recently approved a series of proposals from the Minister for Education and Science for the regulation, development and marketing of the international education sector.

The new proposals envisage that students should, with limited exceptions, spend no more than 5 years in Ireland as a student overall with a limit of two years in further education or English language courses. It had become apparent that a significant number of language students in particular were enrolling year after year as a means of remaining in the State and working. Overall the review places an increased emphasis on progression through the system.

Minister Ahern continued: "We have to look at students as more than consumers of an educational product. People coming to Ireland to do advanced degrees are potential entrepreneurs, high skills employees or scientific researchers and we should be looking at how they can progress within the immigration system after their graduation. I am open to proposals on this during the consultation period."