Ireland tightens immigration rules: Stricter citizenship, higher income bar

Ireland has introduced tougher immigration and asylum rules as rapid population growth and record asylum claims strain housing and public services

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Ireland on Wednesday set out a new set of tighter immigration and asylum rules, with ministers saying rapid population growth and rising protection claims are putting real strain on housing and public services.

 

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the reforms were needed to respond to what he described as a “worryingly” fast increase in the number of people entering the country. “Our population last year increased by 1.6 per cent, seven times the EU average,” said O’Callaghan. “It is positive that it’s increasing, but the rate is a worry.”

 

What tougher rules has the Irish cabinet approved?

 

The cabinet approved the measures on Wednesday, marking one of the most far-reaching changes to the system in several years.

 

Key steps include:

 

• Asylum seekers who have jobs will contribute towards state-funded accommodation

• Higher income thresholds for family reunification

• Stricter citizenship criteria for refugees

 

Ireland’s population reached an estimated 5.46 million in April 2025. Net migration has almost doubled since 2022, averaging about 72,000 a year. The Ministry of Finance says the rise has been driven by work-permit holders, family reunifications and the arrival of Ukrainian refugees.

 

Protection claims have also climbed sharply. Some 18,651 people applied for asylum in 2024, up from 13,276 in 2023, the highest on record. Tensions around the increasing numbers have fuelled protests and occasional unrest. Last month, at least 1,000 anti-immigration demonstrators clashed with police in southwest Dublin after reports that a child had been sexually assaulted on the grounds of a hotel where asylum seekers were staying.

 

What tougher rules has the Irish cabinet approved?

 

The cabinet approved the measures on Wednesday, marking one of the most far-reaching changes to the system in several years.

 

Key steps include:

 

• Asylum seekers who have jobs will contribute towards state-funded accommodation

• Higher income thresholds for family reunification

• Stricter citizenship criteria for refugees

 

O’Callaghan said about 7,500 employed asylum seekers will now contribute 10 to 40 per cent of their weekly earnings towards their accommodation costs.

 

For family reunification, applicants bringing relatives from outside the European Economic Area must show they earn at least the median national wage, more than 44,000 euros ($50,997), and can provide suitable housing.

 

Citizenship rules for refugees will also tighten. The residency requirement will increase from three to five years, and refugees who have depended on certain long-term social welfare payments will not qualify.

 

The government will gain powers to revoke asylum status if a person is judged to be a “danger to the security of the state” or is convicted of a serious crime. “While these situations are rare, it is important that these powers are provided for in law,” said O’Callaghan.

 

He added that ministers are considering further measures, including restrictions on student visas, amid concerns that some education pathways are being used as a route to long-term settlement.

 

How are UK immigration rules shaping Ireland’s approach?

 

Officials say the shift mirrors recent changes in the United Kingdom, where rising concern about immigration levels has boosted support for the far-right Reform party. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said this week that his government needed to factor in the impact of the UK’s reforms. “There are knock-on effects for us from what others do, that’s the reality we have to be ready for,” he said.

 

O’Callaghan noted that nearly 90 per cent of asylum applicants reached Ireland by crossing the land border from Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.