Ireland to cut English-language student intake, review work, visa rules

The Irish government is reviewing study visa rules as officials warn of labour market impact and housing pressure

Ireland is preparing measures to curb the number of international students after ministers were told that some are using study visas as a “back door” into employment.

 

The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Cabinet committee on migration last week. According to The Irish Times, ministers were informed that a group of senior officials is “developing options to reduce the numbers” of English-language students.

 

The move comes at a time when Ireland is facing an anti-immigration backlash, driven by a housing shortage, pressure on public services and a rapid rise in arrivals.

 

Student numbers and work rules

 

In 2024, Ireland granted permission to 60,000 students from outside the EU and EEA to come to or remain in the country for study. Under visa rules, they are allowed to work 20 hours a week during term time and 40 hours a week outside term.

 

Briefing papers prepared for ministers said the presence of international students has had a “largely positive economic impact”. However, the documents added that “a significant number of international students seek student permissions as a back door into securing employment”.

 

The same papers said many of the students concerned “frequently work more than the hours they are permitted”.

 

Officials also raised concerns about labour market effects. “We should not be facilitating employers who wish to employ international students on low pay where those jobs could in some cases otherwise be filled by Irish students or workers. It is likely that wage suppression is caused by the availability of such lower-skilled international student labour,” the papers said.

 

Accreditation and inspections planned

 

Minister for Higher Education James Lawless said a new accreditation scheme for English-language schools would include inspections and immigration spot checks to ensure they are not operating as “backdoor entry points” for migration.

 

Speaking at a press conference, Lawless said he believed some schools were functioning as fronts for access to the labour market.

 

“They may not have done anything legally wrong, and a school might be providing an education in the sense that it has a service available and it has classrooms up and running, but it may be marketing itself, or allowing itself to be marketed by others, as somewhere that’s very easy to sign up to and get into the labour force,” he said.

 

Ireland currently has around 100 language schools in operation. Lawless said he expected 50 to 60 would secure accreditation under the new scheme.

 

“I think for schools that don’t pass the test and don’t get accredited, their business model will no longer be viable,” he said.

 

Population pressures and political balancing

 

Reducing the number of English-language students has been identified by the government as one way of slowing population growth, which it believes is adding to pressure on housing and public services.

 

At the same time, officials have warned that any changes must be handled carefully. Measures will “need to be done in a way that retains Ireland’s reputation as a centre for high-quality third-level education and research”, briefing papers said.

 

“There is also an emphasis in the Programme for Government on seeking to retain graduates in key skill areas,” the documents added.

 

India link and student surge

 

Ireland has become one of the fastest-growing destinations for Indian students. A report released in December by Ireland-based Higher Education Authority (HEA), the country recorded a 30 per cent rise in Indian enrolments, driven in part by frustration with other destinations.

 

As the United States visa system has grown more unpredictable and the United Kingdom has tightened post-study work routes, Ireland has positioned itself as an English-speaking European option with a strong technology sector.

 

According to the Irish Embassy in India, more than 100,000 Indian nationals, about 2 per cent of Ireland’s population, now live in the country.