Ireland’s Cabinet has approved a key provision of the forthcoming International Protection (Amendment) Bill 2025 that will oblige recognised refugees to complete five years (instead of three) of lawful residence before they can apply for Irish citizenship.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan told reporters that bringing refugees into line with all other naturalisation applicants would “restore consistency” and ensure newcomers are economically integrated before they receive a passport. Under the draft text signed off on 26 November, applicants must also show “self-sufficiency”—meaning they cannot have relied on long-term means-tested social-welfare payments during the two years preceding the application. Detailed lists of disqualifying benefits will be set out in secondary legislation, but officials indicated that Jobseeker’s Allowance and Supplementary Welfare are likely to trigger ineligibility.
![Residency Requirement for Refugees to Naturalise in Ireland Raised to Five Years]()
While the Government argues that the change merely aligns refugee pathways with the mainstream five-year rule, NGOs warn that many refugees need longer to obtain stable employment. Technology and healthcare multinationals that actively recruit refugee talent may have to expand mentoring and up-skilling programmes to help workers meet the new hurdle.
Immigration lawyers note an important carve-out: time spent in Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive (for example, by Ukrainians) will NOT count towards the five-year clock. Mobility managers should flag this when advising displaced employees who may be planning longer-term settlement.
The Department of Justice says faster initial asylum processing (target: three-to-six months by June 2026) will partly offset the longer naturalisation path, allowing successful applicants to reach citizenship “at roughly the same point in their Irish journey”. Companies that tie long-term assignments or stock-option vesting to citizenship timelines should review policies in light of the extended qualifying period.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan told reporters that bringing refugees into line with all other naturalisation applicants would “restore consistency” and ensure newcomers are economically integrated before they receive a passport. Under the draft text signed off on 26 November, applicants must also show “self-sufficiency”—meaning they cannot have relied on long-term means-tested social-welfare payments during the two years preceding the application. Detailed lists of disqualifying benefits will be set out in secondary legislation, but officials indicated that Jobseeker’s Allowance and Supplementary Welfare are likely to trigger ineligibility.
While the Government argues that the change merely aligns refugee pathways with the mainstream five-year rule, NGOs warn that many refugees need longer to obtain stable employment. Technology and healthcare multinationals that actively recruit refugee talent may have to expand mentoring and up-skilling programmes to help workers meet the new hurdle.
Immigration lawyers note an important carve-out: time spent in Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive (for example, by Ukrainians) will NOT count towards the five-year clock. Mobility managers should flag this when advising displaced employees who may be planning longer-term settlement.
The Department of Justice says faster initial asylum processing (target: three-to-six months by June 2026) will partly offset the longer naturalisation path, allowing successful applicants to reach citizenship “at roughly the same point in their Irish journey”. Companies that tie long-term assignments or stock-option vesting to citizenship timelines should review policies in light of the extended qualifying period.
