Ireland’s Department of Justice has committed to slash first-instance asylum decision times from the current average of 18 months to just three-to-six months by June 2026. The target, announced alongside a €12 million funding package, includes hiring additional case-workers, interpreters and legal-aid staff, and deploying a new digital case-management platform.
Under EU rules, protection applicants can access the labour market after six months. A faster decision therefore enables many to move more quickly into employment-permit or family-reunification pathways, giving employers earlier certainty on workforce planning. Immigration practitioners welcome the ambition but warn that compressed timelines must be matched by adequate resources or the courts may see a surge in appeals and judicial reviews.
![Government Targets Three-to-Six-Month Turnaround for Asylum Decisions by 2026]()
If achieved, Ireland would become one of Europe’s fastest asylum jurisdictions, enhancing its reputation for administrative efficiency. Mobility advisers should, however, prepare for a transitional period in which older backlogs are triaged, leading to uneven processing times through 2025.
Companies that rely on asylum applicants to fill entry-level vacancies—particularly hospitality and agriculture—should monitor processing metrics closely and adjust onboarding timetables. The Department has promised monthly performance dashboards starting January 2026.
Legal firms suggest that speedier decisions could also reduce the time many applicants spend in Direct Provision, cutting state costs and accelerating social integration, provided subsequent work-permit routes are adequately resourced.
Under EU rules, protection applicants can access the labour market after six months. A faster decision therefore enables many to move more quickly into employment-permit or family-reunification pathways, giving employers earlier certainty on workforce planning. Immigration practitioners welcome the ambition but warn that compressed timelines must be matched by adequate resources or the courts may see a surge in appeals and judicial reviews.
If achieved, Ireland would become one of Europe’s fastest asylum jurisdictions, enhancing its reputation for administrative efficiency. Mobility advisers should, however, prepare for a transitional period in which older backlogs are triaged, leading to uneven processing times through 2025.
Companies that rely on asylum applicants to fill entry-level vacancies—particularly hospitality and agriculture—should monitor processing metrics closely and adjust onboarding timetables. The Department has promised monthly performance dashboards starting January 2026.
Legal firms suggest that speedier decisions could also reduce the time many applicants spend in Direct Provision, cutting state costs and accelerating social integration, provided subsequent work-permit routes are adequately resourced.
