Ireland’s Department of Justice has unveiled a €12 million package to slash first-instance asylum decision times from an average of 18 months to as little as three months—and no later than six—by June 2026. The money will fund 120 extra case-workers, new interpreter panels, expanded legal-aid capacity and a digital case-management platform.
Under EU rules, protection applicants may work after six months; faster decisions therefore accelerate the route into employment-permit or family-reunification pathways. Hospitality, agriculture and logistics employers—sectors already struggling with skills shortages—welcome the clarity but caution that rushed files could spike appeals and judicial reviews, prolonging uncertainty.
![Ireland sets €12 m plan to cut asylum decisions from 18 months to six]()
Justice officials will publish monthly performance dashboards from January 2026. Backlogs will be triaged so some legacy cases may still wait more than a year, but new claims should see dramatic improvements. Legal NGOs say success hinges on retaining trained decision-makers and ensuring accommodation capacity keeps pace with faster throughput.
For mobility teams, the main takeaway is timeline predictability: asylum candidates who secure protection may join the labour market sooner, widening the talent pool. Companies employing applicants should revisit onboarding projections and ensure compliance teams understand the new digital status-verification system that will accompany the reforms.
Under EU rules, protection applicants may work after six months; faster decisions therefore accelerate the route into employment-permit or family-reunification pathways. Hospitality, agriculture and logistics employers—sectors already struggling with skills shortages—welcome the clarity but caution that rushed files could spike appeals and judicial reviews, prolonging uncertainty.
Justice officials will publish monthly performance dashboards from January 2026. Backlogs will be triaged so some legacy cases may still wait more than a year, but new claims should see dramatic improvements. Legal NGOs say success hinges on retaining trained decision-makers and ensuring accommodation capacity keeps pace with faster throughput.
For mobility teams, the main takeaway is timeline predictability: asylum candidates who secure protection may join the labour market sooner, widening the talent pool. Companies employing applicants should revisit onboarding projections and ensure compliance teams understand the new digital status-verification system that will accompany the reforms.
