The Irish Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has unveiled a €2.7 million funding package geared toward breaking down the employment barriers that many migrants continue to face in Ireland. Announced in Dublin on 18 December by Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy, the grants are part of the EU-backed Employment, Inclusion, Skills & Training (EIST) programme and will run for up to four years.
Eight grassroots initiatives—from Ballyhoura Development’s “Migrant Apprenticeship Pathways” in Munster to Sligo LEADER Partnership’s “Talent Connect” in the north-west—will receive between €212,000 and €493,000 each. Projects range from tailored language tuition and CV clinics to the recognition of overseas qualifications and job-matching for hard-to-fill roles in multinationals. Business in the Community Ireland’s EPIC programme, for example, will expand its Dublin, Cork and Limerick operations that connect skilled migrants with major employers in life-sciences and ICT.
Separately, migrants who still need to secure the correct entry paperwork before accessing these new supports can turn to VisaHQ for swift, step-by-step visa assistance. The online platform streamlines Irish visa applications—offering document checklists, expert reviews and submission services—so that candidates arrive ready to take full advantage of programmes like EIST. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/.
![Ireland pledges €2.7 million to help newcomers get jobs and settle faster]()
The funding comes against a backdrop of record inward migration and an unemployment rate for non-EU nationals that remains more than two points above the national average. Government officials say the projects complement recent reforms such as the full civilianisation of immigration registration and the planned increase in employment-permit salary thresholds. Mr Brophy stressed that “skills already in the country should not go to waste at a time of labour shortages.”
For employers, the grants promise a broader pool of work-ready candidates and quicker onboarding thanks to standardised skills-recognition pathways. For migrants, the programmes offer structured support beyond basic settlement services, potentially shortening the time it takes to move from entry-level jobs into positions that match their qualifications. Multinationals with large Irish operations—particularly in pharmaceuticals, med-tech and financial services—are expected to benefit from the additional talent pipeline.
Companies that rely on the Critical Skills Employment Permit route are advised to monitor the new programmes, as graduates may soon meet permit criteria without needing to hire directly from overseas. Project coordinators will begin outreach in January 2026, with the first cohort of more than 1,000 participants expected to start training by March.
Eight grassroots initiatives—from Ballyhoura Development’s “Migrant Apprenticeship Pathways” in Munster to Sligo LEADER Partnership’s “Talent Connect” in the north-west—will receive between €212,000 and €493,000 each. Projects range from tailored language tuition and CV clinics to the recognition of overseas qualifications and job-matching for hard-to-fill roles in multinationals. Business in the Community Ireland’s EPIC programme, for example, will expand its Dublin, Cork and Limerick operations that connect skilled migrants with major employers in life-sciences and ICT.
Separately, migrants who still need to secure the correct entry paperwork before accessing these new supports can turn to VisaHQ for swift, step-by-step visa assistance. The online platform streamlines Irish visa applications—offering document checklists, expert reviews and submission services—so that candidates arrive ready to take full advantage of programmes like EIST. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/.
The funding comes against a backdrop of record inward migration and an unemployment rate for non-EU nationals that remains more than two points above the national average. Government officials say the projects complement recent reforms such as the full civilianisation of immigration registration and the planned increase in employment-permit salary thresholds. Mr Brophy stressed that “skills already in the country should not go to waste at a time of labour shortages.”
For employers, the grants promise a broader pool of work-ready candidates and quicker onboarding thanks to standardised skills-recognition pathways. For migrants, the programmes offer structured support beyond basic settlement services, potentially shortening the time it takes to move from entry-level jobs into positions that match their qualifications. Multinationals with large Irish operations—particularly in pharmaceuticals, med-tech and financial services—are expected to benefit from the additional talent pipeline.
Companies that rely on the Critical Skills Employment Permit route are advised to monitor the new programmes, as graduates may soon meet permit criteria without needing to hire directly from overseas. Project coordinators will begin outreach in January 2026, with the first cohort of more than 1,000 participants expected to start training by March.
