Annual Policy Report on Migration and Asylum 2010: Ireland (March 2011)

The annual European Migration Network policy reports examine the main trends and policy development in the area of migration and asylum at EU Member State level. This seventh annual policy analysis report focuses on the period from January to December 2010. Important developments in the period included publication of an Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill in June 2010; continuation of a number of administrative and legislative changes related to employment permit holders introduced in 2009; and publication of a new five-year strategy document framework, Investing in Global Relationships, which set an objective of increased international student numbers in both overall higher education and English language schools by 2015. In addition, changes to renewal arrangements for "Green Card" holders came into effect in August 2010, and in November 2010, updated immigration arrangements concerning those eligible under the five year worker and redundancy policy were introduced with immediate effect. Inaugural meetings of a Ministerial Council on Migrant Integration took place during 2010 also. As of March 2010 Ireland began collecting biometric data in the form of fingerprints as part of the visa application process. This process initially began in Nigeria and is expected to extend to other locations at a later date. During 2010, Ireland ratified both the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons especially Women and Children supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (17 July 2010) and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (1 November 2010). During 2010 Ireland took part in an EU-led dialogue with India on migration. No EU Legislation relating to migration or asylum was transposed in Ireland in 2010.