Immigrant worker numbers on the rise in Ireland

The number of work permits being issued to non-nationals is on the up.

More than 45,000 permits were issued during the first 11 months of this year, compared to just over 40,000 for the whole of last year.

Workers come here from a total of 152 countries, with the majority from Latvia, Lithuania, the Philippines, Poland and Romania.

Three quarters of these immigrant workers are employed in low skilled occupations, with nearly one quarter of them working in the catering industry.

According to reports in today’s Sunday Times, the news comes despite efforts by Tánaiste Mary Harney to introduce restrictions in the numbers of work permits given out from January last.