Employment permits trap migrant workers in exploitative environments, hears committee 

MRCI director Edel McGinley told the committee workers recruited into essential jobs on general employment permits cannot freely change employers for five years, which leads to poor standards and exploitation. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Migrants at risk of exploitation must be better protected by changes to employment permits that currently tie the worker to the same employer for five years, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Significant structural barriers exist for thousands of people coming to work through the employment permits system, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) director Edel McGinley said. Some 40,000 employment permits were issued in 2022.