Petition to grant work permits for Childcare Practitioners in Ireland.
Petition to grant work permits for Childcare Practitioners in Ireland.
Petition to grant work permits for NON-European Childcare Practitioners in Ireland.
In many Early Years care settings in Ireland, a majority of Childcare Practitioners are immigrants. We have been working to help protect the wider community in Ireland since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has held so many of us hostage to this virus.
During the latest COVID-19 wave, Early Years and Childcare Practitioners were essential to alleviate the stress experienced by many families. Our skills, professionalism, and contribution to Early Childhood education are invaluable. Like everyone, we are dealing with the stress of restrictions on mobility, family and social life. Unlike many, we also face uncertainty regarding our work permit status.
My story
I am an experienced professional and I have been working with the Early Years for 15 years. I have a degree in Pedagogy and I have two specializations in Special Needs Education and Psychopedagogy. I arrived in Ireland in January 2017 to improve my English while continuing to work in the Early Years. I have been working with Childcare companies in Dublin and taking care of children before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current Issues
Although there is a shortage of childcare professionals in Ireland, the profession falls into the “INELIGIBLE” category for employment permits for workers outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
This list prevents Non-European people from working with full-time permission without having to study, as they already have high-level qualifications and a wide field of experience.
Many Non-European immigrants are interested in working and unfortunately cannot fulfil their dreams of being able to work in their professional area as it is necessary to study part-time to legally stay in the country.
Potential Solutions
As a Non-European Childcare Practitioner, I would like to use my voice and help all those who are essential for this period of the pandemic and show how this challenge gave us more encouragement to continue working. Although, we also had to deal with our mental health, uncertainty regarding visas and colleges/schools and for this reason, we ask for work permits for childcare practitioners.
During conversations with school managers and employees, it was found that the vast majority of employees are foreign, with many being Non-Europeans, who are not allowed to apply for the work permit, since the Childcare category is on the Ineligible Occupations List.
What do we want to achieve?
As the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment removed from the Ineligible List Occupations List: Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapist and Health Care Assistant.
We want to achieve the same for the Childcare Practitioner. Such as direct work/citizenship visa for essential workers as a courtesy to those who worked and continue to work hard amid the chaos in the COVID - 19 crisis.
And it considers reducing/dispensing the GNIB / Visa fee for essential workers.
Links to further information
https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/Consultations/Public-Consultation-on-the-review-of-the-Occupations-Lists-for-Employment-Permits-July-2021.html?fbclid=IwAR1Fw6f9oLx0hZhzvSpPP0aD6jRoe85G7mXRpOY_Ii6OnCrDa2mJizQk9tI