Ireland Moves to Charge Working Asylum Seekers for Housing Costs

(IRELAND) Ireland will require employed asylum seekers to make weekly housing contributions under a proposal approved by a Cabinet subcommittee, a move officials say is aimed at easing pressure on an accommodation system stretched by rising arrivals and limited space. The plan, agreed on November 3, 2025, would see international protection applicants who are working pay between €15 and €238 per week toward the cost of their state-provided housing, with the amount tied to their earnings.

Under the proposed scale, those earning €600 or more per week would face the maximum €238 charge, which the government says represents about 40% of income at that level. The change marks a significant shift in how Ireland supports asylum seekers, who until now have generally not been asked to contribute directly to accommodation costs while their claims are processed.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Minister of State Colm Brophy have been tasked with turning the decision into a system that can operate nationwide. Officials estimate it will take 9 to 12 months to put the rules in place after final sign-off. The measure still needs consideration by the leaders of the governing parties before it goes to the full Cabinet for approval, meaning the exact start date and payment mechanics remain to be finalized.

The government says the plan is a pragmatic response to mounting strain on the accommodation network. According to current trends, about 50 people each day are seeking 90-day accommodation, and officials have warned that total capacity may be exhausted this month if arrival rates continue. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, more than 120,000 Ukrainian refugees have received temporary protection in Ireland, and an estimated 83,000 remain in the country. That influx sits alongside steady numbers of non-Ukrainian asylum seekers, creating a crowded system of hotels, centers, and other properties now running at or near their limits.

While the contribution plan focuses on asylum seekers with jobs, ministers say the broader objective is to ensure finite resources can cover the most basic needs for people who have no income.

“Obviously that puts pressure on the accommodation that we are providing because we have had a certain amount of accommodation available. But if the numbers keep arriving like we saw in September and October, we will have to start looking for more accommodation.”

Justice Minister O’Callaghan said the government will set the rules so that contributions scale with earnings, and people who are not working would not be expected to pay.

Officials also outlined possible enforcement measures if people refuse to pay once the system is in force. The government could apply barriers when an applicant later seeks citizenship, or unpaid amounts could be pursued by debt collectors. The intention, according to those involved in the planning, is to set clear expectations and prevent arrears from building up, while maintaining the right to seek protection for those fleeing war or persecution.

Ireland’s accommodation model for international protection applicants has shifted repeatedly since 2022, as the state worked to absorb both the surge of Ukrainians and a separate flow of asylum seekers from other countries. The government is now also considering reducing the length of time that Ukrainian refugees can stay in state accommodation, moving from the current 90 days to 30 days, a change that has prompted criticism from opposition figures who warn it could push more people into homelessness. Those concerns are sharpened by Ireland’s tight private rental market, where short supply and high rents make it hard to secure long-term housing quickly.

The housing contributions plan signals a more means-tested approach within the asylum system, with earnings directly affecting what people pay. For employed asylum seekers earning below the €600 threshold, the contribution would start at €15 per week and rise in steps up to the €238 ceiling, linking payments to income levels. By setting a cap at about 40% of weekly wages at €600, officials aim to avoid creating a situation where work becomes financially unviable for people still in the protection process. The outline does not detail how contributions would be calculated for fluctuating pay or irregular work, but that will be part of the design O’Callaghan and Brophy are expected to deliver.

The government’s timeline of 9 to 12 months reflects the complexity of building a system that can take income data, calculate weekly charges, collect payments, and handle appeals or hardship cases. It will also require coordination among departments overseeing international protection, accommodation, and employment, as well as guidance for service providers who manage housing sites. Before anything becomes law or policy, the leaders of the governing parties must consider the plan and the full Cabinet must approve it, steps that could also refine details of enforcement and exemptions.

Advocates for a contribution model argue it creates a clearer line between state support and personal responsibility for those with steady income. Critics counter that deductions of up to €238 a week could deepen poverty among people who already face work restrictions, high living costs, and uncertainty while waiting for decisions on their protection claims. The government has not laid out how it will treat people who lose their jobs or whose hours are cut, nor has it publicly explained how arrears would interact with the international protection process. Ministers have signaled, however, that enforcement options could be triggered at later stages, such as when an applicant applies for citizenship.

Pressure on Ireland’s accommodation system has built steadily over the past year. The estimate that capacity could be exhausted this month if arrivals continue at current levels underscores why ministers are pushing for faster policy changes. The daily figure of roughly 50 people seeking 90-day accommodation is particularly challenging because short-term stays require constant turnover and new placements, often in locations far from where people find work. For working asylum seekers, the housing contributions plan could add costs just as they try to keep jobs, pay for transport, and meet basic needs.

The proposal also dovetails with the review of how long Ukrainian refugees can stay in state accommodation. Reducing the 90-day period to 30 days would push people to move into private rentals or other housing faster, but with vacancies limited, opposition figures say the change risks increasing homelessness and hardship. The government has not set a date to decide on the shift to 30 days, and it has not released data on how quickly Ukrainians are securing private housing after the initial period ends.

Ireland allows asylum seekers to work under certain conditions, which has brought more people in the protection process into the labor market. The new plan would link that work income to housing contributions, setting a formal expectation for payment once wages pass the thresholds. Officials say the aim is not to penalize employment, but to share costs in a way they consider fair while freeing up resources for those who have no earnings. Questions remain about how the state will verify pay, address cash-in-hand jobs, and manage confidentiality and data protection in any system that checks income.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Minister of State Colm Brophy now face the task of turning a broad decision into a workable set of rules that can be explained clearly to both asylum seekers and service providers. The sequence ahead includes drafting guidance, designing a collection mechanism, and deciding how to handle disputes. The government has not indicated whether payments would be deducted automatically, collected on-site, or paid through online systems, nor whether missed payments would trigger warnings before more serious enforcement begins.

For now, the plan signals that Ireland is moving toward a model where working asylum seekers contribute financially to their accommodation, a shift that aligns policy more closely with income levels and budget pressures. The government has framed it as a response to numbers that have not eased since September and October, when arrivals accelerated.

“Obviously that puts pressure on the accommodation that we are providing because we have had a certain amount of accommodation available. But if the numbers keep arriving like we saw in September and October, we will have to start looking for more accommodation.”

As the Cabinet weighs final approval, the debate will likely center on how to balance limited capacity, fairness for people with wages, and protection for those with no income. The outcome will affect thousands of asylum seekers now in Ireland, particularly those holding jobs who would begin paying weekly charges once the system goes live. Details on exemptions, hardship provisions, and enforcement will determine whether housing contributions simply help cover costs or create new barriers for people still waiting for decisions on their future.

Further information on Ireland’s international protection process is available on the Department of Justice’s International Protection page.