Only six permits issued in first year of Ireland’s migrant fisher scheme

(IRELAND) Ireland’s first year under its new migrant fisher work permit scheme ends with just six permits issued, according to official figures from 2025, raising questions about access, enforcement, and industry staffing.

The scheme launched in 2024 to replace the Atypical Working Scheme for non-EEA fishers. A year on, the total suggests barriers remain for crews, employers, and regulators.

What’s new and what the numbers mean

• Only six work permits have been granted to non-EU fishers as of mid-2025.
• The scheme is run by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for Irish-owned trawlers.
• Fishing remains important to coastal towns, but boats face rising costs, job losses, and post-Brexit quota cuts.

Why take-up is so low

Stakeholders point to several likely reasons:

• Complex applications and limited awareness among skippers and agents.
• Hesitancy after the closure of the Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) in 2022 amid forced labour and exploitation concerns.
• Employers uncertain about compliance checks and worried about the time it takes to secure permits before a season begins.
• Fear among workers in irregular jobs that coming forward could risk their income or expose abuse.

Rights groups say the tiny number reflects a system that still feels out of reach for many crew. Industry figures, meanwhile, warn that boats can’t sail without enough trained deckhands.

How the current system works

The 2024 Employment Permits Act reformed rules for many sectors, including fishing. Under the migrant fisher work permit scheme:

• The employer sponsors the fisher.
• The application goes to the Department for assessment.
• Officials check pay, hours, contracts, and whether a quota exists.
• If approved, the fisher receives a permit allowing legal work aboard an Irish vessel.
• Permits must be renewed on time, and both employer and worker must follow labour standards.

There is one official hub for policy and updates: the Department’s employment permits page at https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/.

What changed when AWS closed

The Atypical Working Scheme for non-EEA fishers was closed in 2022 after repeated exploitation allegations. Ending AWS pushed fishers and boat owners into the standard work permits framework.

The new, dedicated fisher route, introduced in 2024, aims to regularise hiring while improving oversight. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the low first-year total shows the transition is not yet delivering the stable workforce the fleet needs, nor the safety many migrant crew expected.

Practical steps for employers

Boat owners who need crew this season should:

1. Plan early. Start recruitment well before peak periods so permits can be processed.
2. Offer written contracts with clear pay, overtime, rest hours, and safe accommodation.
3. Keep records. Log hours, payslips, and training — you will likely need these during checks.
4. Use plain language with workers about rights and complaint routes.
5. Budget for delays. Do not rely on last-minute hires without permits.

Practical steps for fishers

Prospective crew should:

• Ask the skipper to sponsor you before travel.
• Keep your passport, sea service records, and qualifications ready.
• Save copies of all job offers and contracts.
• Check that promised pay matches the application.
• Seek help if you feel pressured to work without a permit.

What happens if you don’t have a permit

Working without a permit can result in:

• No proof of employment and limited access to health and safety protections.
• A higher risk of unpaid wages.
• Exposure of employers to penalties.

The six-permit figure, against a backdrop of known irregular hiring, suggests enforcement and outreach need improvement.

Voices from the sector

• Migrant worker advocates call for reduced fees, simplified steps, funding for outreach in crew languages, and easier ways to change employers after abuse.
• Industry groups emphasise speed: faster decisions and predictable timelines aligned with fishing seasons.
• Both sides agree that clear rules and steady processing would help boats sail and reduce exploitation.

“Clear rules and steady processing would help boats sail and reduce exploitation.” — key shared objective from advocates and industry

Case example

A skipper in the west wants two deckhands before the mackerel run. He sponsors both under the fisher scheme, submits full contracts, and proves safe standards on board. The process takes longer than expected; one crew member misses the start of the season. The boat sails short-handed, catches less fish, and the worker loses weeks of pay.

Early planning and better guidance could have avoided that loss for both employer and worker.

Key takeaways for policy makers

• Six permits in a year point to a system few can use at present.
• Communication should target ports, communities, and recruiters with simple, translated guides.
• Audits should punish abuse while protecting workers who report bad actors.
• Consider easier renewals and clearer job mobility so fishers aren’t trapped.

What to watch next

The government is expected to review the migrant fisher work permit scheme’s first year. Possible moves include:

• Simpler steps, lower fees, and broader eligibility.
• Any update should balance enough crew for a viable fleet with strong protection for migrant workers.

Compliance and enforcement

The tiny permit total contrasts with reports of irregular work across sectors, including fisheries. That gap matters:

• Jobs outside the system make crew easier to exploit and create unfair competition for law-abiding boats.
• Targeted inspections, quicker follow-up on complaints, and clear rules on record-keeping can raise standards without scaring good employers away.
• Workers need safe ways to speak up: protections against retaliation and access to advice in multiple languages help ensure early reporting and resolution.

Trust grows when rules are fair and enforcement is balanced.

Where to get help

• Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: policy, applications, and compliance checks.
• Migrant Rights Centre Ireland: support for workers facing unpaid wages, threats, or unsafe conditions.
• Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS): questions on entry.

Bottom line

Ireland built a dedicated route to clean up hiring at sea. One year on, only six permits issued shows how far there is to go. Clearer rules, faster decisions, and real support at the docks could turn a paper fix into safe, legal work for the crews who keep the sector afloat.