Irish Immigration Visa Refusal Analysis Feb 2014 to May 2014

This entry is the succession of the previous blog in which the Approval rates were analysed. The analysis was carried out on the visa decision file(s) including decisions for the applications for the period 26-02-14 to19-05-14, the total number of cases refused in this period is 784 out of 1915 decisions published by the immigration department.

 It has been observed that most of the refusal reasons are related to ‘Insufficient Documentation, Finances, Visa Conditions, obligation to return home, Reference in Ireland.

Some cases are refused due to multiple reasons for example: A refusal includes the following reasons

• F:- Applicant's finances have been deemed insufficient.
• F:- Sponsor's finances have been deemed insufficient.
• ID:- Insufficient documentation submitted in support of the application:- No undertaking provided by the applicant or reference.
• OB:- Obligations to return to home country have not been deemed sufficient. OC:- Observe the conditions of the visa - the visa sought is for a specific purpose and duration:- the applicant has not satisfied the visa officer that such conditions would be observed.

Another Example is

• F:- Applicant's finances shown have been deemed insufficient.
• ID:- Quality of documents: Applicant and sponsor's birth certificates.
•  ID:- Insufficient documentation submitted in support of the application:-
• Applicant's marriage certificate & birth certificates for dependent children.
• OB:- Obligations to return to home country have not been deemed sufficient.
• OC:- Condition - The applicant may overstay following proposed visit.
• OC:- Condition - The applicant may work illegally in the State.
• OC:- Condition - The potential cost of this trip is high in comparison to the applicant's means, and given that no compelling reasons for the trip have been displayed, the visa officer is not satisfied of your intentions to leave the State following your visit.
• OC:- Observe the conditions of the visa - the visa sought is for a specific purpose and duration:- the applicant has not satisfied the visa officer that such conditions would be observed.
• R:- No link to reference has been shown: Clear copies of applicant and sponsor's birth certificates required.

As I have mentioned in my previous blogs that documentation is very important when applying for the visa. The visa officer needs to be satisfied with the level of information that has been included to support the visa application. There is a requirement specific to some countries, the applicants should contact the Irish embassies / consulates in order to obtain the information about the latest documentation requirements and visa fees.

 These specific documents might require attestation from a certain department or the document should have been issued by a specific department. This information should be available with the local Irish Embassy or consulate.

The bar chart below shows the number of occurrence for each reason in the decision list for Refused visas.

The highest number of refusals is due to insufficient documentation and finances.

The figure blow shows the number of time the refusal reason is mentioned in the decisions in the period 26-02-2014 to 19-05-2014.

Just providing a probable explanation of the refusal reasons against each code as an example.

• F:- Finances shown by reference have been deemed insufficient. (the reference in Ireland might not have enough funds to support the applicant)
• F:- Finances:- no evidence of finances shown by applicant. (Bank Statement missing)
• ID:- Insufficient documentation submitted in support of the application:-

                      No undertaking from applicant or reference; (Invitation, Sponsor Letter, reference letter)
                      No evidence of wedding in Ireland.(In case of wedding in Ireland, proof of Irish marriage cert)

• PF:-The granting of the visa may result in a cost to public funds.(Social, medical expenses paid by state)
• PR:- The granting of the visa may result in a cost to public resources.
• OB:- Obligations to return to home country not shown - e.g. no social, economic or professional ties in home country shown.(Evidence to prove that the applicant will go back to the home country and does not plan on a long term stay in Ireland, business, job, studies in home country)
• OC:- Condition - The applicant may work illegally in the State.
• OC:- Condition - The applicant may overstay following proposed visit.
• OC:- Condition - The potential cost of this trip is high in comparison to the applicant's means, and given that no compelling reasons for the trip have been displayed, the visa officer is not satisfied of your intentions to leave the State following your visit.( Reason for visit might not have been mentioned clearly)

·       NOTE: Before making an application please make sure you have included all the relevant documents and your file is completed as per requirement. If required please get professional help to complete your file. A refusal can create issues in future for not only applying to Ireland but even to other countries as well.

Detailed refusal reasons list according the INIS website is as follows (source: http://www.inis.gov.ie) 

Refusal Reason Code	Refusal Reason Name	Refusal Reason Description
ID	Insufficient documentation	Insufficient documentation submitted in support of the application. Please see website link to 'Documentation to Accompany a Visa Application' at www.inis.gov.ie • Application form incomplete or unsigned • Documents provided not translated
F	Finances	No evidence of finances shown • Evidence provided is deemed insufficient or incomplete (e.g. no contact details for bank, poor quality documents) • Finances shown have been deemed insufficient
PF	Public Funds Cost	The granting of the visa may result in a cost to public funds
PR	Public Resources Cost	The granting of the visa may result in a cost to public resources
R	Reference	No reference in Ireland • No clear link to reference has been shown • No letter of invitation submitted with the visa application form • Letter of invitation no longer valid - dates for event/course have passed • No confirmation of hotel booking for duration of stay
RH	Relationship History	Have not shown evidence of a relationship being in existence prior to visa application/marriage. Note: For Immigration purposes it is not sufficient for a relationship to have developed over the internet or by telephone/sms. A relationship must include a number of face to face meetings (excluding webcam) between the parties. You must satisfy the visa officer that the relationship is bona-fide
IS	Immigration Status of the Reference	Immigration status of the reference in Ireland - e.g. • Evidence of this has not been provided - Copy of GNIB card, copy of passport of reference • Reference has no right of residence in the State
IH	Immigration history of applicant	Reasons related to Immigration history of the applicant
WP	Work Permit	Work Permit Required
1 YR	1 Year Rule	– Work Permit holder not in State 12 months with work permit renewed for a further 12 months
SCSTP	Spouse or Children Short term	Not the general policy to allow spouse or children visas to accompany or join spouse or parent on short term business/training trips
P	Passport	Passport expires within 6 months of end of visit, or 12 months if you are applying to work or study • Passport has not been signed VR Previous Visa refusal(s)
ST	Short Visa	Visit is not short term in nature – exceeds 90 days
INCO	Inconsistencies	contradictions in the information supplied e.g. dates / residence / occupation / finances
SP	Student Profile	Insufficient recognised level of English shown (e.g. IELTS*) • Relevance of English to employment (for English language students) • Previous educational or employment background is at odds with course applied for • Gaps in education or employment not accounted for • Course does not meet Student Visa requirements • Students have no automatic right to family reunification with family members who are resident outside the State. Your case has been fully examined on the basis of the documentation submitted, and it has been decided not to grant your application • Students who are in the State on a study visa, have no automatic right to have any person, whether related or not, to visit them. Your case has been fully examined on the basis of the documentation submitted, and it has been decided not to grant your application * International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
SCH		Profile of School/Visas not currently being issued for this school
OB	Obligation to return	Obligation to return to home country not shown e.g. • No social, economic or professional ties in home country shown • Obligations shown have not been deemed sufficient
OC	Observe the conditions	OC Observe the conditions of the visa e.g. • The visa sought is for a specific purpose and duration, and the applicant has not satisfied the visa officer that such conditions would be observed • The applicant may overstay following his/her proposed visit • The applicant may work illegally in the State • The applicant may branch into the common travel area • The potential cost of this trip is high in comparison to the applicant’s means, and given that no compelling reasons for the trip have been displayed, the visa officer is not satisfied of your intentions to leave the State following your visit.
FM	Family member	Minor child not a family member • There is no automatic right for non-EEA nationals who are (extended) family members of persons with one of the following permissions, to migrate on a long-term basis to Ireland. −        Temporary leave to remain −        Members of IBC Schemes −        Naturalised Irish Citizens i.e. people who have been    granted citizenship in Ireland −        Asylum seekers Your case has been fully examined on the basis of the documentation submitted, and it has been decided not to grant your application

Irish Immigration Visa Approvals Analysis Feb 2014 to May 2014

Since my last blog I have been doing some analysis on the visa approvals by Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services. The list available on INIS website.

The analysis shows the figures between 26-02-2014 and 19-05-2014. There is a 59% approval rate. Total number of applications accessed within the time period is 1915 and there is a 59% approval rate.  A good number of visas were Visit B/O. The bar chart below shows the top 20 approvals according to the visa types.

Explanation of some of the Visa types.

Visit B/O : Short stay visit visa usually up to 90 Days  . It can be either visiting a family member or visiting as a tourist.

Study B/O: It is a Long Stay visa type. The purpose of the visa is to enter and reside in the state in order to carry out a course of study. The students are allowed to work 20 hrs a week during the study sessions and 40 hours during holidays. Students will get an Immigration stamp 2.

Conference B/O: It is a type of short stay visa. The purpose is to attend a conference in the State.

Join Parent B/O: Long term residence visa to join Parent in Ireland if the Parent has one of the following status

•  Work Permit
• Green Card Holder
• EU citizen
•  Irish Citizen
•  EEA Citizen
• Long Term resident

Join Spouse B/O :  Long term residence visa to join Spouse in Ireland if the Spouse has one of the following status         

•  Work Permit
• Green Card Holder
• EU citizen
•  Irish Citizen
•  EEA Citizen
• Long Term resident

EU treaty Rights: A non-EEA family member of an EU citizen, who meets the requirements as laid out in the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 and 2008,  can apply to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) for permission to remain under EU Treaty Rights.

In my next blog I will try to point out the common refusal reasons for the visas.

Thank you all for reading the blog.

Irish Immigration Schemes

In the past couple of years Ireland has introduced few very attractive immigration schemes to attract foreign (NON EU) investment and skills. I will update the pathways for the students already in Ireland or perspective students planning to move to Ireland for Third level or higher education. 

1. Green Card Scheme
2. Highly Skilled Job Interview Authorization
3. Atypical Work Scheme
4. Scientific Researcher
5. Immigration Investor Programme
6. Start-up Entrepreneur Programme

Schemes 1 - 4 are work professionals / researchers to work in Ireland and 5-6 are for the purpose of Business. The details of these schemes can be found on Irish Naturalization and Immigration Services website, I will just provide a brief summary for each.

1. Green Card Scheme

         The scheme is best suited for the professionals who have the required qualifications and skills to match the Skills Shortage List or Highly Skilled Job List published by the the department of jobs and enterprise.Key features of this scheme are;

• No need for Labour Market Test for Green Card Applications i.e. (The Labor Market Test bounds an employer to publish a vacancy with public employment services for atleast 2 weeks and a national newspaper for 3 weeks, also in a local newspaper and job website for 3 days. If a suitable Irish or EU/EEA candidate has not been identified by the employment services only then (after a review) the employer will be allowed to hire a NonEU/EEA national.
• The candidate need to have a job offer with a title which is mentioned in the Skills Shortage List, 24 months contract and a salary of atleast €30,000.
• The application can be forwarded either by the employer or the employee and there is a fee of €1000 for a period of 2 years if the application is successful.

Best suited for Tech companies and Tech professionals. Its hassle free once you have all the required documentation.

    2.  Highly Skilled Job Interview Authorization

This is a new scheme effective from July 2013. The purpose of the scheme is to enable the employers to conduct an Interview of a Non EU national in the state for a Highly Skilled Job position. Key features and benefits of the scheme for employers and candidates are;

• Employers can meet and have a face to face interview with the perspective candidate.
• The interviewee/candidate entering the state will have a permission to remain for 90 days.
• An Interview Invitation is required from an employer in order to enter the state.
• If the interviewee is successful, an application for Green Card can be launched, the successful candidate does not have to leave the state.(however, the application should be launched within the 90 days of the date of entry of the interviewee / candidate)
• Documentation: A Valid passport, invitation letter from employer,proof of sufficient funds for the stay and medical insurance is required for the visa application under this scheme.

    3.  Atypical Work Scheme

This scheme is introduced to facilitate the requirement where there is a requirement for temporary / short term employment in sector mentioned in the Highly Skilled Occupation/Job List. Key features of this scheme are;

• Applies to Non EU nationals
• Applies where a company based in Ireland requires work for a position from a Non EU/EEA national where skill shortage has been identified.
• Applies where an Non EU individual has to provide specialized or high skilled training to an Industry, business or academic institution.
• To facilitate internship/short term employment for students undergoing a 3rd Level Course outside the state. ( The course and internship should be relevant to Highly Skilled Occupation List).
• Documentation: A valid passport and letter of approval from INIS.

    4.  Immigrant Investor Programme

The programme is for NonEU individuals and their families. The key features of the Scheme are ;

• A once off endowment of a minimum of €500,000 to a public project benefiting the arts, sports, health, culture or education. (The endowment figure is reduced to €400,000 per person where 5 or more individuals pool their endowment for one appropriate project).  
• A minimum of €500,000 in a new or existing Irish Business.
• Successful investors will get a residence permission for 5 years.(Initially 2 and then 3 years)

   5.  Start-up Entrepreneur Programme

The Start-up Entrepreneur Programme is for the Non EU residents who have High Potential Startup Plan (HPSU) or business. The Key features of this immigration scheme are;

• A High Potential Startup Business Plan or existing business.
• The business plan will be reviewed by the experts in Ireland to analyse the potential of the plan
• Show proof of a funding worth €75,000.
• The business should be capable of creating 10 jobs and €1 million sales withing 4 to 5 years of the startup.

There are more details to these immigration schemes. One of the most import thing in applying for any type of visa is the DOCUMENTATION. The documents should be valid and complete. An analysis shows that most of the visa applications are refused due to the carelessness in the supporting documentation.

A brief analysis of 2014 Irish work permits.

According to a survey conducted by SkillsIreland there are a number of sectors where Ireland has shortage of skills, specially in IT sector. There were 1300 work permits issued in 2012 in IT sector.
The statistics taken from the Department of Enterprise and Jobs show that there have been a total of 1248 work permits issued until April 2014.

Most of the work permits have been issued in the Industry , Medical and Services industry.

Further analysis shows that the chunk of these work permits have been issued to companies who are the leaders in the information technology and business consultancy services. As mentioned by the SkillsIreland in their report there is a vacuum in ICT sector. That is why the ministry of jobs and enterprise has started a new action plan to fill the gap in the ICT sector.

The table below shows top 22 companies for whom the work permit has been approved until April 2014. 

Approved Work Permits until April 2014.

As you can see there are a number of information technology and business consulting services companies appearing in this list. The highlighted companies have received most number of work permits.

Ireland can be called the European IT hub as all the giants in IT sector are located in Ireland e.g ; IBM, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Ebay, Paypal, HP, Apple, Amazon and many more.

Ireland is ideal place for IT professionals.

if we analyse the stats according to the nationalities India, USA and Pakistan are at the top of the list. 

I am not certain but I am sure that regarding India the majority of the work permits are in IT sector and as far as Pakistan is concerned its the health sector. 

So there is a huge opportunity for NonEu skilled professionals to research the Irish market and see if they can land a job in Ireland.

 

EU National vs EU Fee Status vs Non EU National

It is very important to understand and establish your status before applying for an Irish University / Institute.
There are different categories regarding tuition fee in Irish universities.

1. EU National / EU Fees
2. Non EU National

1 - EU National 
In order to qualify for the EU Fees, the applicants must fulfill the following conditions
   (1) first-time
      undergraduates and
   (2) hold EU nationality
      or
    official refugee status and have been ordinarily resident in
    an EU Member State for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level
    course.
    Documents required for EU Fee eligibility

•     2a) - EU passport 

     or

•     2b) - Original Irish Birth Certificate 

     or

•     2c) - Original EU Nationality Identity Card 

    or

•     2d) Official Irish Refugee Status (requires the appropriate original letter from the Department of Justice,           Equality and Law Reform indicating that the appropriate status has been granted).

  (3) Residency

•   The applicant have been ordinarily resident in an EU member state for at least three of the five years   preceding their entry to an approved third level course. 
•  Prior residence as a full-time student alone does not qualify a student for EU fee rates. 
• If an applicant is under 23 years of age on the start date of the course then the principal residence for the purpose of taxation of the parents will be examined. The applicant must also have been resident for the required period. 

If you do not fall under this criteria you will be considered as a Non EU applicant.

About MSc Business Analytics in UCD

I have been asked about this course by many students. here are some of the question asked and my replies to these

Q- how is dublin/ireland for post grad studies for international students?
Kashif - Dublin is a great place to stay and UCD Smurfit is a really good institution. Not only the curriculum is world class but also the lecturers are really competent. For international students its good, there are many students from China, India and Pakistan and the Irish students are really supportive and helpful. 

Q - how is job opportunities afrer MSc in Business Analytics in Ireland?
Kashif - Job opportunities are good, specially in IT. There are lot of opportunities in financial/accounting BA kind of jobs and some entry level jobs as well. Ireland is European IT hub.

Q) As i am interested in BA profile so if i will do this course from UCD then can i apply for jobs in UK also?
Kashif - I am afraid you might not be able to get jobs in UK because UK has its own immigration laws so it might be hard to get a job in UK.

Q)  Since Ireland immigration allows 1 year stay back after studies so can we apply jobs in UK also in this particular period of time?
Kashif - Yes, after graduation you will receive a 1 year Graduate visa which allows you to search for work and if you get a job you might be eligible for Green card.

Q) A little about MSc Business Analytics
Kashif - The course has 8 taught modules and a project. The taught modules are 60 % technical/semi technical and require background knowledge of Mathematics, Programming(java, C, C++ etc but not too much), networks , optimization, mathematical modelling etc. The final Project is proposed by companies, companies will pitch their requirement/project and you have to bid for the project if there are more then 1 Team bidding for the same project the team with higher commutative GPA will be given the project. Doing a project with an IT related company is an advantage as if you are able to impress them during the project you might be offered a job after you are finished.

I will be posting more in future about the MSc BA course from UCD in specific and about Ireland in general.

About this Blog

One might think that there are so many blogs and websites out there providing enough information about Education and work in Republic of Ireland so whats new with this one??
Well I can certainly reply to this = 'NOTHING'
BUT what this blog will have, the info from my own experience of living, studying , job hunting and finally working in Ireland plus some usual general stuff.
I thought of writing this blog because I have been approached (through LinkedIn) by many perspective students who are planning on applying for a course in Ireland or those who have been offered a position and have questions about the course, job prospects etc.
In summary, I will try to provide as much info as I can regarding

• Education in Ireland
• Living in Ireland
• Irish immigration
• Working in Ireland etc