Attention to Irish immigration and facts about Ireland:
The Irish government recently announced that it will add 2,000 skilled professionals to its information and communications technology industry over the next year through reforms in the work permit system and the education system. In addition to increasing the issuance of work permits, the reforms also include reducing the processing time for work permits by 33% and expanding the list of high-skilled occupations. The Irish government hopes to consolidate its position as the Internet capital of Europe through a series of reform measures.
Richard Bruton, Minister for Employment, Enterprise and Innovation, stated that the information and communications technology industry has now become one of Ireland's most internationally competitive core industries, accounting for about one-third of Ireland's annual export total. It encompasses multiple high-tech fields, including technology research and development, high-value manufacturing, shared services, supply chain management, and software development. Among the top 10 global information and communications technology companies, 8 have established their European operations centers in Ireland. Increasingly, more companies are moving to Ireland to take advantage of the high-quality talent, favorable tax policies, and advanced technologies available in the country. The Irish government aims to increase the talent pool in information and communications technology by relaxing work permit regulations for foreign IT professionals and accelerating the training of local talent.
During an interview, Zhang Zhewei, Director of the Ireland Investment Development Agency for China, stated: “A survey report released by the EU Chamber of Commerce at the beginning of 2013 indicated that local talent and R&D resources are among the top three reasons why Chinese companies choose to invest in the EU. Ireland is an ideal destination for overseas direct investment by global information and communications technology companies. It is reported that Huawei, a Chinese company, has established a new R&D center in Ireland, spanning the cities of Cork and Dublin.”
