Good news for the Healthcare and Nursing Home Sector, Skilled Healthcare Professionals and Healthcare Assistants!
Due to the increased demand for Healthcare Assistants and other skilled candidates in several healthcare roles, the Government has this week announced changes to the employment permits system for workers outside the EEA. The announcement comes with immediate effect for the removal of Healthcare Assistants from the ineligible list for employment permits. Persons in these roles should have attained a relevant QQI Level 5 qualification after two years of employment in Ireland, with training available in the sector with the minimum remuneration for this occupation set at €27,000.00 per annum.
In addition, the role of Dietician to the Critical Skills List and the inclusion of Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Speech and Language Therapists in the list of occupations eligible for an employment permit will be a welcome development for those working in the Healthcare and Nursing Home Sectors. The HSE intends to increase the capacity substantially with an additional 16,000 personnel, and we anticipate that this latest announcement will help the sector address recruitment difficulties across the board.
To read the announcement in full, please click here.