Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2026
161. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the action being taken by his Department to reduce delays in the processing of Extension of Student Conditions (ESTC) applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35678/26]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that an application for an Extension of Student Conditions (ESTC) is intended for unforeseen or unusual circumstances. It is not intended for students or graduates who fail to secure an employment permit and who have exhausted the maximum time permitted under the Third Level Graduate Programme.
Each ESTC application is considered on its own individual merits taking into account any exceptional circumstances put forward by the applicant. Where such permissions are extended it is generally for a period not exceeding 6 months.
To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the number of applications on hand, individual circumstances, the complexity of applications, whether further information is required, and the resources available. My Department are currently processing ESTC applications received from October 2025, and there are approximately a total of 2,700 applications on hand.
There has been a significant increase in recent months in ESTC applications. I understand that the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and I can assure the Deputy that my Department is doing everything possible to deal with these applications as expeditiously as possible.
Applicants can now directly check the status of their immigration application on the Immigration Service’s Customer Service Portal. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/.
