Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
478. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Stamp 2 student permissions issued in each of the years 2014 to 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11500/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra479. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of stamp 2 student permissions issued in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11504/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 478 and 479 together.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a National Migration and Integration Strategy detailing how the Government intends to meet the demands and opportunities facing Ireland’s society and economy over the next decade. My Department is currently working with other Government Departments to develop this strategy with the aim to publish it later this year.
As part of this strategic approach, I am reviewing the area of student permissions, including with regard to English Language students. This work is aimed at ensuring that the system remains robust and rules-based, supports high-quality education providers, and continues to offer a positive experience for genuine students coming to Ireland.
International students from outside the EU/EEA are granted a residence permission on Stamp 2 conditions where they have enrolled on, and commenced a course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), or eligible programmes offered by providers with authorisation to use the new TrustEd Education mark awarded by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
I can inform the Deputy that in excess of 56,000 people were registered on Stamp 2 conditions in 2025. The final figure for those required to register Stamp 2 permissions will exceed this figure, as statistics for 2025 are impacted by current delays to registration.
As previously advised, this figure reflects the people, or unique individuals, required to register or renew their immigration permission in a calendar year. Most renewals are annual, however, there may be students that were required to register/renew multiple times in the same calendar year, such as English Language students.
Immigration permission registrations prior to 2018 were the responsibility of An Garda Síochána, and recorded in a format not comparable to that now applied.
