Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
527. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to clarify the position in relation to a non-EU spouse coming to live and work in Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47450/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, on 26 November 2025, Minister O'Callaghan and I published the review of the non-EEA Family Reunification Policy, which had remained largely unchanged since 2013, and sets out how Irish citizens and most non-EEA Irish residents may apply to bring non-EEA family members to live with them in Ireland. Further changes were made to the policy on 12 June 2026 based on commitments made in the review, including an annual review of financial thresholds to keep them in line with the cost of living, and to align with the new Statutory family reunification scheme under the International Protection Act 2026. The latest version of the policy document is available here: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Family-Reunification-Policy-12-June-2026.pdf.
Financial thresholds for Irish citizens applying to be joined by spouses/partners and children increased from a gross income over 3 years of €40,000 (€13,333 per year) to €75,000 (€25,000 per year). This reflects increases in the cost of living since the figure was set in 2013, and is intended to limit any future migrant reliance on State supports, on which the sponsor must not have been mainly reliant on in the two years prior to application. It also remains below the level of €30,000 per year at which non-EEA nationals can be joined by their spouse or partner. There is also now a requirement for sponsors not to be in certain supported accommodation.
However, income earned in another jurisdiction by an Irish national may be considered, on a case-by-case basis, towards financial thresholds for the purposes of a family reunification application, except where the application is regarding a dependent adult relative other than a spouse, civil partner or de facto partner (e.g. a dependent parent, or a dependent adult child). An important consideration in such cases will be that the sponsor is in a position to continue meeting the thresholds into the future, for instance by having verifiable future employment in the state with a sufficient salary.
Declared and verifiable savings by the family member or sponsor may also be taken into account in assessing cases that fall short of the thresholds.
An important consideration in all family reunification applications is the ability of the sponsor to demonstrate a clear capacity to provide for their family members if they are to be granted a permission to come to Ireland. The purpose of the revised Policy is not to deter people from making applications, but to ensure that people who are sponsoring an application have sufficient resources to provide for their family, without the reliance on State funds.
Further information on how to join an Irish spouse or partner in Ireland is available here: www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-join-family-in-ireland/joining-an-irish-national/.
For specific queries related to your application, please use the Customer Service Portal: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/.
Persons who obtain a Working Holiday Authorisation (WHA) sign a declaration that they will leave the State upon its expiry and must do so on or before the expiry of their current WHA. They may not apply for a change of immigration permission in-State.
It is also open to a spouse or partner of an Irish national to apply for an employment permit in their own right to work in Ireland for an eligible role earning a minimum of €36,605 per year.
