Report to call for new ministry for ethnic affairs and immigrants

A report on immigrants to be published today is expected to call for the establishment of a junior ministry for immigrants and…

A report on immigrants to be published today is expected to call for the establishment of a junior ministry for immigrants and ethnic affairs.

It is also expected to highlight problems with the much-criticised work permit system, through which immigrants from outside the EU are allowed to come and work here.

The President, Mrs McAleese, will launch the report, Voices of Immigrants: The Challenges of Inclusion, in Dublin. It is based on interviews with members of the immigrant community.

The report is expected to echo previous findings that immigrants work long hours, often in physically demanding work, for lower pay than their Irish counter-parts.

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While most immigrants have completed second-level education, and many have third level qualifications, they tend to work below their skills level. It is understood the report will highlight the need for mechanisms to recognise foreign qualifications so that qualified immigrants can use their skills when they come here.

The report will be available from the Immigrant Council of Ireland.