Campaigns 
International Students
Friday, 03 September 2010
Since our foundation in 2001, the ICI has worked to improve the immigration policies and procedures affecting international students in Ireland. By “international students”, we are referring to students coming to Ireland from outside the European Economic Area. International students contribute hundreds of millions of euros to the Irish economy each year.
In 2007, the ICI acted on behalf of an American student who was refused an extension of her residence permit, halfway through her Masters course, because her young son was attending a public school in Galway. The Government had introduced a policy of denying international students permission to reside in Ireland if they had children at non fee-paying schools after our client had already moved to Ireland. The ICI initiated High Court proceedings in the matter and the Government settled the case out of court. As a result, the Government’s policy was reconsidered and the requirement that the children of international students do not attend public schools was re-introduced in a more transparent manner, allowing a period of transition.
In 2009, the ICI made submissions to the Government on its consultation paper on the “Proposed New Immigration Regime for Full-Time Non-EEA Students”. While agreeing with a number of the proposals and statements in the consultation paper, the ICI expressed concerns about some of the proposals and the impact they could have on international students who come to Ireland.
The ICI believes there is a need for more consistency and transparency in relation to the rules governing the entry and residence of international students in Ireland. International students are one of the key groups accessing the ICI’s services and we believe the rules and regulations affecting them must reflect and recognise the enormous contribution they make to the Irish economy, Ireland’s skills-base and to society. However, we believe any new rules and regulations introduced must also respect international students’ human rights.
There is an urgent need for reform of the regulatory environment and for a more coordinated approach to policy and procedure, not only in relation to international students but also immigration matters in general. Currently, Irish immigration policy remains ad hoc and piecemeal, leading to the repeated infringement of the rights of migrants and their families under the constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, in Ireland and abroad, leading to unnecessary litigation in the High Court.
Submission: New Immigration Regime for Full-Time Non-EEU Students - Friday October 9, 2009
Media release: Immigrant Council of Ireland welcomes GNIB decision to renew international student's residence permit - Wednesday December 19, 2007
Media release: Court grants leave to apply for a judicial review of international student's case - Monday December 17, 2007