The Government has signalled that it wants to examine the numbers coming into the country on student visas in the English-language sector. There are concerns the sector could be acting as a “back door” – a term used by Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless. The mark, known as TrustEd Ireland, commits operators to two new codes of practice – one for higher education institutes and one for English language schools. Reforming the visa system governing the sector will represent a balancing act for the Government, with an estimated €3.7 billion contributed annually to the economy from overseas students in general. Twenty-eight higher education institutions have now been authorised to use the TrustEd mark.

Source: The Irish Times February 04, 2026 15:02 UTC