The report ‘Tied to Exploitation: The Experience of Migrant Workers in Ireland’, illustrates the conditions many migrant workers face regarding general employment permits. More than seven in 10 migrant workers in Ireland are exploited under the employment permit system, a new survey has revealed. The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) has launched a landmark survey of over 1,000 employment permit holders. This is not a problem affecting a small number of rogue employers – it’s a systemic failure of the employment permit system. The research showed 71pc of general employment permit holders experienced exploitation in employment, 61pc experienced severe exploitation – meaning repeated or multiple serious employment rights breaches.

Source: Irish Independent March 23, 2026 19:05 UTC