Social media companies and hospitals were among the biggest employers of individuals with employment permits for non-EU nationals last year as the overall number of permits issued rose by 18%. Jobs Minister Heather Humphreys said the last quarter of 2018 had seen the highest number of permits issued in any quarter in the previous decade. Heather HumphreysGoogle and Facebook both employed over 200 foreign workers issued with employment permits last year. Cork University Hospital employed 259 staff with permits, while other medical facilities including University Hospital Limerick, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and Galway University Hospital also employed around 200 non-EU workers each. Workers from India accounted for almost a third of all applications for employment permits last year with almost 4,700 applicants.

Source: Irish Examiner February 04, 2019 21:56 UTC