Irish Residency Question

Bromavinci

Hi,

Not sure if in right spot but been searching threads for over an hour so here it is..

I am Australian - I came here in Jan 2004 on a working holiday visa, gained a work permit for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. I have worked at the same employer since March 2004.

there have been rumblings of redundancies here for a few weeks and I am concerned that if I am out of a job before the 5 year mark, ie jan 2009, I will be stuck...I need to get to that Jan 2009 mark for a start and even then im not sure if residency kicks in as I will only be 4 years on the permit, i have heard the working holiday visa doesnt count (?)

The system is a bit messy and when I call places like entemp and the justice dept i get bounced around....can anyone point me in the right direction or offer me some advice of what i should do????

Any help / advice greatly appreciated...

Victor

I think you really need to speak to a solicitor who specialises in immigration law.

You haven't mentioned, but do you have one of the listed skills to get a visa?

It might be worth your while talking to your employer and asking if its OK to look around for other jobs.

Bromavinci

Entemp have renewed my work permit each year and because I am in the 'system' already the new green card and skilled visa programs dont apply at the moment...

One concern i do have is that if I lose this job I will fall back into the new system, where I will not be eligible under the new legislation...obviously to keep it all above board as I do not want to hurt my chances of staying, I will need to tell the DEET that I am no longer working for the employer on the work permit...

Immigration Lawyers...any recommendations???

Victor

You general query might be better here: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=10

For recommendations of lawyers, these people might have ideas: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=633 - just read the charter and don't look for legal advice on the board

Bromavinci

Thanks Mate - will post in there

sovtek

Brom
A far better resource exists here.

http://immigrationboards.com/viewforum.php?f=34&sid=5a776d0890af5f719c2dfba056e466ca

In the not too distant past I was dismissed (unfairly I might add) and had to deal with entemp.
If you want to jump to another job you shouldn't have too many problems being that you have been here so long. Thing is you basically have to do the same type of job otherwise there is a means test.
Oh and residency is a crock of **** at the moment. GNIB are way behind on processing LTR applications by about 2 years now. They are also trying to delay them even more by requiring that you provide a police cert from every country you have ever lived in before Ireland...and they don't ask for it until close to the end of the application process. So I wouldn't just wait around for residency to happen. It's up in the air for most people that have applied for it. It's 3 years or more at the moment for citizenship.
Anyway there are immigration lawyers who hang out in the forum plus a lot of other immigrants in your situation.