New data improves picture of non-EEA students in Ireland
Almost 45,000 non-EEA students spent more than three months studying in Ireland during 2008 it has been revealed.
New figures from the Department of Justice, Immigration and Law Reform were given on January 28th following a question in the Irish parliament on international student numbers. The Department also gave a snapshot of the position at 29th October 2009 which showed 31,233 registrations across language schools, further and higher education. (Registration with immigration authorities is required for all non-EEA students attending courses longer than 90 days).
Sheila Power, Director of the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS), commented: "These are very useful statistics and a much better indicator of the real picture of non-EEA students in Ireland compared to the data on general release. As part of its internationalisation strategy and as a matter of good public information policy, the Government, through INIS, should be encouraged to release visa and non-EEA student registration statistics on a regular basis".
Justice Minister Dermot Ahern pointed out in his written answer that the majority of international students attending Irish colleges are EEA nationals who are not required to register with the Department and no comparable statistics are available for this group.
He went on to address the number of visa refusals, which was at the heart of the question posed by Fine Gael's Denis Naughten, stating that: "For 2009 seventy-five per cent of or 3,519 study visa applications decided by INIS were approved. Of these, 147 were approved on appeal, representing twelve per cent of initial refusals being reversed on appeal. The final outcome of the remaining twenty five percent or 1,142 applications was a refusal. Comparable figures are not currently available for the preceding years."