Ireland has announced an overhaul of its citizenship rules which could have major implications for international student recruitment, including new rules that increase residency requirements for applicants from five to eight years.
Announcing the changes at his party’s annual conference, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that the new citizenship proposals will bring the country “more in line” with other European Union member states.
EU countries like Germany and Hungary already require eight years of residency in citizenship applications; in June, Sweden also extended the residency path to eight years.
Ireland’s proposals to reform citizenship applications will include language requirements. Historically, Ireland has been the only country in the EU with no language test for citizens.
The Taoiseach said that a language test would include “English language and some very basic Irish language familiarisation…and an understanding of Ireland”.
