Doctors warn new citizenship rules will make Ireland ‘less viable’ for healthcare workers Wed, 09 Sep, 2026 – 15:47Niamh Griffin
More than 300 international doctors working in Ireland have warned proposed new citizenship rules will make Ireland “a less viable country” for international healthcare workers
Among the changes are one which will see the time a person must live in Ireland to be eligible for citizenship extend from five years to eight years.
The Irish Association of International Doctors (IAID) said in an open letter to the Government the changes would make Ireland less attractive for medical workers.
They warned the extension to eight years, combined with delays already in the citizenship system, meant health workers could face “uncertainty for almost a decade” in future.
“The Government cannot reasonably expect international healthcare professionals to dedicate almost a decade of their lives to Ireland before receiving the security that should accompany their sustained contribution,” the letter said.
The IAID say this also affected nurses and other healthcare workers.
The HSE is heavily dependent on healthcare staff from abroad.
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Workforce surveys regularly show an increase in numbers across all types of health work.
In the letter, doctors say staff and their families already face long delays around visas applications.
Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan has said the new plans, which are expected to be signed into law by Christmas, bring Ireland into line with other EU countries.
However, the IAID said in that case the Irish system should also offer comparable processing times.
Delays to family reunification are regularly raised by doctors and other staff, in just one example.
“Ireland should focus on improving its existing processes, instead of prolonging the insecurity experienced by lawful workers and their families,” the IAID said.
France and New Zealand require five years of residence before applying for citizenship, as does Germany after recent changes.
In Canada, the requirement is three years, Australia four years and the UK six years.
The IAID predicted further delays would make Ireland “a less viable country” for international healthcare workers.
It called on the Government to take this into account.
“This is not merely an immigration matter. It is a healthcare workforce and patient-safety issue,” the doctors said.
It also raised questions about a proposed language test, pointing out doctors must already meet the Irish Medical Council’s language requirements.
The letter was signed by IAID president Dr Liqa ur Rehman.
It is undersigned by doctors including those working in Limerick, Cork, Waterford, Ennis, and hospitals around the country. More names continued to be added during the day.
In addition, the IAID wrote to Mr O’ Callaghan and other politicians on Monday about the issue.
It called on him to “protect Ireland’s doctors and skilled workforce in citizenship reform”.
The letter, also seen by the Irish Examiner, highlighted concerns about competition with other countries in detail.
It also noted just four years ago the Government streamlined the paperwork for international doctors working here.
The numbers showed, it said, how roughly two in five doctors and nearly four in five non-training non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) qualified abroad.
“Even a modest deterioration in retention can have material service consequences,” the IAID told the minister.
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