Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has announced a policy change in the application process of the post graduate training programmes of medical professionals in Ireland. The change will benefit the non-EU citizens in Ireland who struggle to enroll themselves into training programmes and to qualify for higher ranks in the profession. Under the new changes, the non-EU citizens in Ireland will get more opportunity to join the post graduate programmes easily and help in pursuing better career heights.
Until now, EU and European Economic Area citizens are given priority in such programmes where non-EU nationals in Ireland miss their opportunity even they are more qualified than their counterparts. This has created stigma among non-EU healthcare workers in the country and there was a demand for the change in the policy from many advocacy groups and unions including the pediatrician Mohsin Kamal an expat from Pakistan. Dr. Kamal welcomed the news on twitter.
The hard work by non-EU healthcare professionals during the pandemic days in Ireland also fueled the government’s decision.The new policy change is a huge relief for the migrant non-EU citizens in the field and from now on they can find more opportunities to nourish their career and pursue important roles in the country’s healthcare system.
The change will come into effect from July 2022 when the next postgraduate programme begins, said Mr. Donnelly.