Immigrant Council of Ireland: Living in Limbo, Migrants' experiences of applying for naturalisation in Ireland

Public debates are beginning to emerge in Ireland regarding the relationship between immigration status, integration and citizenship. In 2008, the ICI published research that highlighted the fundamental extent to which immigration status affects people’s ability to make longer-term plans, participate in Irish
society and, ultimately, their successful integration or marginalisation. The research is in line with other research where analysts increasingly identify legal/immigration status as the key determinant of integration...It should be noted that the provisions for granting permanent residence in the UK are regarded as the most stringent across all EU Member States. In light of the costly language and integration tests in the absence of free courses and study materials, together with the tenuous status granted, if actually accepted, the status is not considered all that conducive for achieving integration...The discretionary nature of the process for granting of long-term residence permits and the lack of a permanent residence status means that Ireland provides migrants with almost the least favourable rights to security of residence status of all EU Member States.
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