INIS (Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service) announced this week that there are no changes yet to the rules for Non-EEA students.

They are still discussing the recommendations which were made by colleges and schools in Ireland about the new rules. This means that for now your visa status is the same as it always was. You can read the announcement here.

We will let you know IF there are any changes in the future.

If you have any questions please post here or talk to someone at Reception!

Thank you.

Student Visa Regulations, Ireland

Many of you have been asking questions about the possible changes to the student visa regulations. As we posted a few days ago here and on the Spanish  blog, these changes are only ideas for now.

Nothing has actually changed, and we will definitely tell you IF anything does happen.

Some things you have asked about:

1. Working Hours:  INIS have said there are NO immediate plans to change the hours which international students can work. This will stay the same at 20 hours/week in term time and 40 during holidays.
2. Continuing Your Course: Yes, if you are in Ireland now and already studying then you can finish your course even IF the new changes take place.
3. Continuing Your Visa: Yes, if your visa is finishing at the end of 2009 you will be able to enrol in new courses even IF the new changes take place.  Read here for suitable courses.
4. Can we express my ideas to the government? Yes.  Colleges, universities and students representation bodies have been invited to put their ideas to the government, from now until October 9th 2009.
5. When will you know what’s happening? As the ideas are under discussion until October 9th and then being discussed further by the government, it is unlikey that any regulations will change in the near future.  We will inform you here on the blog about any change IF they happen in the future.

If you have any more questions please post them there on the blog or talk to Reception!!

WEEKEND TIP

This weekend you could hop on a free bike and have a mini-adventure cycling round Dublin city.  The new bike scheme means you can buy a 3-day ticket for 2 euro and take a bike from one of the 40 stations for a spin. If you only cycle for 30 minutes between stations you can return the bike for no charge! So you can do lots of short trips over the weekend and not spend more than the 2 euro.

And on Thursday Septmber 24, Guinness will celebrate 250 years of the black stuff.  It’s too late to get tickets for the main gigs, but you can still buy tickets for some great bands performing in pubs around Dublin. Check out this blog post with full details of where you can go

If you have any more questions about the possible changes to the Student visas please post them there on the blog or talk to Reception!!

INIS ( the Department of Immigration) are PROPOSING new immigration rules. All schools/colleges have been invited to COMMENT on the PROPOSAL by the 9th of October 2009.

Abbey College and a number of other schools and colleges are commenting on the PROPOSAL.

It is important to remember that this is only a PROPOSAL and may never take place.

IF these changes take place, and you are already in the country then you will be allowed to finish your course. Students whose visa is due for renewal up to the end of 2009 and whose current course is completed in that time will be permitted to enrol in:

1. Any nationally approved course of higher education
2. Any approved course of futher education (e.g. FETAC) not exceeding 2 years in duration
3. Any language course not exceeding one year in duration provided they have not at this stage already completed 3 years of language education

THIS IS ONLY A PROPOSAL; NO RULES HAVE BEEN CHANGED YET!!

Abbey College will keep you informed on any changes which MAY happen.