Dublin, April 26, 2025 – The Association of Irish Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons (AIPPS) held a high-level meeting on April 25 with Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ireland, Ms. Aisha Farooqui, to address ongoing concerns surrounding visa delays and registration issues affecting Pakistani healthcare professionals in Ireland. The AIPPS delegation was led by President Dr. Nauman Nabi, accompanied by Executive Council members Dr. Ehtasham, Dr. Waqas, and Dr. Furqan.
Representatives from the Irish Medical Council (IMC) also visited the embassy during the day, engaging with embassy officials to explore practical solutions to persistent registration and documentation challenges faced by Pakistani professionals.
During the detailed and productive discussion, the AIPPS team raised concerns regarding delays across all visa categories — including work permit-based visas, family reunification (join family), and visit visas. Of particular concern was the growing backlog in work permit visa processing, which is causing highly skilled Pakistani doctors to lose competitive edge in an increasingly limited Irish job market. Due to prolonged waiting periods, many HR departments are reluctant to proceed with candidates whose arrival may be delayed by several months.
The AIPPS delegation presented a number of urgent visa delay cases collected from the community on short notice to help illustrate the issue’s severity.
Ambassador Farooqui acknowledged the gravity of the situation and affirmed that she would be meeting with Ireland’s Minister for Justice in May to further discuss and seek solutions for the visa challenges.
Additional matters discussed included:
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Pakistani Passport Renewals: Concerns were raised about the long waiting times and the inconvenience of scheduling separate appointments for each family member. The embassy clarified that when multiple family members require renewals, each must book an appointment online individually, then email the embassy with all appointment details and a preferred joint time slot. The embassy will then coordinate to accommodate all family members in a single appointment.
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Renewals for Doctors: Doctors requiring NOCs (No Objection Certificates) from the Department of Health in Pakistan are reminded to ensure their documents are valid, contain a barcode, and are verifiable. Submitting incomplete or unverifiable NOCs can lead to delays.
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Registration Delays for Doctors: The IMC delegation and Ambassador Farooqui discussed the long wait times faced by Pakistani doctors in securing registration, an issue further compounding the workforce shortage in Irish healthcare.
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Support for Pakistani Nurses: AIPPS announced the launch of a pilot project aimed at helping Pakistani nurses navigate the local registration process. If successful, the model will be shared widely with student nursing organizations to facilitate smoother integration into the Irish healthcare system.
AIPPS extended its gratitude to its leadership team for their tireless efforts in compiling and presenting community concerns, as well as to the wider Pakistani healthcare community for their trust and active engagement.
“This was a significant step toward ensuring our community’s voice is heard,” said Dr. Nauman Nabi. “We remain committed to empowering Pakistani healthcare professionals in Ireland and working constructively with authorities to remove systemic barriers.”
Source : AIPPS Social Handles
