Migrant and refugee women in Ireland face significant and overlapping barriers when trying to access employment — from qualification recognition issues and childcare responsibilities to language barriers, rural isolation, unconscious bias, and confusion around immigration permissions. At a time when employers are struggling to find skilled talent, these barriers represent not just an equality issue, but a missed opportunity for Irish organisations.

In this episode, Dave and Mary are joined by Fiona Hurley, CEO of NASC, to discuss the findings of NASC’s Breaking Barriers report, which captures the lived experiences of migrant women navigating the Irish labour market.

Together, they explore why highly skilled migrant women — including those with STEM, healthcare and professional qualifications — are being filtered out of recruitment processes, how employer misunderstanding of immigration stamps limits opportunity, and what HR leaders can do practically to remove bias and widen their talent pool.

Guest

• Fiona Hurley – CEO, NASC (Migrant & Refugee Rights Charity)

Topics include:

• Key findings from Breaking Barriers: Challenges in Employment Access for Migrant Women
  
  • Childcare, transport and structural barriers that disproportionately impact migrant women
  
  • Accent bias, language assumptions and discrimination in recruitment
  
  • Why overseas qualifications and experience are routinely undervalued
  
  • The “invisible talent pool” of highly skilled migrant women in Ireland
  
  • Immigration stamps explained: Stamp 1G, Stamp 1, Stamp 4 and common employer misconceptions
  
  • Why confusion around work permissions leads to exclusion — even when candidates have full work rights
  
  • How screening tools, interview panels and unconscious bias filter candidates out early
  
  • Internships, mentoring and work shadowing as practical entry points
  
  • Case studies of employers getting it right through partnership and flexibility
  
  • What HR professionals can do now to design fairer, more inclusive recruitment systems

Useful Links & Resources

• Breaking Barriers: Challenges in Employment Access for Migrant Women – NASC Report
  
  • NASC contact: info@nascireland.org

Get in touch

If you’re not already following us on LinkedIn, please do. If you have suggestions for future episodes, or if you’d like to join us as a guest, reach out to Dave Corkery at dcorkery@insighthr.ie.

For confidential HR support, contact info@insighthr.ie

About The HR Room Podcast

The HR Room Podcast is brought to you by Insight HR — where we speak with HR leaders, experts and practitioners across Ireland about the issues shaping the world of work today.

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