Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre said on Monday that his Government only learned of Ireland’s new visa requirement for Saint Lucians last Friday, calling it part of a broader anti‑immigrant trend in Europe.
Starting Monday, Saint Lucian nationals and passport holders must get a visa to visit the Republic of Ireland. This ends years of visa-free travel.
Saint Lucia was one of three countries slapped with the new visa rule, alongside Saint Kitts and Nevis and Nicaragua. According to a notice issued by the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa, Canada, the requirement applies to holders of Ordinary, Diplomatic and Service passports.
The change came as a surprise to many people, including the Government of Saint Lucia.
At Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing, Pierre said Ireland has the right to set its own immigration policies.
“I have no control over Irish internal policy,” Pierre said. “The Irish government decides what’s in the best interest of Ireland. I have no control over that.”
The Prime Minister also revealed that his Government only received official notification from the Embassy of Ireland in Canada on Friday, June 12, adding that there had been no prior discussions or consultations between the two countries before the visa requirement was imposed.
This change comes only a few months after the United Kingdom ended visa-free access for Saint Lucian nationals.
In announcing that decision, British authorities outlined the factors that informed the change, citing a rise in asylum claims from Saint Lucians as well as “inherent” concerns with the country’s Citizenship by Investment Programme.
Ireland’s notice, however, said the new rule is “part of an ongoing process to keep Ireland aligned with practices in the United Kingdom, Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Schengen Area”. It did not mention any specific concerns about Saint Lucia.
Pierre suggested that the latest development reflects a broader shift across parts of Europe and other developed countries.
“The situation is that these countries have decided that they are going to be anti-immigrant. That’s why it’s so important that our region… get together, because the whole world seems to be getting very insular,” he said.
Saint Lucia’s addition to Ireland’s visa list comes amid growing concern about immigration across Europe. In Ireland, the issue has become more prominent, fuelling political debate and, at times, public protests over the country’s approach to migration.
