Non National PPS

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alookalike

Guest
Hi,
My friend (27) started working here from Poland 4 week ago. His employer did not apply for his PPS number.
He suddendly became ill with a serious blood disorder and needs urgent medical attention. What options are there to get his PPS number for a medical card as his previous employer in the bar and ccatering trade did not register him.
What options are best for him. He wants to return to Poland to his family but he is unwell and would get the best treatment here.
Thanks for your time.
 
It is not possible to apply for a PPS on behalf of someone else, the Polish person needs to apply for themselves and in order to do so, they must supply certain information. That is, various documentation proving their identity and residence in Ireland. The local social welfare office can give further information on how to apply and the various documents required.

It is not up to an employer to Register anyone for a PPS, an employee is obliged to hold a PPS Number and to supply it to an employer when commencing work. The fact that this person was employed without a PPS Number probably indicates to me that they were probably not registered as an employee so social insurance may not have been deducted from their pay. Either way, this person should apply for a PPS Number to their local social welfare office if they intend to remain here in Ireland.

The issue regarding the medical card is a different matter. Having a PPS number does not give anyone an automatic right to either a medical card or a GP Visit Card, but having a PPS Number is necessary in order to apply.

On the basis of living here for 4 weeks, it is unclear as to whether or not this person would even qualify as ordinarily resident for health services in Ireland as it appears from your post their wish/intention is to return home. If this person holds a Euroepan Health Insurance card issued by the Polish authorities, they can obtain necessary healthcare in Ireland.

If this person requires urgent medical attention, they can either present their Polish European Health Insurance Card to a GP that accepts public patients (your Local Health Office can supply a list) or a public hospital. If they do not have a European Health Insurance Card it is likely they will have to pay the full cost of treatment (that is, the cost of a GP visit and any in-patient or out-patient hospital charges).

It is not possible to provide further information on the rights of this individual without further information on their circumstances - PM me if you wish, but please include as much detail as you can.

CMCR.
 
Hi,
Thanks for the reply.
My friend gave his documents to his employer but he did not do anything with them. He went to social welfare office this morning and they would not issue a pps as they said he should be here for two years.
I will check for his European Health insurance card but currently he is being looked after by a local GP who has been very supportive and the hospital are doing the very best for him.
Thanks for all your advice.
 
http://www.ehic.ie and the OASIS Link are very useful.

His European Health Insurance card only covers him for emergency treatment on Holiday etc. He does not have a Polish one. He would have to proof that he will be here for 4 years and have lived here for 6 months to apply for an Irish one.
 
The guy should have applied for his own PPS number. My wife moved to Ireland recently, and we sorted out all this necessary paperwork ourselves. It is not an employer's responsibility as you seem to suggest.

Once you apply for the PPS number, it is sent out in less than a week. The system is surprisingly fast (getting tax cut-off takes a bit longer).
 
Jrewing is correct regarding employee's responsibility to apply for a PPS. Here is what is required in order to apply for a PPS Number.

Furthermore, you do not have to be living in Ireland for 2 years in order to obtain a PPS Number. I would be more more than surprised if anyone in a social welfare office said this, as it is totally incorrect.

I think it is more likely your friend may have been enquiring about a social welfare payment from a social welfare office and was told that they would need to satisfy the habitual residence requirement in order to claim a social welfare payment. This is correct, but it is not correct to say that your friend must have been living in Ireland for 2 years in advance of applying. They must have been living for 2 years in the Common Travel Area (that is, Ireland or the UK or Northern Ireland, etc).

If this person is not currently working in Ireland, I am wondering how they are funding the cost of their stay and of the health care they are currently receiving? Do they have private health insurance?

If financial hardship is being caused as a result of their medical condition and they have no other income, I suggest they get in touch with the Community Welfare Office in their local health centre who can advise.
 
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Thanks CMCR. His sister is here and is currently funding everything. We will arrange for him to meet the Community Welfare Officer but you are correct he was applying for Unemployment Assistance in order to get a PPS they refused which is correct, but they still did not issue him with a PPS. We will see what the local community welfare office advice is. Thanks for your advice.
 
CMCR said:
The fact that this person was employed without a PPS Number probably indicates to me that they were probably not registered as an employee so social insurance may not have been deducted from their pay. Either way, this person should apply for a PPS Number to their local social welfare office if they intend to remain here in Ireland. CMCR.
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This is not necessarily true, an employee can be set up on emergency tax without a PPS number, this often happens at my work and the employee then provides the PPS number when they receive it.

With no PPS number the emergency tax is higher.

Has your friend received payslips?
 
alookalike said:
http://www.ehic.ie and the OASIS Link are very useful.

His European Health Insurance card only covers him for emergency treatment on Holiday etc. He does not have a Polish one. He would have to proof that he will be here for 4 years and have lived here for 6 months to apply for an Irish one.
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if he has been there only four weeks, his European Health Insurance card should cover him. He should have applied for one before he left Poland.

If he has Polish health insurance, this may include the EHIC. I have German health insurance and on the backside of the normal health insurance card is the EHIC. Perhaps he should contact his health insurer or dept. of Health in Poland to see if it is standard issue with his existing setup.
 
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