Matrix semigroup homomorphisms into higher dimensions

We study non-degenerate irreducible homomorphisms from the multiplicative semigroup of all n-by-n matrices over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero to the semigroup of m-by-m matrices over the same field. We prove that every non-degenerate homomorphism from the multiplicative semigroup of all n-by-n matrices to the semigroup of (n + 1)-by-(n + 1) matrices when n ⩾ 3 is reducible and that every non-degenerate homomorphism from the multiplicative semigroup of all 3-by-3 matrices to the semigroup of 5-by-5 matrices is reducible.