Questions About an Irish Employment Permit?
Ireland has no visa that it calls a work visa, so for most people from outside the EEA, a work visa for Ireland means an employment permit. The permit comes from DETE, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, once a firm in the country has offered you a job, and some passports also need a long stay D visa. The country is in the EU but not in Schengen, and it does not use the EU Blue Card.
Our team links you to Irish firms that we have checked, works with them on your permit and visa forms and helps you get ready to register when you land. It is the Irish authorities who decide on the permit, the visa and your right to stay.
Quick facts:
- Main permits: the Critical Skills permit and the General permit, which DETE grants once a firm offers you a job.
- Who decides: DETE rules on the permit, and Immigration Service Delivery deals with visas and your card.
- Job advert: for most General permits, the firm must post the job for 28 days in a row first.
- Lowest pay: from €36,605 a year on a General permit, with lower rates for a few named care and farm jobs.
- EEA and UK passports: if you hold one, you need no permit at all to live and work here.
Ireland's Employment Permits Acts and Its EU Opt-Outs
There is no one work visa for the whole of Europe, so every state makes its own rules, and those rules turn on the type of work as well. The official EU Immigration Portal gives an outline for each EU state, but here the rules come from the Employment Permits Acts and from the justice department's rules on who may stay.
The country is in the EU, yet it stays out of the Schengen area and out of the EU Blue Card, so a Schengen visa will not get you in. A permit to live in some other EU state does not give you the right to a job here either. Instead, it shares the Common Travel Area with the UK, which lets Irish and British people live and work in both countries.
To weigh up more than one place, start with our guide to work permits around Europe. If you want to look across the border, our page on the UK Skilled Worker route sets out how things work there. If you would like an English-speaking job in Schengen, read about work permits in Malta.
Who Needs an Irish Employment Permit
If you come from outside the EEA, you will in most cases need a permit before you can start a job. Some groups do not, thanks to the passport they hold, their family ties or the leave to stay they have now.
| Your situation | What you need to work in Ireland |
|---|---|
| Citizen of an EEA country or of Switzerland | No permit or visa, and no registration with immigration |
| British citizen | No permit, under the Common Travel Area arrangements |
| Non-EEA worker with an Irish job offer | An employment permit, then an employment D visa if your nationality needs one |
| Non-EEA spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen | Usually Stamp 4 permission, which allows work without a permit |
| Student on Stamp 2 | Part-time jobs, capped at 20 hours a week in term and 40 in set holiday periods |
| Non-EEA graduate of an Irish degree or postgraduate course | Stamp 1G under the graduate programme, with time to look for work and take a job |
| Ukrainian with temporary protection | Permission to work for any employer without an employment permit |
What DETE Looks For in a Permit Application
Apart from your skills, DETE looks hard at the job on offer, the pay and the firm itself, and these are the main tests a work visa for Ireland has to pass.
- The job offer must come from a firm that trades in the country and is signed up with the Companies Registration Office and with Revenue.
- For a General Employment Permit, the job must not be on the list of barred roles, which DETE calls the Ineligible Occupations List.
- Pay must reach the floor for your permit, which is €36,605 a year for most General permits, and DETE plans to raise these floors in steps.
- For a Critical Skills permit, the role must be on the Critical Skills Occupations List and pay €40,904 with a degree that fits the job, or else pay €68,911 or more.
- You need the right skills, training or years in the trade, and some jobs need you to sign up with a body such as NMBI for nurses.
- At least half of the firm's staff must be from the EEA, which is known as the 50:50 rule, and a firm that falls short will be refused.
- A Critical Skills Employment Permit needs a job offer that runs for at least two years, so a short deal will not do.
Some care, meat and farm jobs have a lower floor of €32,691, and a new Irish graduate on a General permit needs €34,009.
Critical Skills, General and Other Irish Permits
The law sets out a range of permits, and each one has its own rules on who can get it, what it must pay and how long it lasts, so the right one turns on your job.
| Permit | Who it suits | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | Highly skilled roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List, or roles off the list paying €68,911 or more | No labour market test, a two-year job offer and quicker family rights |
| General Employment Permit | Most other eligible occupations, including some with quotas or special salary rules | Labour market test in most cases; first permit for up to two years |
| Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit | Senior managers, key staff and trainees moving from an overseas branch | Tied to the company group, with time served in the group first |
| Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit | Some family members of permit holders | Many partners of Critical Skills holders now work on Stamp 1G instead |
| Contract for Services Employment Permit | Staff of a foreign company carrying out an Irish contract | The foreign company stays your employer; labour market test applies |
| Reactivation Employment Permit | People who fell out of the permit system through no fault of their own | A way back to legal work in specific situations |
| Seasonal employment permit | Seasonal roles in sectors the government names | Provided for in the Employment Permits Act, so check whether it is open for your sector |
Smaller permits cover sport and the arts, work placements and staff sent under trade deals. Young people from some countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, can come on a Working Holiday Authorisation, which is a scheme of its own.
Steps From Irish Job Offer to IRP Card
On the General route there are six main stages, and a Critical Skills case goes the same way, but with no need to post the job first.
- Secure an eligible job: an Irish firm makes you a job offer for a role that is not on the list of barred roles, at or above the pay floor for your permit.
- Run the labour market test: for a General permit, the firm first posts the job for 28 days on JobsIreland and on one more jobs site, but Critical Skills roles skip this.
- Apply through EPO: you or the firm then fill in the form on Employment Permits Online, the state's permit site, and pay the fee, and DETE deals with each case in date order.
- Apply for your employment visa: once the permit is granted, those whose passport calls for it fill in the D visa form for work online and then post their papers to the visa office.
- Arrive and get permission: when you land, a border officer checks your passport and your permit and gives you leave to come in, so keep the permit in your hand luggage.
- Register and start work: next, you register with immigration to get your IRP card, and you ask for a PPS number so the firm can pay you and take the right tax.
A first General permit runs for a term of up to two years, which you can then renew for up to three more. Once five years are up, you can, as a rule, ask for Stamp 4, which lets you work for any firm with no permit at all.
Papers for EPO, the Visa Office and Registration
The permit site takes scans of your papers, and the visa office lists what it wants on the sheet you print at the end of its online form, with a full translation of any paper not in English or Irish.
Papers You Gather for the Permit and Visa
- You need a valid passport, and the visa office may also ask to see the old ones you have held in the past.
- Send your CV, your degree papers and proof of your past jobs in this field.
- For jobs where the law sets the bar, such as nursing, you need to be signed up with the right Irish body, like NMBI or CORU.
- Print the summary sheet that the online visa form gives you at the end, then sign it and add the date.
- Write a signed letter on why you are coming, which says you will keep to the terms of your stay.
- Once you land, you need proof of your home address here, both to get your IRP card and to ask for a PPS number.
From the Hiring Company in Ireland
- The signed work contract, with a full account of the job, the hours each week and the pay.
- The firm's CRO and Revenue numbers, which show that it is set up and trading here.
- Copies of the job ads with their dates, from JobsIreland and the other site, to prove the 28-day test was done.
- A count of staff that shows at least half are from the EEA, so the firm meets the 50:50 rule.
- Its Trusted Partner details, if DETE has given the firm that status, which can speed things up.
Permit Fees, Visa Charges and Registration Costs
DETE, the visa office and the immigration desk where you register each charge their own fees, and the sums turn on the type of permit and how long it runs. The state can change them, so check the official pages each time before you pay.
| Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Employment permit fee | €1,000 for Critical Skills; €500 or €1,000 for a first General permit; 90% refunded on refusal |
| Employment D visa fee | The charge for your long-stay visa, where your nationality needs one |
| IRP registration fee | Your Irish Residence Permit card, paid at first registration and at renewals |
| Documents and recognition | Translations, qualification checks and professional body registration |
| Travel and settling in | Air fares, a deposit and rent in advance, and living costs until your first pay |
The law says a firm must not take the cost of hiring you out of your wage, and it must not keep your passport or your own papers. Since rent in Dublin is high, we sit down with you before you commit and work out what the whole move will cost, rent deposit and all.
How Long DETE and the Visa Office Take
DETE deals with permit cases in the order they come in, with one queue for most firms and a quick one for those with Trusted Partner status. It posts the dates it is now working on, which gives a rough idea of where a new case stands. On a General permit, the 28-day job ad comes first, so add that month to your plans.
The visa comes after the permit, and the visa office posts its own wait times on its site. Once you land, it can take some weeks to get a slot to register in a busy area, so book as soon as you have an address, and we track these dates with you.
Irish Sectors on the Critical Skills List
The Critical Skills Occupations List shows the jobs where the country is short of skilled staff, and DETE looks at it again from time to time. Health, tech and engineering stand out, while some care, farm and food jobs fit the General permit.
| Sector | Where | Typical roles |
|---|---|---|
| Information technology | Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick | Software developers, cloud engineers and data specialists |
| Health care | Hospitals and care settings across the country | Nurses, doctors, radiographers and health care assistants |
| Engineering and life sciences | Pharmaceutical and medical technology sites in Cork, Galway and Limerick | Process, chemical and quality engineers |
| Construction professions | Dublin and the growing commuter towns | Quantity surveyors, civil engineers and site managers |
| Agri-food | Meat plants, mushroom farms and dairy farms in rural counties | Meat processing operatives, horticulture workers and dairy farm assistants |
| Hospitality | Dublin and tourist areas such as Kerry and the west coast | Chefs in the grades that DETE keeps eligible |
EU Helpers Guides on Moving to Ireland
Our four guides each take one part of the move and look at it in more depth than this page can.
- How long each Irish permit stage takes, from the first form on the permit site to the day your card comes.
- Jobs in Ireland with high pay or high demand, with the roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List and jobs firms find hard to fill.
- What draws workers to Irish jobs, from pay and time off to life after work.
- Relocating to Ireland, from a room in Dublin to your PPS number and a bank account.
Common EPO and Registration Mistakes
- Asking for a General permit for a job on the list of barred roles, which DETE will turn down.
- Job ads that run for less than 28 days in a row, or leave out details the rules ask for.
- Pay that falls short of the floor for that permit on the day the form goes in.
- A firm with too few staff from the EEA, so that it breaks the 50:50 rule and the case fails.
- Coming in on a short stay visa, or with no visa, in the hope of a switch to a job once here.
- Missing the date by which the officer at the port said you must register for your card.
How We Support Irish Permit Cases
- We check the job against the lists of roles DETE will and will not accept before any form is sent in.
- We hold the pay up against the floor for your permit, so the case does not fail on that point.
- We go through the dates and words of each job ad with the firm before the 28 days of the test run out.
- We put your visa papers in order and help you write the signed letter that the visa office asks for.
- We help you plan your IRP card, your PPS number and each renewal while you work there.
The permit, the visa and your right to stay are for the Irish authorities to decide, and we make that clear when we first speak. You can look at our approved visa cases, read our client reviews or learn more in the EU Helpers story.
Get Started With EU Helpers
Choose a sign-up below and we will set out the Irish steps for your case, or, to talk it over first, book a time with an adviser.
Register as a Worker (Find Jobs in Ireland)
Sign up once and we can put you in front of Irish firms we have checked, then stay with you from the permit to your IRP card.
- Job matches, each checked against the permit rules before we show it to you.
- A check of whether your job fits a Critical Skills or a General permit.
- The papers you need for the permit site and, if your passport calls for it, the D visa.
- Help to get your degree signed off for jobs where the law sets the bar.
- Advice on your IRP card and PPS number in your first weeks.
Register as a Recruiter / Agency
Agents and job firms can bring their people to Irish firms through us, with each file built round the rules that DETE sets.
- Open jobs from Irish firms, each marked with the permit it would need.
- Clear notes on pay floors and on the jobs DETE will not grant a permit for.
- Each worker's file checked in full before the form goes in.
- News on each case, step by step, from the day DETE decides to the day the worker lands.
- Help to plan each round of hiring round the 28-day job ad.
Register as a Recruitment Partner
Register as an Employer (Hire Foreign Workers in Ireland)
If your Irish business cannot find staff in the EEA, EU Helpers can help you hire from further off within the permit rules.
- Screened people for jobs in health, tech, engineering and food.
- Clear advice on the 28-day job ad, the test it is part of and the 50:50 rule on staff.
- Help to draft the contract and job account for the permit site.
- Plans for the visa and the trip so new staff start on the date you set.
- A note in good time when a permit or IRP card is due for renewal.
Why Registration Is Important
When you sign up first, we learn your skills, your plans and where you stand now, all before we start any Irish permit file. It also lets us spot a snag early, such as a job on the barred list or pay that falls short of the floor.
Author
EU Helpers Team. We place people with Irish firms in health, tech and food, and we track each change DETE and the state make so that this guide keeps pace with them.
Official Sources
DETE revises salary levels and occupation lists from time to time. Check these official sites before you apply:
- Ireland, employment permits, salary thresholds and occupation lists, enterprise department (DETE): enterprise.gov.ie
- Ireland, visas and immigration registration, Immigration Service Delivery: irishimmigration.ie
- Ireland, public guidance on working and living in Ireland, Citizens Information: citizensinformation.ie
- Ireland, job adverts for the labour market needs test, JobsIreland: jobsireland.ie
- EU Immigration Portal, an overview of legal migration to EU states, European Commission: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
Weighing up a job in Dublin, Cork or Galway?
Build a Clean EPO File for Your Irish Role
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Schengen visa let me travel to Ireland for a job?
No, the country is not in the Schengen area, so that visa will not get you in. You need an Irish visa if your passport calls for one, and you need a permit for the job as well.
Is a labour market needs test required for a Critical Skills Employment Permit?
No, roles on the Critical Skills route do not need the test, which is mainly for General permits, but the firm still has to offer you a job that will last for at least two years.
What is the 28-day advert rule for Irish employment permits?
For most General permits, the firm must post the job on JobsIreland and on one more jobs site for at least 28 days in a row before it can apply. This is the heart of the labour market needs test.
What is the 50:50 rule for employers in Ireland?
At least half of the staff at the firm must be from the EEA when it asks for a permit, though some start-ups backed by IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland can have the rule set aside for a time.
Does changing jobs in Ireland mean a new employment permit?
Yes, a new firm needs a new permit for you, and on your first permit you must, as a rule, stay with the first firm for at least nine months. There are a few cases where you can move sooner, such as if you lose your job.
When can a Critical Skills permit holder apply for Stamp 4?
Usually after two years, when your permit and your IRP card are due to run out. Stamp 4 lets you stay on and take any job with no permit, and you ask the justice department for it yourself.
How many hours can a Stamp 2 student work in Ireland?
Up to 20 hours a week in term, and up to 40 hours a week in the set holiday times, but your course must still come first and you must keep your leave to stay valid all the way through.
Can British citizens live and work in Ireland without an employment permit?
Yes, the Common Travel Area means that British and Irish people can live and work in each other's countries, with no visa, no permit and no card to register for.
What is an IRP card, and when do I register for it?
It is your Irish Residence Permit, a card that proves your right to stay. You register with immigration once you land, and you must do so by the date the officer at the port wrote in your passport.
Does Ireland take part in the EU Blue Card scheme?
No, the country chose to stay out of it, so highly skilled staff use the Critical Skills Employment Permit in its place, which gives some of the same benefits, such as a quick route for your family to join you.
Does Stamp 1G let my partner work while I hold a Critical Skills permit?
Yes, in most cases, since the spouse or partner of a Critical Skills holder can, as a rule, get Stamp 1G. That lets them work with no permit of their own, but check the current rules for your case first.
What does EU Helpers check before an Irish permit application goes in?
We check the job, the pay, the job ad and whether the firm meets the 50:50 rule. Then we put your papers in order, guide your visa form and help you plan your card, while the Irish authorities make each decision.