Ireland Work Visa and Permit: Everything You Need to Know

March 29, 2023 Claudia Jeff Immigration Guide 0

Are you planning to work in Ireland Ireland Work Visa and Permit: Everything You Need to Know  If yes, you must apply for a work visa and permit. The Irish government has strict regulations and requirements that must be met before a work visa and the ticket can be issued. This article will discuss everything you need about the Ireland work visa and permit, including eligibility, the application process, and essential documents.

Eligibility for Ireland Work Visa and Permit

Before you apply for an Ireland work visa and permit, you must meet specific eligibility criteria. The Irish government has different work visa categories, each with particular requirements. Here are some of the most common eligibility criteria:

  1. Job Offer: You must have a job offer from an Irish employer before applying for an Ireland work visa and permit. The job offer must be in a skilled occupation not already filled by an Irish or European Economic Area (EEA) worker.
  2. Education and Experience: You must have the necessary education and experience to perform the job you have been offered.
  3. Salary: Your salary must meet the minimum wage requirements set by the Irish government.
  4. Health and Character: You must be healthy and have no criminal record.

Ireland does not require a work visa for residents of the EEA (the EU including Iceland, Norway, and Lichtenstein), Switzerland, or the UK. You need the authorization to live and work in Ireland if you’re from a nation other than the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom.

  • You might need to do the following if you wish to work in Ireland:
  • make an application for a work permit
  • to obtain a visa for entry into Ireland
  • Certain people can work in Ireland without work authorization.
  • Ireland’s immigration policies

You only need a visa or employment permit to work in Ireland if you are from one of the EEA countries (the EU plus Norway, Iceland, and Lichtenstein), Switzerland, or the UK. They may need to apply for a visa or preclearance to enter Ireland if they bring family members from outside the EEA, Switzerland, or the UK to live there. You should find out if you require a visa to enter Ireland if you are from a country other than the EEA, Switzerland, or the UK. To work in Ireland, you must submit an employment permit application. Non-EEA nationals currently residing in Ireland and possessing specific immigration authorizations are not required to obtain an employment permit. If you come to Ireland to be with your family, you might not even need a work permit. See the section below on “Immigration stamps and the right to work.”

Putting in overtime

You can apply for a Working Holiday Authorization through the Irish embassy in your nation if you are from one of the following nations. This is only available to candidates who are under a certain age and permits you to travel to Ireland to work for a specific amount of time:

  • Argentina
  • Australia \sCanada
  • Chile
  • In Hong Kong
  • Japan
  • In New Zealand
  • Korea, South
  • Taiwan  USA 

Applicants for international protection

If you have requested international protection, sometimes known as “claiming asylum,” and have waited longer than five months for a response, you may request authorization to work. You must request permission to access the labour market.

Immigration documents and employment rights

You need the authorization to live in Ireland if you’re from somewhere other than the EEA, Switzerland, or the UK. You must submit an employment permit application for permission to work in Ireland. Generally speaking, you must obtain an employment permit before travelling to Ireland. Once you’ve received a work offer, you can apply for an employment permit. This implies that you must seek employment before applying for an employment permit. Once you receive the employment authorization, you can apply for an Irish visa (if you need a key). Some people can obtain permission to work through the immigration system and do not require an employment permit.

Non-EEA relatives

You might not need to apply for an employment visa to work if you are moving to Ireland with family who already has permission to do so or if you are moving to Ireland to join family members who already live here. Depending on your relationship with the family member, different regulations may apply. In Ireland, for instance, spouses typically have more freedom to move in with their husbands or wives than people in other kinds of partnerships. According to EU legislation, family members of EU/EEA citizens may apply for a residence card. If your application is accepted, you will receive an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) with a Stamp 4EUFAM, allowing you to work without a work permit.

  • After January 1, 2021, family members of UK nationals moving to Ireland may apply for residency and a work permit.
  • Via family reunification, relatives of those given refugee or subsidiary protection status after requesting international protection may apply to immigrate to Ireland. If you are successful, you can obtain a Stamp 4 IRP, which permits you to employment without a work visa.
  • A Stamp 1G, which enables you to work without an employment permit, is available to family members of Critical Skills Employment Permits holders.
  • Irish nationals’ families are eligible to seek residency in Ireland. If you are successful, you will receive a Stamp 4 IRP, which permits you to employment without a work visa.
  • graduates from and students from abroad
  • You can work part-time (20 hours) during the academic year and full-time during the summer if you have permission to study in Ireland and an IRP with Stamp 2. If you have an IRP with Stamp 2A, you cannot work.
  • The following holiday times:
  • September, July, and Jun
  • Between December 15 and January 15

You might be eligible to apply for the Third Level Graduate Programme if you graduate from an Irish college or university with a qualification at level 8 or higher (honours degree level or above). For the length of the programme, you can work without an employment permit if you obtain an IRP card with Stamp 1G.

  1. You can work without a work permit and an IRP with Stamp 4. If you have been granted permission to reside in Ireland, you will receive Stamp 4
  2. Following a request for international protection as a refugee
  3. After submitting a request for international protection, subsidiary protection
  4. with permission to remain after submitting a request for international protection
  5. being a citizen of Ireland’s spouse, partner, or dependant family member
  6. as the parent of a child who is an Irish citizen
  7. as a relative of an EEA national
  8. due to your permanent residence

You may also receive a Stamp 4 after filing an appeal against a deportation order (under Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999) for a different cause not mentioned above.

Finding a Job

Before applying for an employment permit, you must locate employment if you wish to move to Ireland to work. Depending on the kind of work you are eligible to conduct, numerous employment permits exist.

  • There are several ways to find work:
  • Through online resources like JobsIreland. Also, there are numerous private employment firms online.
  • within social media
  • You may learn more about hunting for a job in Ireland on company websites.
  • Your professional credentials may need to be recognized in Ireland.
  • Obtaining a Highly Skilled Work Interview Authorization is possible if you have been asked to travel to Ireland for a job interview in one of the Highly Skilled Occupations listed. You can stay in Ireland for a maximum of 90 days with this.
  • locating a place to reside
  • Ireland’s high cost of living could surprise you. To find out how much you will have to pay in rent and how much it will cost to buy a home, check out accommodation websites like Daft. i.e. and MyHome.ie.
  • Social housing is available, but it may take a while before a local government or nonprofit organization offers you a place to live.
  • Some people commute to work from their homes outside of the major cities.
  • details about working in Ireland
  • Ireland has a minimum wage and other labour-related legislation.
  • You can be eligible for social welfare benefits if you lose your job or get sick and cannot work.
  • If you have kids, you can apply for Child Benefits to help cover the additional expenses of raising kids.
  • In Ireland, both primary and secondary education is free. The State pays for third-level education. However, there are typically costs associated with attending.
  • Duration of stay

The General Employment Permit for Ireland is initially granted for two years and may be extended for three additional years. Every immigrant with a work permit may apply for long-term residence in Ireland after five years. Moreover, you can use to be excluded from needing an employment permit.

Work offer

Before requesting this visa, the prospective immigrant worker must have a job offer from Ireland and meet all other requirements, including education, training, and experience. This visa can be applied for by either the employer or the employee. Employment agencies and similar entities are not permitted to apply for a General Employment Permit because the employer must intend to hire and compensate the migrant worker directly. The employer must be a legitimate Irish business entity registered with Revenue and the Companies Registration Office. Businesses that presently employ more than 50% of non-EEA workers are not eligible to apply for General Employment Permits for prospective personnel. This requirement may be avoided if the business is a start-up or the applicant is the only employee.

Test of Labor Market Needs

Positions provided to immigrants under a General Employment Permit are subject to a Labour Market Needs Test, which typically requires that they first be marketed to employees within the European Economic Area.The employer must post job openings for at least 14 days on the Irish Department of Social Protection Employment Services/EURES employment network, at least three days in a national newspaper, and at least three days in a local newspaper or on a third jobs website.

  • Exceptions to the Labour Market Needs Test
  • The Labour Market Needs Test rule has a few exceptions. The following circumstances exempt a position from the requirement to advertise it to residents of the European Economic Area:
  • If the applicant previously had a work permit for Ireland and was laid off,
  • If the position is on Ireland’s Critical Skills Occupations List, apply today.
  • If Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland recommends the application
  • If the applicant has experience caring for the care recipient in question and the position is for a care role
  • if the open work pays at least €60,000 annually
  • Ireland’s criteria for work visas
  • Many supporting documents, including the following, must be present when you apply for an Ireland employment visa.
  • Application for a work visa in Ireland.
  • Your current passport.
  • Photos that meet the Ireland photo specifications.
  • Documentation of paid visa fees.
  • Evidence of your legitimate residency in the nation you are applying from.
  • A letter stating that finding work is the reason for your trip.
  • A statement indicating you are housed in Ireland. Provide the specifics of the accommodations if your company is offering them.
  • Information about prior visas (if applicable).
  • Bank statements from the last six months are acceptable proof of sufficient funds.
  • The bank’s letterhead must be used for the bank statements.
  • Your name, address, account number, and account type must be displayed.
  • They have to exhibit every transaction from the previous six months. Please explain any significant or out-of-the-ordinary transactions.
  • Evidence that you’ll go back to your own country.
  • A pre-paid, self-addressed envelope.
  • Your employment authorization from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation.
  • The terms of your employment agreement or job offer.
  • A letter from your company confirming your employment and outlining the specifics of the task you will be doing in Ireland.
  • Indicate the wage you will earn.
  • Proof of credentials (such as educational certificates or other qualifications).
  • Specifics of prior employment.
  • Evidence of health insurance. In Ireland, you must get private health insurance covering hospitalization, illness, and accidents up to a maximum of €25,000.
  • Also, everyone who applies for an Ireland visa must meet a standard set of standards.
  • Unless otherwise noted, all of the documents you submit must be originals.
  • All of them must be written in English; if not, a translation must be provided and notarized. The submission must contain both the original and the translation.
  • All of the documents you submit must be copied. You must give a return address because the originals of your passport, work permit, and other important papers will be sent back to you. Provide a list of the documents you want back if you have any.
  • online application submission
  • You must use AVATS, Ireland’s online visa application system, to submit your application for an Ireland work visa.
  • Once you have accessed AVATS, you must complete the application form, print the completed summary, and mail the completed form and all necessary supporting documentation to the address listed on the resume.
  • For additional information on the application procedure for an Ireland visa, click here.
  • The processing time for an Ireland work visa is eight weeks. The processing period could be prolonged if you are missing any papers or it is the year’s busiest travel season. Therefore, apply well before the date you expect to travel but no earlier than three months beforehand.
  • Moreover, the cost of an Ireland work visa must be paid.

Ireland Residency Permit Work Visa

If the border control immigration authorities enable you to enter Ireland, they will stamp your passport with the number of days you can stay there. You must register with immigration and obtain your residence visa for Ireland before those days are up. Any non-EU/EEA/Swiss national who intends to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days must register with immigration.

  • You must register at the Dublin registration office if you reside in Dublin. You must register at the nearby registration office if you live outside of Dublin.
  • You will also receive a passport stamp, such as a Stamp 1 or 1A, at the registration office that verifies your right to work.
  • Length and Extension of Ireland Work Visa
  • The duration of the Ireland work visa is only up to 90 days. However, depending on the particular permit, the length of the Ireland employment permits varies.
  • Most work permits are initially granted for 24 months and can be extended to five years when you can apply for permanent residency in Ireland.
  • Via EPOS, you can extend your Irish work visa.
  • Can you go from a work visa for Ireland to permanent residency?
  • Yes, you may apply for an Ireland permanent residence permit after five years of continuous residence in Ireland with a work permit (work visa).
  • You can also apply for Irish citizenship if you spend five out of your nine years of “reckonable residence” in Ireland, assuming you meet the requirements.

Final Words   

Obtaining a work visa and permit for Ireland can be complex and time-consuming. But if you want to increase your chances of success, you need to know everything there is to know about the requirements and steps’ The first step towards securing a work visa and permit is to determine your eligibility based on your qualifications and the type of job you are seeking. Researching the different visa categories and their requirements is essential to selecting the right one for your circumstances Once you know what kind of visa you need, you must get all the documents and submit your application. This process may take several weeks or even months, so starting the application process as early as possible is advisable. Some sectors, like healthcare and technology, are more critical to the Irish government than others. This means that applicants in these fields may have a better chance of acceptance. You might also want to work with an immigration lawyer or consultant who can help you through the application process and advise you. Overall, getting a work visa and permit for Ireland can be challenging, but it is an investment in your future career and personal growth that is worth making. With the proper planning, research, and advice, you can improve your chances of success and start a new, rewarding part of your career.