Moving to Ireland for employment is definitely a good idea for EU and non-EU citizens, considering this country offers some of the best work conditions in Europe. Furthermore, for non-EU citizens seeking to obtain a work permit for Ireland, there are several types of visas available for them. Below, you can find the main types of work permits.
Obtaining an employment pass is not a difficult procedure as long as all the legal steps are completed in the right order. In order to ease the process, our immigration lawyer in Ireland will guide you on the documents to be prepared and filed with the appropriate authorities. Having a work permit here will automatically grant you the right to the Irish residence permit.
Persons who must obtain a residence permit in Ireland are also required to pay a processing fee for the issuance of the document. The current fee is of EUR 300.
However, there are exemptions from the payment of this fee, which are applied to persons with an age below 18 years old, to refugees, to persons who are close family members of EU nationals and to other few categories of citizens.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Activities suitable for a work permit | All work activities regulated by the employment law in Ireland, where there is a shortage of employees on the local market. |
|
Identity documents necessary for the application |
Applicants who want an work permit for Ireland must submit their passport and a recent passport photo. |
|
Minimum yearly financial requirements |
Foreigners can be issued with a work permit for Ireland if they have secured an employment contract that pays minimum EUR 30,000 per year (threshold applied starting with 17 January 2025). Other thresholds apply, depending on the type of work permit of interest (there are 9 work permits). |
| Health insurance necessary (yes/no) | Yes |
| Foreigners who must apply for the work permit |
The work permit for Ireland is necessary for foreigners who arrive from third party countries (jurisdictions outside the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom). |
| Obligations to fulfill upon arrival |
It is necessary to register with the Immigration Service Delivery. |
| Work permit for skilled employment |
The Critical Skills Employment Permit, the Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit, the Internship Employment Permit. |
| Validity of the permit |
2 years. |
| Can the document be renewed? |
Yes |
| Institution in charge with the issuance of the document | The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (the Employment Permits Section). |
| Proof of accommodation |
It is necessary to make the proof of having suitable accommodation in Ireland. |
| How long does it take to obtain the permit? |
4-5 weeks. |
| Yearly quota |
Approximately 40,000 |
| Applying for a residence permit |
It is mandatory to apply for a residence permit, that is issued based on the work visa granted by the authorities. |
| Opening a bank account | For employment purposes, foreign individuals must open a bank account in Ireland. |
Fees are also applied to those who want to acquire citizenship in Ireland. The standard application fee is of EUR 175 and it is charged to all categories of applicants, without any exceptions.
Please mind that those whose applications will be refused will not be entitled to a refund of this processing fee. The fee must be done only by using a bank draft made to the Secretary General.
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EU and EEA citizens seeking work in Ireland
As a EU member state, Ireland treats citizens from other member countries equally and does not impose them any restrictions for moving here. The same principle applies to foreigners coming here from countries in the European Economic Area (EEA). In other words, EU or EEA citizens do not need a work permit for Ireland, however, they are required to register with the municipal authorities when moving to the cities they will live and work in.
If you are interested in immigration in Ireland, our lawyers can offer detailed information on all the residence permits available.
Non-EU citizens applying for work permits for Ireland
As mentioned above, there are various types of employment permits available for non-EU citizens seeking to immigrate to Ireland. These are:
- The General Employment Permit which is available for non-EU citizens interested in living and working in Ireland;
- The Critical Skills Employment Permit which targets highly skilled migrants seeking to relocate to Ireland and work in specific industries;
- The Dependent/Spouse Employment Visa which is available for spouses and partners of critical skills employment visa holders to work in Ireland;
- The Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit which is issued to company directors, other senior executives and trainees working in Irish branches of foreign companies;
- The Contract for Services Employment Permit issued to contractors relocating non-EEA employees to provide a specific service to an Irish company.
Another type of work permit for Ireland is the reactivation employment permit which is available for former non-EEA citizens subject to extraordinary situations which led to them being taken out of the employment system and want to be reinstated.
The other two types of Irish work permits are the Internship Employment Permit issued to non-EU and non-EEA students who are to be employed in Irish companies and who are listed in the Critical Skills Occupations List and the Sport and Cultural Employment Permit issued to entertainers.
If you find yourself in the position of applying for a work permit for Ireland presented above, our immigration lawyer can help you obtain it. We invite you to read our infographic, presenting the main steps foreigners must take when applying for an Irish work permit:
Conditions for obtaining an Irish employment permit
Out of all the work permits for Ireland listed above, the general and the critical skills types of employment passes are the most requested. This happens because they are issued for longer periods and lead to permanent residence. You can request advice from our lawyer on the Irish permanent residence requirements.
When applying for a general work permit for Ireland, one needs a job offer with a minimum salary of 30,000 euros per year. Based on this type of employment visa, the foreign applicant can work in any industry.
Under the Critical Skills Employment Permit scheme, a foreign citizen can occupy a position only in the information and communications, engineering and technology sectors. The minimum wage for being eligible for this type of work permit for Ireland ranges between 30,000 and 80,000 euros.
Our immigration lawyer in Ireland can offer more information on how to apply for one of the two types of employment passes. As a foreign employee in Ireland, you can also apply for Irish citizenship, but only as long as you have become a permanent resident. We invite you to watch a short video presenting details on the Irish work permit:
What are the documents required to obtain an Irish work visa?
The following documents must be filed with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation upon requesting a work permit for Ireland:
- a copy of the valid passport;
- a copy of the employment contract signed by the employee and the employer;
- the personal information of another employee in the company;
- information about the Irish company (registration number);
- job details, among which salary, duration of employment and work duties.
The following facts must be considered when applying for a work permit for Ireland:
- it can take up to 3 months for the documents to be examined and for the visa to be issued;
- the general employment permit has a validity period of 2 years and can be extended for another 3 years;
- the employer must advertise the position with the local authorities for at least 14 days;
- the employer must also post the vacancy for 3 days in a local newspaper or job website.
If you want to obtain a work permit for Ireland and need help, do not hesitate to contact our immigration lawyers. If you are currently living in Ireland and you want to apply for the Irish citizenship or if you have Irish ancestors through which you can obtain the citizenship, please address to us for advice.
