Irish Employment Permit for Non-EEA Citizens
If you are a citizen of a non-EEA country and you want to work in Ireland, you need to obtain an Employment Permit. There are several types of employment permits you might be eligible for.
For legal advice and assistance with your application, call our consultants on +353 061 518 025.
Who needs an Employment Permit?
All non-EEA nationals who want to come to Ireland to work need to obtain an Employment Permit, which allows them to live and work in the country. You need to apply for the permit first, and then you have to apply for a Work Visa to Ireland. There are nine types of Employment Permits you can choose from depending on your profession.
If you are a citizen of a country that belongs to the EU/EEA, or a citizen of Switzerland, you do not have to apply for an Employment Permit to work in Ireland. You can come to Ireland without a visa and seek employment. Initially, you will be able to remain in the country visa-free for up to 3 months. If during this period you find a job and you can prove that you are working in Ireland, you will be able to stay longer.
If you are not sure whether you need an Employment Permit to work in Ireland, get in touch with our immigration team. They can assess your circumstances and help you submit your application.
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What types of Employment Permits are there?
Depending on your field of work and your qualifications, you might be able to apply for one of the following Employment Permits to Ireland:
- The Critical Skills Employment Permit
- The General Employment Permit
- Contract for Services Employment Permit
- Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit
- Reactivation Employment Permit
- Internship Employment Permit
- Sport & Cultural Employment Permit
- Dependent/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit
- Exchange Agreement Employment Permit.
The most sought-after employment permits in Ireland are the Critical Skills Employment Permit and the General Employment Permit. Nevertheless, our consultants can assess your circumstances and help you determine which Employment Permit is the right one for you. Our team can offer you the same expertise as an immigration lawyer.
What is the General Employment Permit?
The General Employment Permit is intended for non-EEA nationals coming to Ireland to work in occupations that are facing labour or skills shortages. What makes the General Employment Permit highly sought-after is the fact that it covers a broader range of occupations than most Irish Employment Permits. In fact, almost all occupations are eligible for it and the few that are not are listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits.
To be eligible for the General Employment Permit, the following requirements have to apply to your job offer in Ireland:
- Your annual salary will be at least €30,000 (or €27,000 in certain circumstances, for example, if you recently graduated from an Irish university)
- Your occupation is not featured on the list of ineligible occupations
- Your employer carried out a Labour Market Needs Test to prove that the position cannot be filled with an Irish or EEA citizen
- More than 50 per cent of all employees at the company are EU citizens.
To be able to apply for the General Employment Permit, you have to have received a job offer in Ireland.
What is the Critical Skills Employment Permit?
The Critical Skills Employment Permit is intended for non-EEA nationals who are highly skilled and are coming to Ireland to fill a position mentioned on the Critically Skilled Occupations List.
Examples of professions eligible for the Critical Skills Employment Permit include:
- Doctors
- Biologists
- Engineers
- Midwives
- Pharmacists
- Nurses
- Web development professionals
- Architects.
Non-EEA citizens working in professions included on the Critically Skilled Occupations List have to have an annual income of at least €32,000. Alternatively, all other professions (except for the ones included on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits) can apply for this permit if applicants earn at least €64,000.
Just like with the General Employment Permit, you cannot apply for this Employment Permit without holding a job offer in Ireland.
How to apply for a Work Visa to Ireland?
To apply for an Employment Permit to Ireland, you have to submit an online application, which you can do using the Employment Permits Online System (EPOS). In the application, you have to provide details of your qualifications and work experience. Once you submit them, an immigration official will review the information and evidence you provided and will determine whether you are eligible for the permit you chose.
If your application for your chosen Employment Permit is successful, it does not automatically mean that you can travel to Ireland. You also have to obtain a Work Visa.
You can apply for your Work Visa online. To prove your eligibility for it, you have to provide confirmation of you having acquired the Employment Permit and submit a number of supporting documents. These include:
- Signed application summary sheet displayed after you submitted your online visa application
- Valid passport
- Two passport-sized photographs
- Application letter in which you explain why you want to come to Ireland
- Proof of having enough funds to support yourself after you arrive
- Proof of medical insurance.
The Work Visa to Ireland is a Long Stay ‘D’ Visa, which means that its holders can stay in the country for more than 3 months.
How can Total Law help?
Applying for permission to work in Ireland can be complex as each Employment Permit comes with different requirements. At Total Law, our experts have a thorough knowledge of Irish immigration law and they can tell you what criteria you need to meet to obtain the Employment Permit of your choice.
Similarly, if you are not sure which Employment Permit is the best fit for you, our team can have a look at your qualifications and work experience and help you decide.
If you hire one of our experts, they will guide you through each step of the application process, answering all your questions and clearing any doubts you might have. Thanks to their help, you can maximise the chances of your application being accepted.
Call Total Law today on +353 061 518 025 to find out more about how our highly-qualified team can help.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you are a national of an EU/EEA country, you can work in Ireland without having to obtain an employment permit. You can enter the country without a visa and there is no requirement for you to have a job offer prior to coming to Ireland. Unlike non-EEA nationals, you can look for employment in Ireland after you arrive.
Initially, EU/EEA citizens can stay in Ireland without a visa for up to 3 months. After this period, you might be able to stay in Ireland if you can prove that you have a job there. If you want to stay in Ireland longer than 3 months, you have to register your residence with authorities, even as an EU/EEA national. Nevertheless, you still do not have to apply for an employment permit.
Holders of the Critical Skills Employment Permit have the right to apply for immediate family reunification, which allows them to bring their immediate family members to Ireland.
Under family reunification, your de facto partner, spouse, or minor dependent child might be able to join you in Ireland. After they arrive, they can apply for a Long Stay ‘D’ Visa in Ireland for free.
Family members of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders can join them in Ireland immediately. That is a significant benefit and is not the case with other employment permits. With most of them, family members can only apply to join those working in Ireland after one year.
If you intend to come to Ireland on the Critical Skills Employment Permit to work in an occupation included on the Critical Skills Occupations List, your minimum annual remuneration has to be €32,000.
If you want to work in any other profession, your minimum annual income has to be €64,000.
There are many requirements that applicants for work visas in Ireland need to meet. To be able to receive an Irish Work Visa, you have to hold a job offer in Ireland and you need to have the qualifications and work experience required for the position. Provided that you satisfy these criteria and you meet other eligibility requirements, however, obtaining a work visa should not be difficult.
To make sure that your application has been completed to the highest standard, you should hire an immigration lawyer. Thanks to their professional help, you can maximise your chances of success.