What You Should Know before Applying for Ireland Work Permit

Ireland has been able to create a successful and strong economy in recent years. The government and its community have worked in coordination to do so. Working hard has improved the job market. Ireland has faced a shortage in the workforce. It is no wonder Ireland attracted more than 500.000 foreign workers since 2011. Many people are considering working and live in Ireland. If you are thinking like them, you might need an Ireland work permit.

Ireland Work Permit vs. Ireland work visa

Ireland work permit is permission to work for the long-term. While Ireland work visa is authorization to work for the short-term. Aside from permission to stay, applicants might need an entrance visa. The entrance visa lets them enter the country.

Who does not Need Ireland Work Permit?

Ireland work permit allows you to work legally in the country. It is long-term permission to work in Ireland. However, a few groups might be exempt from it. Such groups can work legally in Ireland without a work permit:

• Citizens of the EU, EEA.
• Spouses of EU/EEA citizens.
• UK citizens.
• Refugees.
• The refused refugees who have the authorization to stay in Ireland for humanitarian reasons.
• Irish citizens’ parents, spouse, and law-partner
• The non-EU nationals who perform scientific research for an approved research organization.
• People working under an Ireland work visa (Atypical Working Scheme).

Who is Eligible for Ireland Work Permit?

When you want to get a job in Ireland, you need a work permit. It is permission to stay longer than 90 days and work legally. Ireland’s Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation (DBEI) set a list of required skills for a few Ireland’s work visas. Yet, there is no such list for the general Ireland work permit.

The eligibility criteria for Ireland work permit is as follows:

Job offer

You must hold a job offer from an Irish employer. Without it, you can not apply for a work permit.

Payment

The least required annual payment for a work permit is 30,000 EUR.

• The non-EEA student who graduated from an Irish higher education center can work in Ireland. The students must have graduated in the latest 12 months. The least required payment for them is 27.000 EUR. The job offer for students must also be on the “Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List (HSEOL).” When you wish to extend the work permit, your payment must be 30.000 EUR.
• The non-EU/EEA graduates who have a job offer from the HSEOL list in the Information technology and telecommunications directors are also eligible. Students must have graduated in the past 12 months. The least required salary for them is 27.000 EUR. When they wish to extend the work visa, the payment must be 30.000 EUR.
• Candidates who are fluent in a non-EU/EEA language with 27.000 EUR payment are eligible. The job offer must be from an enterprise development agency. The employment must also be in the following fields:
  
  • Customer care and sales. The candidate must have related knowledge of the job.
  • Candidate with knowledge and skill in online digital marketing.
  • Language experts, technical sales support.
• Meat boners with 27.500 EUR are also eligible.

Employer’s Eligibility for Ireland Work Permit

As candidates, the Irish employers must also be eligible to hire foreign nationals. Applicants must check this point before applying:

• The Irish employer must register with the:
  
  • Revenue Commissioners
  • Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies.
• The employers’ business must be active in the Irish state.
• The Irish company must obey the 50-50 rule. At the time of employing foreign nationals, half (50%) of the company’s workforce must be EU/EEA nationals.
• The 50-50 rule has a few exceptions:
  
  • When non-EU residents will be working in a start-up. The employer must:
    
    • Register with the Revenue in the latest two years.
    • Must hold a letter from IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland.
    • At the time of employment, the non-EU/EEA worker is the only one.
• When an employee wants to extend the work permit, the employer must obey the 50-50 rule.
• A Labour Market Needs Test. The Irish government gives employment opportunities to the EU/EEA residents. The employer needs the Labour Market Needs Test to prove search for an EU/EEA worker but have not found one. He/she must advertise the job offer in EU/EEA before offering it to a non-EU resident. Candidates will be exempt from the Labour Market Needs Test if:
  
  • The job offer is on the HSEOL list.
  • The payment for the job is €80,000.
• You hold the required experience and skill that is mandatory for the job.

What are the Requirements for Ireland Work Permit

When you apply for an Ireland Work Permit, you have to submit a few documents. The supporting documents are to prove you are honest with your application. They will also prove your eligibility. The requirements are as follows:

Requirement employee must provide

A. Passport

The passport you provide must be valid for the duration of your stay in Ireland. It must not be older than ten years ago either. You need to provide a copy of your passport.

B. Photo

A photo taken in the past three months. The background must be white-clear. Sunglasses, veil, etc. must not cover your face.

C. Contract

You should have signed a work contract with the Irish employer. Provide a copy of it with the employer and your signature.

D. Residence permit/visa (if applicable)

In case you are in Ireland, you should provide a copy of the visa or residence permit.

E. AWS permission letter (if applicable)

In case you are working in Ireland under the Ireland work visa (Atypical Working Scheme), provide a copy of the permission letter.

F. Refused visa proof

If any of your visa application has been refused, provide the denying letter.

Requirements Irish employer must provide

Applicants have to provide the following documents for the Irish employer:

A. Proof of advertisement

The employer must have advertised the job offer in the EU and EEA. If not found one, he/she can offer the job to a non-EU national.

B. Company’s details

You should provide the following documents for the Irish company:

• Trading name
• Registered name
• The business field the Irish company works in.
• Registration number
• Address

C. Number of employees

The employer must make clear how many non-Irish nationals are working in the company. It includes:

• EU
• EEA
• Swiss nationals
• Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals

D. Proof of Monthly P30 Return

E. Receipt of P30

It must be from Revenue Online Service

Requirements of the employment

You must provide the following items related to your employment:

• Title
• Job duties
• responsibility
• The place you will be working
• The length you will be working.
• Your salary
• The required experience, ability, expertise, and qualifications you have for the job. You must also explain what the job requires.
• If you are an HGV Driver: Copy of your CE or C1E License.

Application Process for Ireland Work Permit

The application process for Ireland work permit has two stages:

1. Applying for a work permit
2. Applying for entrance visa

1. Applying for a work permit

A. Complete the application form

The online application form is the first level. Please note that the employer and employee both can complete it. You have to complete the form on the EPOS website. Please note that you should specify whether the employer or employee is completing it.

When you complete the personal information, the website gives you MyWork-ID number. You will need this number, so save it.

B. Gather requirement

Employees have to provide supporting documents to prove their eligibility. They are to confirm they have been honest with the provided information.

You can see the section above to know about the requirements for Ireland work visa.

C. Submit the requirements

Submitting requirements is online. So you must have a scanner. You could also visit an Internet café.

D. Pay the processing fees

You should also pay the fee for an Ireland work permit online. Be prepared for it. If the duration of the work permit is six months, the cost is €750. When the length of the permit is up to two years, the fee is €1,500.

E. Wait for processing

Now you should just wait to receive results. The authorities will inform you when they issue you the work permit.

2. Applying for entrance visa

When you receive the Ireland work permit, you can apply for an entrance visa. The employee should carry out all the procedures for an entrance visa. The employer can not help as the work permit

A. Figure out you need a visa or not

Before you apply for an entrance visa, find out if you need one or not. You might be exempt from an entrance visa. You could ask from the Irish embassy in your home country.

A. Complete the online application form

When you know you need a visa, you should complete the application form. You have to do it on AVATS. Pay attention to the details you put. When you complete the form, there is a summary page to print. Date, sign, and keep it. You have to submit the page along with the supporting documents.

B. Gather requirements

Applicants have to collect some documents to prove their eligibility.

C. Submit requirements

When gathered requirements, you have to submit them in person or by mail. The summary page will inform you where and how to submit.

D. Pay the fees

There is also a fee for an entrance visa. You either have to pay it online or in-person when to submit requirements.

E. Wait for processing

In the end, wait until your application gets processed. When the Irish officials issue the visa, they will send it to your address.

E. Border Control

When you receive the work permit and work visa, you must also go through Border Control. You have to go through Border Control when you arrive in Ireland. The visa officers will evaluate you and grant you permission to enter the country. Registering with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) is also mandatory. It is when  you stay longer than six months.

How Long is the Ireland Work Permit Valid for?

Ireland work permit is valid for two years. However, it is possible to extend it. Please remember that you may not extend it for longer than five years.

Can I Extend Ireland Work Permit?

YES. You have the authorization to extend Ireland work permit. To do so, you have to start the procedure at least four months before the permit expires. The Employment Permit Online System is the office you should refer to extend the work permit. Please note that you can not extend an Ireland work permit for longer than five years.

Can I Change my Employer under Ireland Work Permit?

YES. You can change your Irish employer. However, you have to work for the first employer for at least one year (12 months). Then you can find a new job and apply for a new work permit.

Can I Bring My Family to Ireland under a Work Permit?

Once you have lived in Ireland for at least one year (12 months), you can bring your family under the Family Reunification visa. you have permission to bring your:

• Spouse
• Law partner
• Dependents

Can I Apply for Permanent Residency under Ireland Work Permit?

As we explained above, you have no authorization to extend Ireland work permit longer than five years. Now you have to apply for Stamp 4. Under a Stamp 4, you can work legally in Ireland.

Let’s sum up…

In this blog, we explained all you should know about Ireland work permit.

We covered who is eligible for a work permit and who is not, requirements, the application process, FAQs, and more.

You can find all the Ireland visa information in the world here. To find out more about the visa that suits you, go through the menu of the site. You can find all the types of Ireland visas at the left sidebar.

You can check Visa Library to find more information about other countries’ visas.

In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.