Ireland Work Visa

Ireland is a country of western Europe and an island in the North Atlantic. It occupies the fifth-sixths of the westernmost major island of the British Isles. It is the second-largest island of the British Isles. Ireland is a member state of the EU and EEA, so EU/EEA nationals who want to work in Ireland will not be required to get a work visa or work permit.

There are tons of programs like BUNAC, Geo-visions foundation, International TEFL academy that can help an international applicant get a job offer in Ireland. Irish Recruitment agencies also play a vital role in finding the best-fit job for a candidate. Ireland is actively looking for professionals who can work in IT, engineering, hospitality, sales, retail, marketing, etc. There are opportunities to elevate career in Ireland through companies like Google, Apple, Accenture, etc.

Types of Work Visas and Their Validity

Ireland requires internationals to apply for a work permit depending upon the circumstances and the type of employment they are interested in. Once approved, they might also need to apply for an Irish visa depending upon their nationality. There are two types of Irish work visas:

1. Type C Short-stay visa is valid for less than 90 days
2. Type D Long-stay visa is valid for 90 days or more

Following are the most popular types of Irish work permits-

• Atypical Working Scheme (AWS): This is a short-term visa good for typically 14 to 90 days. This visa is issued to non-EEA highly-skilled foreign nationals looking to work in a field where there is a skill shortage in the country. The applicant cannot be in the country when applying for the visa. Additionally, a visa may be required along with the AWS.
• Critical Skills Employment Permit: The Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit is issued to highly-skilled overseas workers, to fill skills shortages in particular high-skill occupations. Professionals in the domains of natural and social science, engineering, ICT, health, teaching, and education are among the occupations eligible for the Critical Skills Employment Permit. International workers who qualify for the Critical Skills Permit are exempt from the Labor Market Needs Test in Ireland.
  Duration: The Critical-skills permit is valid for 2 years, and the permit holder has to work for the same employer for at least the first year of their employment, after which they are free to switch employers in their respective field. After completion of their 2-year employment, the permit holder can get permission to work in Ireland without any permit for another 2 years which can be further renewed after another 2 years. After being a resident for 5 years, they can apply for long-term residency. If their request is denied, they will need to get their permit renewed every 2 years.
• General Employment Permit: This permit is issued to internationals who have an eligible job offer from an Irish employer that does not fall under the critical skills list or the list for ineligible occupations for an employment permit. The prospective employee would need to have a job offer paying them €30,000 annually or €27,000 in some cases. A labor market needs test is required to judge the importance of the job for the Irish market.
  Duration: The General Employment permit is valid for 2 years, and the permit holder has to work for the same employer for at least the first year of their employment, after which they are free to switch employers. After the completion of their 2 years of employment, the permit holder can extend their permit by an additional 3 years. After completion of 5 years, they can apply for temporary Stamp 4, which allows the international worker to work in Ireland without a work permit. If the application for Stamp 4 is denied, they will need a Renewal Employment Permit to keep working in Ireland.
• Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit: The dependents of a Critical Skills permit are issued Stamp 3 when they accompany the permit holder in Ireland, which does not qualify them to work in the country. They can, however, apply for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment permit which allows them to work in Ireland provided that the primary permit holder's permit is still valid. There is no Labor Market Needs test required.
  Duration: The Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment permit is good for the duration of the primary permit holder's employment permit for a maximum period of 2 years. The permit can be renewed thereafter for 3 years provided that the primary permit holder's employment permit is still valid. Upon completion of 5 years, the Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment permit holder can apply for the temporary Stamp 4 which allows them to work without the permit, provided the primary permit holder's permit is still valid.
• Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit: This permit is issued to foreign nationals who are coming to work in an Irish branch of a foreign company that is being newly set up in Ireland. This permit is issued only to Senior management and Key personnel with a minimum annual salary of €40,000 or to Trainees with a minimum annual salary of €30,000. Additionally, the prospective permit holder should have been employed by the overseas company for at least 6 months (or 1 month in case of a trainee) before applying for the Irish permit.
  Duration: The Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit is valid for 2 years and the permit holder has to be employed by the same employer for at least the first year of their employment, after which they can switch their employer. The permit holder can apply for an extension of up to 5 years before the permit expires.

Who Needs to Apply for the Irish Work Visa?

Almost all non-EEA nationals will be required to apply for a work permit and sometimes even a visa. The exceptions are the people who are direct family members of Irish nationals or who have been invited by the Minister for Justice.

Cost of Irish Work Visa/Permit

The single-entry visa fee is €60 and the multi-entry visa fee is €100, but many people are exempt from the visa depending upon their nationality if they are a family member of an Irish national, a refugee, or a diplomatic passport holder. The visa fee once paid is non-refundable irrespective of the decision outcome.

Cost of permits:

Type of permit	Cost	Refund, if unsuccessful
Atypical Working Scheme (AWS)	€250	Non-refundable
Critical Skills Employment Permit	€1,000	90% of the fee
General Employment Permit	€500 for less than 6 month duration €1,000 for more than 6 month duration	90% of the fee
Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit	Free
Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit	€500 for less than 6 month duration €1,000 for more than 6 month duration	90% of the fee

Process of application of Irish Work visa

Apply online for the work permit

The work permit needs to be applied for online. This application system - EPOS - will guide the applicant towards the right type of work permit by asking a few simple questions. The user will be assigned a unique MyWork-ID that they will use to access the draft of their application until it is completed and submitted. The MyWork-ID is a unique ID that the applicant should copy and save in a secure place. When they want to access their incomplete application, they will be asked to enter their MyWork-ID along with the Passport number.

Attach the required documents

Upon successful submission of the application, the applicant will be prompted to upload the required documents. All the documents need to be uploaded in PDF, PNG, or JPEG/JPG format. The size of each file cannot be more than 10MB.

Pay the required fees

The candidate will then be required to make the fee payment. Once the payment has been successfully made, the applicant will get an email confirmation acknowledging the receipt of the application. A unique EP reference number will be included which can be used to track down the status of the application.

Apply for work visa if needed

The candidate may be prompted to apply for a work visa, depending upon their nationality. They will need to apply via AVATS. Once the application is complete, the candidate will be required to print, sign and mail the application along with the necessary documents to the local mission or Visa Application Center, the address for which will be mentioned at the completed form printed by the applicant. All the original documents will be returned to the candidate after their application is processed. The candidate needs to provide a local address where they want to have the documents sent, or arrange for a courier company to pick up the documents.

Pay the visa fee

Depending upon the individual circumstances, some candidates might have to pay for the visa while others may be exempt. If the candidate is required to pay the visa fees, they should do that electronically before mailing the application and include the proof of fee payment along with the documents.

Register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau

Internationals should register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau as soon as possible upon entering Ireland. Upon registering with the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the candidate will receive a unique GNIB number that is used in all immigration formalities. While the visa only allows entry to Ireland, the residency in the country is subject to following all the immigration laws, one of the most important ones being keeping the Garda National Immigration Bureau updated on the status of the employment permits, work visa, and any changes to either of them.

Documents required for Ireland Work Permit/Visa

• A copy of the applicant's passport which shows their personal details, photo, and signature
• A passport size photograph
• A copy of the work contract signed by the applicant and the employer
• Details of the employer - company registration number, address, contact information, and type of job being offered
• Documents outlining the qualifications relevant to the job offer
• Documents outlining the qualifications of the applicant
• Details of previous visa permissions or employments held by the applicant in Ireland
• Details of the salary and working hours in the work contract to verify that the applicant is meeting the minimum enumeration required for their permit category
• Proof of Labor Market Needs, if applicable
• Completed application form
• Proof of fee payment

Other documents

• Details of previous visa/permit permissions held by the candidate
• Information on which address to post the approval and original documents
• Arrange for a courier service or an agent to pick up the visa
• GNIB number from the Residence Permit Card

All the documents must be in English. It is advisable to have a copy of all the original documents with the candidate in case of some issues with the delivery of the original documents back to the candidate during transit.

Work Permit Processing Time

The applicant has to apply for the permit at least 12 weeks before they expect to start working in Ireland. While processing the permit, the applicant might be asked to submit additional information. The applicant will have up to 28 days to submit the additional information.

Submitting a Decision Review

If the applicant is refused an employment permit, they will have the option to submit a Review for Decision within 28 days after the permit has been denied. The completed application form along with the decision letter will have to be mailed out to the address specified on the form. The applicant will have to include the grounds for review addressing all of the reasons for the visa denial.

Renewing the permit

The international employee can renew their work permit before their current permit is due to expire. They will be eligible to apply for a Stamp 4 after they have held their employee permit for a set number of years, which is dependent upon the type of employment permit they hold. Once the employee gets the Stamp 4, they no longer need to obtain an employment permit to work in Ireland. The cost of renewing the permits are as follows:

Type of permit	Cost of renewal
Critical Skills Employment Permit	None
General Employment Permit	€750 for less than 6 months €1,500 for up to 36 months
Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit	None
Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit	€500 for up to 6 months €1,000 for up to 24 months €1,500 for up to 36 months

Some Interesting Facts About Ireland

Important cities in Ireland

Cork is the second-largest city of Ireland after Dublin and it is known as the "Culinary Capital", where one cannot resist eating a variety of food. Wexford is known as Ireland's "Sunny Southeast" because the number of hours of sunshine received daily is higher than the rest of the country. Drogheda is one of the oldest towns in Ireland known for its historic beauty. Sligo is in the Northwest of Ireland is often known as Yeats country. Limerick is known as "Treaty city". Galway is often referred to as the "cultural heart of Ireland". It is famous for its vibrant lifestyles, cultural events. It is also famous for "Macnas" the art group parade.

Places to Visit

Some places of attraction are - Hook house, Castles & Gardens, Kilmore Quey & Saltee Island, National heritage park, National opera house, Magdalene tower, Boyne Valley Tombs, Battles of the Boyne visitors center, Museums, Abbeys. For art lovers, Peruse Arts in Highlanes Gallery is a must-visit. King John's Castle is a famous historic spot overlooking the Shannon River in Limerick and it's home to the exhibition which explains the historic beauty of the castle.

Food & Lifestyle

Irish food cuisine includes "Irish stew" which is a national food of Ireland. Saint Patrick's day is well celebrated in Ireland and it generally involves parades, a celebration of the heritage and culture of the Irish. Irish culture is a blend of various lifestyles. Different cities have different styles of living.

Points to remember

• The Ireland work visa is a pre-entry requirement that means it allows the holder to travel to Ireland but when the immigrants reach the airport they have to go through the Border control and in case they find anything invalid they are authorized to send you back.
• The family members of the Critical-Skills Permit holder can get a Dependant Employment Permit for free.
• After the expiration of the Critical-Skills permit, the permit holder can get permission to work in Ireland without a permit.