Immigration to Ireland
If you're a recent college student looking to take an entire year in Ireland to gain valuable experiences, a professional looking to advance up your profession to the next step or even considering the idea of making Ireland your home for your family members, you'll be pleased to know that the Irish hospitality is reinforced by a simple and open process for obtaining immigration.
Where are you coming from
If you're out of within the European Economic Area (EEA countries of the EU and Norway, Iceland & Liechtenstein) or Switzerland and Switzerland, you're fortunate. It's not necessary to have an immigration visa to enter Ireland or an employment permit. Book a flight and it's as easy as that.
If you're planning to visit Ireland for more than 3 months from outside of the EEA or Switzerland You'll find the procedure in moving to Ireland easier than for other countries. It is possible to require an entry visa to Ireland depending on the country you're coming from and also an authorization to work.
A visa permits you to enter a nation while an employment permit permits you to work while you are there. The visa application process as well as employment permit applications are different and are issued by two separate department of government.
If your spouse or civil partner is a citizen of the EU/EEA and you are a citizen of the EU/EEA, you may be able to avoid the visa/work permit application. In this situation, get in touch with the state of issue of your residency card for additional information.
Visas for Ireland
Find out what you require to get into Ireland depending on your country of origin on this page. Choose your country from the dropdown menu. Then decide how long you're planning to stay and the type of visa you'll need. Then, you'll be provided with the steps you must do prior to you leave, during your leave, and when your arrival in Ireland. If you're planning to stay under 90 days it is recommended to apply for an 'C' short-stay visa. If you plan to live and work in Ireland for longer than 90 days you'll have to apply for a long-stay "D" visa.
Visas for Ireland can be obtained through the Department of Justice and Equality. You can make your online application from your home country and submit your hard copy application and supporting documentation to the relevant Irish Embassy/Consulate/Visa Office. The cost for a visa is 60 euros and you may incur additional expenses involved in preparing the documents needed to submit your application. You can generally expect a decision within 8 weeks from the date on which your application is lodged at the Embassy/Consulate/Visa Office.
Work Permits for Ireland
Employer permits can be issued through The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. If an employee is issued the employment license and has been employed in the field, they are entitled to exactly the same Irish Employment Rights that they enjoy as Irish citizens. There are a variety of employment permits that are available and for those wanting to work in the tech sector there are two primary choices: The Critical Skills Employment Permit and the General Employment Permit.
The Critical Skills Employment Permit
This permit is available only to professionals who are included on the Highly Skilled Eligible Jobs List. This creates a fantastic chance for people employed in the technology industry since many of the abilities are in demand on the Irish job market, including professionals in web design and development programming, as well as other ICT jobs.
There are numerous benefits to taking to go with the Critical Skills Employment Permit route:
Because the required skills are recognized as in short supply As a result, it is not necessary to conduct a Labour Market Needs Test is not necessary.
Permit holders can apply for immediate family reunification from the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service of the Department of Justice and Equality and once their dependents/partners/spouses are resident in the State they are eligible to seek any employment and apply to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit which is currently issued free of charge.
Permit holders can make an application with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service for permission to live and work in Ireland without the need to have a work permit after successful completion of Critical Skills Employment Permit's term.
The annual remuneration of the position that is offered must be at minimum EUR30,000, and the candidate required to be able to secure an employment offer for 2 years with respect to the eligible job from the prospective employer.
The cost for this permit is EUR1,000.
The General Employment Permit
The permit permits holders to accept jobs in a wider variety of occupations, but not those listed on the list of ineligible categories that are not eligible for Employment for Employment Permits.
The annual salary for the position must be at minimum EUR30,000. In certain circumstances the annual remuneration requirement could be reduced to EUR27,000. The following exceptions apply:
A non-EEA student who completed their studies within the last 12 months at an overseas third-level university and was given a graduate job in the highly skilled eligible Jobs list.
A non-EEA student who graduated within 12 months of an non-EEA school and was offered a post as a graduate within the ICT Category of the highly skilled eligible Jobs list.
In both instances for both of these cases, to renew your permit you have to earn at least EUR30,000.
An Employment Permit General is granted for two years, and can be renewed for another three years. Permit holders are permitted to relocate their family members to Ireland after a period of one year, but they must be able to assist the family financially. They may apply for residency after five years.
There is the EUR500 fee for permits for less than 6 months or EUR1,000 for permits from 6 months to 2 years.
Application to be granted an employee permit
You must be offered an employment offer prior to applying to get an employee permit. It is possible to submit an application for an employment license by yourself or let your employer apply on behalf of you, however applications made by recruiters or other organizations will not be considered. Employers can pay for costs associated with the application.
Applications can be made online with the latest timeline for processing for each permit Critical Skills and General permits is around eight weeks.
Refusals of permits to work
There are several reasons for why an application for a work permit or renewal could be denied.
You came to Ireland as a guest, and not as an employee.
You are currently in Ireland illegally or do not satisfy the criteria that allowed you first entered.
You have been deported or are being asked for your departure from Ireland from Department of Justice and Equality Department of Justice and Equality
You are looking for work with a Swiss or non-EEA employer that is not authorized to conduct business in Ireland
All refusals to grant an employment permit can be appealed in the period of 28 days.
Permanent Residency in Ireland
In general, you can apply for residency once you have been legally being in Ireland for five years. This applies to the General Employment Permit applicants. As a great benefit for techies, Critical Skills Employment Permit holders are eligible to apply for residency within two years. Once you've received your residency, you will not require any additional work permits.
Be aware that the time you that you are legally living in Ireland isn't based on dates on your employment permit or visa and is based on the date you sign up with Immigration. It is crucial to complete this process immediately after arrival as delays in registration could result in serious issues when you apply for residence or additional visas and permits. In Dublin the registration process is with the Garda National Immigration Bureau in areas outside Dublin you can apply at the local Garda District headquarters. There is an EUR300 fee per certification of registration that is issued.
Citizenship in Ireland
If you have five years' residing and being able to support yourself with a family in Ireland You may be eligible for citizenship. Being a citizen of Ireland allows the applicant to obtain an Irish passport, as well as to vote in every Irish elections. It also will make you a citizen in the EU