Ireland Work Permit [General/Critical] How to Apply-A Guide for Foreigners

Lucky Beng
3 min readJul 24, 2021

Irish citizenship and permanent residency are possible after obtaining Ireland work permit. In addition, Ireland is the best destination in Europe to settle as a foreigner.

However, the Irish labor market, continuously facing skills shortage challenges. Therefore, non-EU and third countries nationals have plenty of options to get employment in Ireland in various sectors. The other benefit is the free access to the European Union when living and working in Ireland.

Hence, this blog includes details about two significant categories such as;

1- General employment permit, and

2- Critical skills permit,

Because these work permit categories are related to the low-skilled workers and high-skilled professionals.

1-General Employment Permit of Ireland

The Irish immigration attracts 3rd country workers through the General Employment Permits. Furthermore, it targets high-demand occupations which are experiencing a labor shortage in the country.

Thus, all professions are eligible, unless they are excluded from:

Ineligible list of Occupations.

Furthermore, the immigration issues the Irish General Employment permits for 2-years. Despite that, it can be extended for up to three more years.

Thus, after completing 5-years in Ireland, the foreign national may apply for a long-term residency.

Eligibility & Criteria

Individuals that are looking for General Employment Permit need to fulfill criteria like:

  • A job offer from an Irish employer
  • A full description of the proposed job
  • Proof of qualifications, skills, or experience
  • Minimum annual remuneration should be €30,000
  • €27,500 regarding an employment as a boner (meat)
  • The offered job (occupation) should not be on the Ineligible List of Occupations
  • In most cases, the employer has to pass the Labor Markets Needs Test

How to apply?

The immigration department issues General Employment Permits to foreign nationals based on applications made by either the foreign national or the prospective employer. Also, they send a certified copy to the employer.

Thus, candidates can submit work permit applications on the Employment Permits system online.

So, before you or your employer start an application for an Ireland work permit, see:

General Employment Permit Documents Checklist

That will assist you in the application process. Moreover, there are three stages of employment permit processing.

Processing time for Ireland work permit (General Employment Permit)

Usually, the maximum processing time for an Ireland work permit (General Employment Permit) is 8-weeks. However, this will depend on the specific circumstances.

So, when candidates submit work permit applications with fees and supporting documents.

Ireland’s immigration authorities then review it to decide whether to grant the application or deny it for specific reasons.

How much is the Irish work permit fee for the General Employment category?

A new General Employment Permit in Ireland will cost you the following:

6 months or less duration fee is €500, also,

The 2-years employment permit fee is €1,000.

2-Critical skills Employment Permit of Ireland

The Critical Skills Employment Permit ( CSEP), Ireland’s work permit category, has replaced the Green Card system. The CSEP attracts highly skilled professionals to the job market and encourages them to settle permanently in Ireland.

In general, the CSEP grants for two years. Moreover, professionals working in ICT, engineers, and technologists may qualify for this type of employment permit.

A Critical Skills Employment Permit requires your occupation to be listed on the Eligible Professions List.

Having an Employment Permit for Critical Skills can provide several distinct benefits, including:

If the holders of Critical Skills Employment Permits migrate to Ireland, their family members can also do so.

After the CSEP holders’ permits expire, they may apply for permission to live and work without requiring an employment permit;

There is no need for a labor market test;

In addition, family members of CSEP holders may apply for a dependent/partner/spouse work permit.

What jobs are listed under Critical Skills?

You explore full details on related site.

Originally published at https://pixstube.com on July 24, 2021.

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