Work Visa for Ireland

You must apply for an Irish work visa to reside and work in Ireland. Your employer can also apply on your behalf. However, even if you get a work permit, you still need to go through Border Control and request permission to enter the country from the immigration officers.

Here are some other basic eligibility criteria you must pass to qualify for an Irish visa:

You must have a valid job offer from an Irish employer or have a work contract with an Irish company. You can not apply for an Irish work permit while travelling to the country as a visitor.

You can only apply for a job while you are in Ireland if you have an Irish Residence Permission or a Working Holiday Authorisation.

You need an IELTS band score of 5.0. For a Critical Skills Employment Permit, you need a score of 6.0 to qualify.

You can not take up any form of employment other than the one already approved. The job offered must not be a part of the text
Work Permit Specific Rules:

For a Critical Skills Work Permit, the job must appear on the Irish Government’s Critical Skills Occupation List.

Your annual income must be at least €30,000 or €80,000 for a Critical Skills Employment Permit and at least €30,000 for a General Employment Permit.

For all other types of work permits, your annual income must meet Ireland's National Minimum Wage standards.

An Additional Note Regarding All Ireland Employment Visas: You are expected to maintain employment with your initial employer for at least 12 months before changing employers in Ireland or before applying for another type of work visa. The only exceptions to this rule are if:

Your employment/services have been terminated.

Unforeseen circumstances arise (during application) that change the employment relationship.

The employer must pass the Labour Market Needs Test before issuing a General Work Permit or Contract for Services Employment Permit.

There must be a direct employer/employee contract between the employer and the Indian national employee.

It must be made clear that you work for either your employer or employment agency and not an unspecified third-party individual in your work contract.

At least 50% of the employees in the Irish company hiring you must be EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. However, this restriction may be waived for start-ups within 2 years of establishment.

They must be registered as an employer with Revenue and supported by the enterprise development agencies, Enterprise Ireland, or IDA Ireland.

Ireland offers 9 types of Ireland job visas for Indian nationals:

Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP): Aimed at working professionals who possess skills that are in short supply in Ireland. To get this EP, you must have a job offer of at least 2 years.

You must also have a minimum annual income of €32,000 (approx ₹28,32,707) if you work in jobs listed in the Critical Skills Occupations List.

Or an annual income of over €64,000 (approx ₹56,64,960) for all other jobs apart from those listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations.

You can also apply for immediate family reunification and apply to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service to reside and work without an employment permit after completing your permit's duration (2 years).

General Employment Permit: This Ireland work visa is aimed at all jobs unless otherwise specified[1] and is issued for a 12-month job offer. You must have a minimum annual income of €30,000 (approx ₹26,55,240).

This permit is valid for 2 years and can be renewed for 3 more years. After 5 years, you can apply to the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) for long-term residency.

If your application is approved, you can work in Ireland for another 5 years without a work permit.

You may also not be required to renew your work permit if you have been working lawfully for 5 years or more and can contact the Department of Justice and Equality to apply for a temporary Stamp 4.

Here are some renewal options available under this work permit:

If you have been working under the same employer for 5 years or more, you can apply for a Renewal Employment Permit for an unlimited duration. No fees apply here.

If you have not held employment under the same employer for 5 years or more, you can apply for a Renewal Employment Permit for a maximum duration of 3 years. Fees apply.

Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit: This Ireland work visa gives spouses and de-facto partners of CSEP holders permission to work in Ireland under Stamp 1 conditions.

Partners of CSEP holders must have a valid job offer in Ireland before they apply for this permit and they must accompany the CSEP holder as a dependant. The process usually goes:

Dependant partners of CSEP holders are issued Stamp 3 immigration permission by the ISD.

Stamp 3 holders can then apply for this Employment Permit, allowing them to work under Stamp 1 conditions.

This permit is valid for a maximum of 2 years and can be renewed for another 3 years. The issue and renewal durations will depend on the expiry of the primary permit holder's EP.

Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit: This is issued to foreign national senior management, trainees or key personnel transferring from an overseas branch of a company to its Irish branch.

Senior staff and key personnel should have a minimum annual income of €40,000 (approx ₹35,39,920) and for trainees, that number is €30,000 (approx ₹26,55,240) to be eligible for this transfer.

It is issued for a maximum of 2 years and can be extended up to 5 years. You must also have worked for the multinational company for a minimum of 6 months and if you are a trainee, the minimum period is one month.

Contract for Services Employment Permit: Issued to foreign nationals who have a working contract with an Irish company. This contract must be a one-to-one contract with an Irish employer and you must have a minimum annual salary of €40,000 (approx ₹35,39,920).

You must have worked under the contract for at least 6 months with the contractor before transferring to the Irish company. It is issued for 24 months initially and can be extended up to a maximum stay of 5 years.

You can also apply for other work permits like CSEP or a general employment permit if you have held this permit for up to one year. You will be subject to the same conditions under other work permits when you apply for them.

Internship Employment Permit: Issued to full-time foreign national students in Ireland to gain work experience. These are valid for 1 year and can not be renewed. You can apply for other work permits while holding an internship EP during its 12-month period.

Sport and Cultural Employment Permit: This Ireland work visa is issued to foreign nationals with the relevant skills, qualifications, experience or knowledge in the capacity, development, and operation of sporting and cultural activities.

This permit can be issued seasonally or for a maximum of 2 years. It can be renewed initially for 1 year and then extended up to 3 years. After 5 years, you can apply for long-term residency from the Department of Justice and Equality.

Exchange Agreement Employment Permit: Issued to foreign nationals coming to work in Ireland under International Exchange Agreements, like AIESEC, Fulbright Programme, or The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE).

This permit is issued for 12 months and can not be renewed. It is considered a temporary work permit if you hold an Exchange Agreement permit, you can not apply for long-term residency in Ireland.

Reactivation Employment Permit: Issued to foreign nationals who entered Ireland with a valid employment permit but fell out of the system through no fault of their own or have been exploited or treated poorly in their workplace.

You must maintain employment under your current employer for 1 year before changing employers. The only exceptions are if you have been fired or if unforeseen circumstances arise that change the employment relationship.

This permit is valid for 2 years. It can be renewed initially for 24 months and extended up to 3 years. After 5 years, you can apply for long-term residency from the Department of Justice and Equality.

Originals of all required documents must be provided for your visa application. If a document is not in English or Irish, it must still be submitted but with a full translation. The translated document must contain the translator's full name and signature and their contact details.

For online applications, all documents uploaded to the application website must only be of the following file types: PDF, PNG and JPEG/JPG and with a maximum file size limit of 10MB.

Here is the list of documents you must provide for all Ireland work visa applications:

Your application Form, printed, filled and signed.

Your work permit, issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Offer letter from your Irish employer.

Your current passport, valid for at least 12 months from your arrival in Ireland. Plus, full copies of all your previous passports.

2 Passport-Sized Photographs: Full colour against a plain white or light grey background and not older than 6 months. On the back, in block capitals, write your name and visa application/transaction number.

Do not staple or attach the photos to the application form, and put the photos in the same envelope as the application form.

A Signed Application Letter: It must specify your full contact details, your reason for coming to Ireland, how long and where you intend to stay and details of family members in Ireland or another EU Member State.

You must also state that you intend to follow the rules stated in your visa and that you will leave on expiry.

Current Employment Contract. If this is not available, submit a letter from your employer. All letters from employers must be on official headed paper. It must show the company's:

Full name.

Full postal address.

Website address/URL.

Telephone number (fixed line – not mobile/cell phone).

Email address (Yahoo and Hotmail email IDs are not accepted).

The contact person's name and title/position.

Written signature of an authorised representative (electronic signature is not accepted).

Evidence of Qualifications:

Last 3 months' payslips.

Bank statements showing regular salary payments to your bank account.

Offer letter from current employer.

Personal tax statements.

Professional and training certificates.

Bank Statement for the Last 6 Months showing sufficient money to cover your living costs in Ireland. The bank statement must be on headed paper showing your name, address, account number and account type.

If the bank statement is from a deposit or savings account, you must include a letter from your bank confirming you are allowed to withdraw money from that account.

Medical or travel insurance. This does not need to be provided with your application, but you will need to present it at the airport to the Immigration Officer. Your visa officer may also request it before they make a final decision.

All Past Visa Refusals from Other Countries. You must provide the original letter issued to you by the authorities of that country with your application.

All documents listed here are mandatory and must be submitted with your application. Any missing documents from this list can lead to a refusal/rejection of your application.

Also, all documents accompanying for application must be originals. Only government-issued certificates and IDs will be returned. Other documents like bank statements or letters of invitation will not be returned.

You must provide a list of documents that you wish to have returned with your visa application.

Useful Links:

Find Your Form

Employment Permit Checklists

Request for Stamp 4 Support Letter

This is a 3-part process. When applying for your Ireland work visa, you must first apply for the work permit, get approval from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and then apply for an employment visa.

After this, you must book an appointment through VFS to submit your visa application in person.

Note that any employment permit application must be received at least 12 weeks before your employment start date. This application is also only valid for the Republic of Ireland. If you wish to travel to Northern Ireland, you need a UK visa instead.

You can apply for your employment visa up to 3 months before your travel date to Ireland at a visa application centre. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the entire process:

Part 1: Applying for Your Work Permit:

Visit the Employment Permits Online System (EPOS) website.

Click "Help me Choose Employment Permit Application Form", select "I am an Employee", and then click "Apply for New Employment Permit".

If you already know what form to choose, click "I Will Select Employment Permit Application Form from the List" and choose your application form.

Enter your passport details and full name and click Proceed.

This will start your application process. Note down your My WorkID (at the top left corner of the screen).

Your application draft will only be saved in the website's database for 28 days, after which it will be deleted. If you pause your application beyond this time, you must restart it.

Enter all of the information required under each section. The information must be accurate and up-to-date. Any official data (name, DOB, etc.) must match the information provided in your documents.

Once full have completed all sections, click "Form Complete".

Click "Print and Sign". The document must be signed with written signatures by relevant signatories on all signature pages.

Once you have all the signatures, scan and upload the document back onto the website by clicking "Add Attachment".

Upload the signed application form and all other supporting documents.

Click "Submit with Payment" and pay your application fee.

Once submitted, you will get an email with the acknowledgement receipt with a unique EP reference number. This can be used to track your status online.

You will also be notified via email about the approval or rejection of your application. It can take 8 weeks to get your work permit approved.

Useful Links:

EPOS User Guide PDF

Part 2: Applying for Your Ireland Work Visa:

Visit the AVATS Online Application Facility website.

Click "Continue" and then click "AVATS Online Application Form" after checking the acknowledgement box.

Enter your details into the given fields and click "Save and Continue".

This will generate a Unique Transaction Number at the bottom of the page. Note this number down.

The next set of questions will be based on your responses on the first page. Ensure you fill them in correctly. You must hold an approved work permit before this step.

Once you have completed filling in the form, you will be presented with a declaration. Check this box and then click Click 'Submit'.

Click on 'View and Print Application Form'.

Do not be alarmed by the "NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL" print on the Application Form. It is there to show that this is an application form and not a visa or permit application. It will not affect your application approval in any way or interfere with your travel.

Sign your printed application form.

Your application form and other supporting documents must be submitted to the relevant Irish Embassy/Consulate near your area.

You can also do both these processes in person by visiting the nearest consulate/embassy, as they will accept preclearance and visa applications. However, we recommend doing them both online to save time.

Useful Links:

AVATS User Guide

Part 3: Booking Your Visa Application Appointment

You must book an appointment with Visa Facilitation Service (VFS).

Select the country you a travelling from and to, and fill in the captcha code.

Select your country, visa category and location. Click "Save and Continue".

Next, enter the details into the given field, click "Select Services", and proceed to book your appointment.

You must submit all your documents and provide your biometrics at the Visa Application Center (VAC) on your appointment date and pay the visa application fee in person.

The fees can be paid by either you or your employer, depending on who applies for the work permit. Here are the permit fees for new and renewal applications on all 9 types:

In case of renewals where there is no fee, e.g., You are applying for an unlimited General Employment Permit. During the work permit application process, i.e., Part 1 of the application process:

Select "Yes" for the Question "Is the Proposed Period of Employment Permit Unlimited?" to get your fee waived.

Next, confirm that you are requesting a waiver of the renewal fee on this basis at the "Form Complete" stage.

Your visa application fee is ₹3,518. This must be paid at your visa application centre (VAC) when submitting your visa application and documents.

The overall processing time for both the work permit and work visa is 8 weeks (each). To avoid any delays, we recommend applying 6 to 8 weeks before your travel date.

The median processing time for a Critical skills permit is 10 working days. For all other permits, it is 35 days working days. This excludes Saturdays, Sundays and all other closure dates.

Moreover, every Tuesday evening and Friday morning, a report listing all visa decisions by the New Delhi visa office is posted by the Irish Immigration Service. You can find that in the Ireland Embassy's official portal. The reports can be found under the Visa Decisions tab.

You can check your permit status on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) official website.

You can track your visa application on VFS's official website.

Officials also recommend applicants use VFS' Check and Verify Service for Indian resident applicants. This can further verify your documents and can reduce the risk of your application getting reduced.

Embassy of Ireland, Delhi

Consulate General of Ireland, Mumbai

Honorary Consul of Ireland, Bangalore

Honorary Consul of Ireland, Chennai

** Honorary Consul of Ireland, Kolkata **

When you arrive in Ireland, you will be asked to present your visa, passport, health or travel insurance policy, and boarding pass by the Immigration Officer.

Other useful documents to have on hand include proof of funds, accommodation details and your offer letter.

If you are permitted to enter Ireland, the immigration officer will place a stamp on your passport, which states the duration of your stay and the rules that govern your stay in Ireland.

If you are refused entry, you will be returned to India or your embarkation point.

If you arrive via the border of Northern Ireland, you must report to an Immigration Officer at the Registration Office in Dublin, in Burgh Quay, or your local Immigration Office at an Irish Police station (Garda Síochána) within 7 days.

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Travel insurance coverage during short-term and long-term stays is mandated when travelling to Ireland. So whether it be for work or leisure, you need to be insured. Medical expenses are quite high and a good travel policy can help immensely during emergencies.

At Tata AIG, we offer several travel policies suited for overseas travel that you can pick when travelling to Ireland from India. We also recommend that you compare travel insurance plans before purchase to ensure you pick one good coverage at an affordable rate.

Information last updated Sept '23.
While this information is sourced reliably, visa requirements can change. For the most current visa details, visit the official Consulate/Embassy website.