If you dream of working in Ireland but you are not a citizen of a European Union country, is there any hope for you?
It is possible to live and work in Ireland if you are not an EU citizen, but it will be more difficult because you will need to apply for a work permit first. Anyone who is not an EU national is required to have a work permit before working in Ireland.
Working Holiday Visa
If you are between the ages of 18 and 30 and from one of the accepting countries including Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Korea, you can live and work in Ireland for one year on a working holiday visa. This permit is relatively easy to apply for and requires that you have sufficient funds to support yourself when you arrive and that you fill out a few forms.
However, it is important to note that the Working Holiday Visa scheme is only intended for a maximum of one year and is designed for young people on a gap year who want to pick up casual work to fund their travels around Ireland. It is not a permanent solution for someone who wants to relocate to Ireland for the long term.
Longer Term Work Permits
There are four different types of employment permits in Ireland. The first is general work permits, the second are green card permits, and then followed by spousal or dependant work permits, and last but not least, intra-company transfer permits.
Green Card Permits
These types of permits are designed for people in occupations which have annual salaries of over 60,000 Euro or who are employed in certain industries where still shortages have been identified. These industries include technology, health care, industry, finance and research. To receive the card, you need to have a job offer from an employer which is officially registered with the Revenue Commissioners for two years or more. The Green Card Permit will be issued for two years and a renewal is not required. If you are eligible to acquire a Green Card, your spouse or children will be able to join you in Ireland immediately.
Spousal and Dependent Work Permits
If you already have a work permit in Ireland, your spouse, civil partner, or dependent under the age of 18 can also apply for a work permit. Spousal work permits only apply to partners who are legally resident in Ireland, and if you and your partner are not married or civil partners you will not be able to apply for a spousal work permit.
Intra-Company Transfer Permits
This type of permit would apply if you were working for a company overseas and then were transferred to a branch of the organization operating in Ireland. This particular scheme allows foreign nationals from outside of the EU to be transferred over to the Irish branch of their company. It is strictly limited to senior management, key personnel or employees who are undertaking a training programme.
Before applying for a work permit in Ireland, determine which of these four different types of permits apply to you. Good luck on your application to live and work in beautiful Ireland!
