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Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit

Home / Ireland / Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit

About The Critical Skills Employment Permit

General Information

The Critical Skills Employment Permit for Ireland (formerly known as Ireland Green Card) enables individuals with specific qualifications, skills, and experience to work in Ireland for an Irish company/employer.

These individuals work in highly skilled roles or occupations where skills shortages exist.

This Irish Critical Skills Employment Permit is valid for two years.

After the two years are complete, if you wish to remain working in Ireland, you can obtain permission to work and live in Ireland without a permit.

See the requirements below to find out if you’re eligible for the Irish Critical Skills Employment Permit.

Eligibility

  • The employer and applicant’s eligibility depends on the job offer and the applicant’s skills, qualifications and experience.
Requirements

The general requirements for this type of permit include:

  • The employer must be registered in Ireland
  • The contract must be permanent or for at least 2 years in case of fixed-term contracts
  • At least 50% of the company employees need to be EEA nationals. This requirement may be waived if the company is a start-up and is supported by Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland
  • The proposed position can’t be on the Ineligible Categories of Employment list
  • If the proposed position is on the Critical Skills List and the applicant has a relevant qualification at least at a degree level, the base salary (not including bonuses and allowances) must be at least €32,000
  • Where the base salary is €64,000 or more, the occupation does not need to be on the Critical Skills List and there is no requirement for a relevant degree
Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit Processing Time

The processing time for the Irish Employment Permit depends on the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

Cost

Critical Skills Employment Permit processing fee starts from

€1100
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Frequently Asked Questions

There are several benefits to the Critical Skills Employment Permit in Ireland:

  • The Critical Skills Employment Permit provides a long employment opportunity in Ireland. The permit is valid for 2 years and if certain requirements are met, after that the employee can obtain Stamp 4 allowing them to live and work in Ireland without the need of an employment permit. If the requirements are not met, a new Critical Skills Employment Permit can be obtained for another 2 years.
  • It can give you the opportunity to apply for long-term residence in Ireland.
  • As a permit holder, your spouse, partner, and dependent children are generally permitted to reside in Ireland and may be eligible to work or study.

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is for highly skilled workers in specific occupations addressing skills shortages (meaning a Labour Market Needs Test is not required), offering a pathway to residency.

Whereas, the General Employment Permit, or Work Permit, is more general and applicable to a broader range of occupations.

Some critical skills needed in Ireland are:

  • Architect
  • Civil Engineers
  • Electrical engineers
  • Information technology and telecommunications directors
  • IT specialist managers
  • Medical laboratory scientists
  • Medical practitioners
  • Professional Forester
  • Psychologist
  • Registered Nurses
  • Social Worker
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