News
Posted: 13 Sep 2018
The permit - also known as Visa First - is initially issued for a period of two years, after which it can typically be renewed indefinitely.
Replacing the previous Green Card, the Critical Skills Employment Permit is intended to attract skilled employees into the workforce, aiming to encourage them to seek permanent residence in Ireland.
Professions which are currently eligible for a Critical Skills Employment Permit include:
These occupations are considered critical to the growth of the Irish economy. These roles are highly skilled, in high demand and are in short supply in the existing labour market.
To be eligible to receive a Critical Skills Employment Permit, you must have a guaranteed job offer from a company which is registered with the Irish Companies Registration Office and the Irish Revenue Commissioners for trading.
The company must have at least 50% of employees with EEA national status to be eligible to offer a Critical Skills Employment Permit.
The offer of employment from the eligible company must be for a period of at least two years, written on company headed paper, and dated within the last 60 days. The offer must also state:
You must also be able to provide evidence that you have the relevant skills, qualifications and experience for the role you intend to accept.
The employee must remain in the role for a minimum period of 12 months, unless exceptional circumstances such as redundancy apply.
After a year has elapsed, the employee may seek employment elsewhere, providing they re-apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit.
Skilled IT candidates are in high demand, as the profession is deemed critical to the growth of the Irish economy.
Roles which qualify for a permit include, but are not limited to:
You can apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit online, using the Employment Permits System.
There are three stages to the application process:
The complete processing time for a permit will depend on when the permit application is submitted, as applications are handled and processed in strict date order.
The fee to apply for an employment permit is currently €1,000. If the application is rejected, 90% of this fee will be refunded. The fee for the Certificate of Registration is €300.
Once an application is successful and a permit is granted, if the applicant requires a visa they should apply to the Irish Embassy or Consulate for an entry visa. Upon entry into Ireland, all relevant documentation – including the employment permit – must be provided for inspection by an immigration officer.
Once residing in Ireland, any non-EEA national who has been granted a Critical Skills Employment Permit must then register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau ahead of applying for citizenship or long term residency.
Spouses of critical skills employment permit holders (and former critical skills employment permit holders who now hold a stamp 4) are eligible for a free employment permit called the spousal employment permit, which, unlike the general work permit, doesn’t require a labour market needs test, and is also completely free.
If you are granted permission to stay in Ireland on a long term residency, your passport will be stamped by an immigration officer at the registration office.
There are several variants of stamp, each of which define the basis upon which your permission to stay in Ireland has been granted:
If you are looking for your first role in the IT industry or you are established in your career in the industry and you’re looking for a new role, please get in touch with our expert team who will be happy to assist and advise you.
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