Critical Skills Employment Permit Rule Change Will Benefit Spouses

A rule change announced on 6 March 2019 will make it easier for the spouses of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders to work in Ireland.

Revised immigration arrangements for the spouses and de facto partners of persons with permission to reside in Ireland on the basis of a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) were announced on 6 March 2019. The new rules will make it easier for eligible spouses/partners to work in Ireland.

Up to now, if a CSEP holder’s spouse/de facto partner wanted to access the labour market, they had to apply for a special permit. However, in future, they will be granted permission to reside in the State on Stamp 1 conditions. This will give them direct access to the labour market without the need to obtain an employment permit. The rule change is good news non-EU IT professionals as it will make it easier for their spouses/de facto partners to work in Ireland. Further information is available here.

CSEP spouses can make a great contribution to Ireland’s economy

Announcing the rule change, Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, acknowledged that the spouses/partners of CSEP holders are themselves often highly-skilled and can make a great contribution to Ireland’s economy.

“While up to now, the spouses or partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders have been entitled to broad access to the labour market, almost akin to an Irish citizen, the current process is administratively cumbersome and, in many cases, has acted as a barrier to these people securing work here. This is not what was intended when the policy was developed, and the process put in place,” Minister Humphreys stated.

Finding suitable IT roles in Ireland

The CSEP is designed to attract highly skilled people such as ICT professionals, professional engineers and technologists into the Irish labour market with the aim of encouraging them to take up permanent residence. Currently, there is strong demand for developers with skills like Java, Python, .NET and C++. The best way to find suitable roles is to register with a specialist IT recruiter. Eolas Recruitment has more than 20 years’ experience placing IT professionals across Ireland. We have an excellent network of contacts and strong relationships with many leading employers. Check out our online reviews and contact us to find out more about how we can help you if you are contemplating a move to Ireland.