How to get a work visa in Ireland

Ireland is home to the European headquarters of many tech and pharma firms. The Critical Skills Employment Permit is the fastest route and leads to residence after two years.

See 279 sponsored jobs in Ireland Check if an employer sponsors

Visa routes

Critical Skills Employment Permit

Jobs on the Critical Skills Occupations List, with a degree

Salary: €38,000 a year with a relevant degree, or €64,000 for any occupation
Processing: Several weeks (check current processing dates)
Permanent residence: Stamp 4 (live and work freely) after 2 years

General Employment Permit

Most other jobs not on the ineligible list

Salary: €34,000 a year (lower in some sectors)
Processing: Several weeks
Permanent residence: Long-term residence after 5 years

Figures as published in 2025. Thresholds change, usually every year: always confirm on the official sources below before you apply.

Step by step

1Get a job offer of at least 2 years (Critical Skills)
2You or your employer apply on the EPOS online system
3Apply for an entry visa if your nationality needs one
4Register with immigration (IRP card) after arrival

Documents you usually need

Passport
Employment contract
Degree certificates
CV

Tips

Critical Skills holders' spouses can work without a separate permit
Check the Critical Skills Occupations List for your exact role

Latest sponsored jobs in Ireland

See all

Software Engineering Manager - IAM Team - Control Plane - Platform

Elastic🇮🇪 Ireland

23h ago

IE Critical Skills

English-speaking

On-siteLeadIAM · Cloud

Questions

How long does an Irish employment permit take?

It varies with demand. The Department of Enterprise publishes the dates it is currently processing.

Official sources

Department of Enterprise: employment permits