Losing your job

If you lose your job through redundancy you should notify the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. From 28 August 2009 there are new provisions for non-EEA workers as follows:
Work permit for 5 years:
If you have been made redundant after working on a work permit for 5 consecutive years you will no longer need a permit to work in Ireland. You should apply to your local immigration officer - see 'Registration' below who will issue you with a stamp 4 immigration permission for one year. This permission may be renewed annually and it will allow you to take up any employment but not self-employment.
Work permit for less than 5 years:
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation will allow you a period of 6 months (was 3 months) to find another job. When you find another job you have to apply for a new work permit but a labour market needs test is not required. If you were made redundant from a job which is on the list of ineligible categories you may apply for a new work permit for a job on that ineligible list.
You should contact your local immigration officer to confirm your immigration status – see 'Registration' below. If you have more than 6 months before your immigration permission expires, you can reside in Ireland under your stamp 1 permission for a further 6 months. If you have less than 6 months' immigration permission you can have your immigration permission extended to 6 months which means you will have to pay €150 for a new GNIB card. If you have not found a new job after 6 months you will be expected to leave Ireland. If you then get an offer of employment in Ireland you may apply for a new work permit.
Short-time working: if you have been put on short-time working while on a work permit you may apply to have your work permit renewed.

 

Job offer

You must have the qualifications, skills and experience required for the job. You must be directly employed and paid by your employer. Work permit applications from recruitment agencies and other intermediaries are not acceptable under the scheme. The employer must be trading in Ireland, registered with the Revenue Commissioners and with the Companies Registration Office. A work permit will not be issued to companies where the granting of the permit would mean that more than 50% of the employees would be non-EEA nationals.

Labour market needs test

A new application for a work permit must be accompanied by documentary evidence that a labour market needs test has been carried out. From 1 June 2009 the test requires that the vacancy must have been advertised with the FÁS/EURES employment network for 8 weeks (previously 4 weeks) and in local and national newspapers for 6 days (previously 3 days). This is to ensure that, in the first instance an EEA or Swiss national or in the second instance, a Bulgarian or Romanian national cannot be found to fill the vacancy.

Occupations that are ineligible for work permits

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, following consultation with FÁS, has announced occupational sectors that are considered ineligible for work permits
Since 16 April 2009 work permits are not available for the following occupations.

• Clerical and administrative staff
• General operatives and labourers
• Operator and production staff
• Retail sales staff, sales representatives and supervisory or specialist sales staff
• Drivers - from 1 June 2009 this includes HGV drivers
• Nursery/crèche workers, child minders/nannies
• Hotel, tourism and catering staff except chefs
• The following craft workers and apprentice/trainee craft workers: bookbinders, bricklayers, cabinet makers, carpenters/joiners, carton makers, fitters - construction plant, electricians, instrumentation craftspeople, fitters, tilers - floor/wall, mechanics - heavy vehicles, instrumentation craftspersons, metal fabricators, mechanics - motor, originators, painters and decorators, plumbers, printers, engineers - refrigeration, sheet metal workers, tool makers, vehicle body repairers, machinists - wood, plasterers and welders
• Domestic workers including carers in the home and childminders (for work permit applications received on or after 1 June 2009)
• Work riders -horseracing - (for work permit applications received on or after 1 June 2009)

Rules

Work permits are issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. Either the employer or the employee can apply for the permit which must be based on an offer of employment – see 'How to apply' below.

Applications for work permits fall into 2 categories as follows:
(a) Jobs with an annual salary of €30,000 or more
(b) Jobs with an annual salary of less than €30,000 - these are only considered in exceptional cases
However applications for jobs in either category will not be considered if they are for occupations listed as ineligible - see list below.
Bulgarian and Romanian nationals: the 2007 eligibility requirements and 2007 ineligible categories list (pdf) apply to work permit applications by Bulgarian and Romanian nationals. The 2009 changes to work permits do not apply to them.

Work permits - main features

Work permits - main features

• Work permits are available for occupations with an annual salary of €30,000 or more.
• Work permits for jobs with an annual salary below €30,000 will only be considered in exceptional cases
• Work permits will not be considered for occupations listed as ineligible for work permits - see below
• The work permit is granted for 2 years initially, and then for a further 3 years. After 5 years you may no longer need a work permit - see 'Renewal of work permits' below.
• A labour market needs test (see below) is required with all work permit applications
• Either the employer or employee can apply for the employment permit, based on an offer of employment
• It will be granted to the employee and will include a statement of the employee's rights and entitlements
• The employer is prohibited from deducting recruitment expenses from the employee's pay or retaining the employee's personal documents

Once you have been issued with an employment permit you have all the employment rights of Irish or EU citizens for the duration of the employment permit.

Work In Ireland

                             
                             Jobs in Ireland 

Finding work in Ireland is not as easy as it was a few years ago at the height of the boom.
There are still job vacancies - but finding the exact job to suit you may be more difficult.
There are plenty of job vacancies in all sectors. Employment rates are still high and employers are often lookng outside Ireland to fill some of their vacancies. - Check some of the links on the left for industry specific information and links to job sites and recruitment agencies.

Job Listings Ireland
If you are an EU citizen you are entitled to live and work in Ireland without any work permit. Citizens from countries outside the EU will need a permit to work in Ireland
More here on Work Permits for Ireland and Green Cards

 
Ireland Work Permits


Some changes were made to the rules regarding Work Permits in Ireland in early 2007.
Any non EEA citizens coming to work in Ireland need a permit before starting a job here.
New Green Card permits have been introduced for all jobs with salaries over 60000 euro. Green cards are also available for certain job categories paying over 30000 euro.
For all the other jobs - a "normal" work permit has to be applied for.

Work Permits can be granted for some occupations wth a salary of €30,000 or more where Green Card Permits are not available and, in very limited circumstances, in the salary range below €30,000.
A Work Permit is an employment permit issued to an employee, which permits them to work in Ireland for an employer - but only in the occupation specified on the permit. Work Permits are valid for an initial period of two years and can then be renewed for a further three years. After five years, the work permit can be renewed indefinitely.

Either the employee or the employer can apply for a Work Permit.

Occupations - There are two categories of application based on salary level. (i) Firstly, where the annual salary (excluding bonuses) on offer is €30,000 or more the Work Permit can be considered for occupations other than those which are contrary to the public interest. (ii) Secondly, Work Permits will only be considered for a very limited number of occupations below an annual salary of €30,000.
Notwithstanding the above, work permits will not be considered for any of the job categories specified on the ineligible list for work permits shown below.

Labour Market Needs Test : A vacancy, in respect of which an application for a work permit is being made, must be advertised with the FÁS/EURES employment network and additionally in local and national newspapers, for three days, to ensure that, in the first instance a national of the EEA or Switzerland, or in the second instance a national of Bulgaria or Romania, cannot be found to fill the vacancy. Evidence that this has been done must be included with the application.
Qualifications : The foreign-national concerned must posses the relevant qualifications, skills or experience that are required for the employment.

Work Permit Fees The fees for a Work Permit, which must be paid by the applicant, are as follows:
New - €500 - Period up to 6 months
New - €1,000 - Period from 6 months to 2 years
Renewal - €1,500 - Period up to 3 years
Unlimited - No Fee - Renewed indefinitely (after 5 years)
If you are a foreign national who fulfills all of the above criteria, but you are already working in Ireland with an existing work Permit . You can continue to work under your existing permit - but at renewal , the new arrangements will apply.
Changing Employer If this is your first work permit in Ireland then (apart from in exceptional circumstances) you are normally expected to stay with your initial employer for a period of 12 months, but then you may move employer provided that a new application for a work permit is made and that a labour market needs test has been undertaken.

Can my Spouse and Dependants work? Yes once they are legally resident in the State on the basis of being your Spouse or Dependant they are free to seek employment and to apply for a Spousal/Dependant work permit.

Useful Address: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Room 105, Davitt House, 65a Adelaide Road, Dublin 2 (telephone 6313308 or 6313333);
Ineligible Job Categories for Work Permits

All Clerical and Administrative Positions
All General Operatives/Labourers
All Operator and Production
All retail sales vacancies and sales representatives,
All drivers (excluding HGV)
Nursery / Crèche Workers , Child Minders / Nannys
All 'Hotel Tourism and Catering' except chefs
Bookbinder, Bricklayer, Cabinet Maker, Carpenter / Joiner , Carton Maker, Fitter - Construction Plant, Electrician, Instrumentation Craftsperson ,Tiler - Floor / Wall, Mechanic - Heavy Vehicles, Instrumentation Craftsperson Metal Fabricator, Mechanic - Motor, Painter And Decorator, Plumber, Printer. Engineer - Refrigeration Sheet Metal Worker , Tool Maker, Vehicle Body Repairer, Machinist – Wood, Plasterers and Welders

There are changes for new work permit applications received on or after 1 June 2009 :
From June 2009 the following jobs will not be applicable for work permuts: work riders (horse racing), domestic workers and HGV drivers
Also from June 2009 - No work permits granted for jobs with salary of under €30,000 a year, (may be considered in exceptional cases)
The Labour market needs test is to be changed to advertising with FÁS/EURES for 8 weeks and in national media for 6 days
* Spouses and dependants of new employment permit holders no longer exempt from labour markets needs test and fee
There will be Increased renewal fees for new work permit holders after June 2009