Ireland Work Permit Options for Job Seekers in 2025

Ireland is one of the best destinations for employment opportunities, and many International travellers, including Indian citizens, are eligible to work in Ireland. The country has a huge demand for skilled workers and offers a high quality of life. However, you must know that there is no Ireland Job Seeker Visa. You need an offer letter and an appropriate work permit to work in Ireland. This blog covers everything you need to know about the Ireland work permit options, its eligibility requirements, and the application process. You will also learn about the Ireland work visa.

Note: Ireland doesn’t have a job seeker visa. If you want to be employed in Ireland, you need to apply for a work permit. A work permit in Ireland is of two types- 1. General employment permit  2. Critical skills employment permit  After you get a job offer, your employer will apply for a work permit on your behalf. You can then apply for an Ireland Work Visa. Select this text to go to the Ireland work visa page. To know more about the work permits, you can continue reading…

What is an Ireland Job Seeker Visa?

A job seeker visa is a visa that allows one to travel to another country in search of a job. Ireland doesn’t offer this. In 2025, if you want to work in Ireland, you need to get an appropriate work permit. Besides this, you need a visa, and after reaching the country, you have to apply for an Ireland residence permit for work.

Ireland’s work permits are of two types. These are as follows:

1. General Employment Permit– Granted to eligible international travellers to work in an area of labour shortage 
2. Critical Skills Employment Permit– Granted to qualified workers to work in a skilled area.

Note: Those who want to learn more about the types of Irish work permits can visit the official website of the Ireland Embassy in Delhi.

Ireland Work Permit Options for Job Seekers

As we have mentioned before, there is no Ireland job seeker visa. To work in Ireland, you need a work permit. The following are the Ireland work permit options, and their eligibility criteria:

Critical Skills Employment Permit

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is designed to attract highly skilled workers to Ireland in areas of shortage like IT, engineering, and healthcare. It offers faster residency pathways, spousal work rights, and long-term settlement opportunities, making it ideal for professionals planning a secure future in Ireland.

Benefits 

Some of the benefits of this permit include-

• It is a direct pathway to long-term residency in the country
• You can reunify with your family members 
• You can apply for Stam 4 after 2 years of stay (no employment permit requirement)

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for a critical skills employment permit are as follows-

• The job you are applying for must be listed under the Critical Skills Occupation List
• Your annual salary must be at least EUR 32,000 (if the job is listed under this list)
• For other eligible jobs, you need EUR 64,000
• Need to work under a registered employer in Ireland.

Critical Skills Occupations List

Several jobs come under the critical skills occupation list. Here we have listed some of the jobs. Those interested can apply for these jobs and then seek a work permit.

1. Health Professionals such as psychologists, Medical practitioners, etc
2. Production Managers and Directors
3. Health and Social Services Managers and Directors
4. Engineering Professionals- Civil Engineers, Electrical engineers, etc
5. Nursing and Midwifery Professionals
6. Teaching and Educational Professionals
7. Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors
8. Quality and Regulatory Professionals
9. Business, Finance, and Related Associate Professionals
10. Sales, Marketing, and Related Associate Professionals

To learn about the full Critical Skills Employment permit list, visit the official website. That is, visit the page of the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment.

General Employment Permit

 The General Employment Permit allows non-EEA nationals to work in Ireland across a wide range of occupations not covered under the Critical Skills list. It requires a job offer, a labour market needs test, and is renewable, providing opportunities for skilled workers to gain valuable international work experience.

Benefits 

Some of the benefits of this permit are-

• This permit is available for a lot of jobs
• You can renew your permit for up to 5 years. 
• After 5 years, you can apply for a long-term residence permit

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for a general employment permit are as follows-

• Your job must provide you with a minimum salary of EUR 30,000 (per year)
• A labour market test to determine the availability of an EEA applicant
• You must have received a job offer letter for at least 2 years 
• Those who have recently graduated from a university in Ireland are also eligible 

Also Read: Understand Why a Work Visa Would Be Rejected 

Documents Required for a Work Permit

There is no Ireland job seeker visa. You have to apply for a work permit and submit the relevant documents. Here, we have mentioned the required documents for the work permit in Ireland.

Note: these are general requirements that apply to both job seeker visas.

• Application form and 2 passport-size photographs
• Payment confirmation receipt and current passport 
• Copy of any previous passports
• Department of Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation issued an employment permit and an original cover letter
• An offer letter from an employer in Ireland 
• Proof of medical and travel insurance, and a police clearance certificate 
• A copy of the contract with the employer in Ireland 
• Previous visa refusal details 

How to Apply for a Work Permit in Ireland?

There is no job search visa for Ireland. The Ireland work permit application process is as follows. Generally, it is the employer who applies for the work permit. You have to provide documents to complete the application.

1. Your employer must demonstrate that the job they have posted cannot be performed by an EU/EEA national or that isn’t available to take up the job.
2. The application can be submitted through the Employment Permits Online System (EPOS). You or your employer can apply. 
3. Gather the necessary documents and provide the same 
4. Pay the work permit application fee
5. After that, your work permit application is processed 
6. After a work permit application is approved, you can apply for a visa. 
7. Since you intend to stay in the country for more than 90 days, you can apply for a long-stay visa for work. It is also called the D visa or the Ireland work visa. 

Ireland Work Permit Fees & Costs

Since the Irish job seeker visa doesn’t exist, you can apply for a work permit. The work permit fees vary depending on the permit you are applying for. Look at the approximate fees for an Irish work permit:

Types of Ireland Job Seeker Visa	Application Fees	Fees for Visa Renewal
Critical Skills Employment Permit	EUR 1,000	Not Applicable
General Employment Permit	EUR 500 (for 6-month permit)	EUR 500 (for 6 months renewal)
General Employment Permit (for 2 years)	EUR 1,500 (for seeking renewal for 3 years)	Not provided

How can I move to Ireland from India without a job?

Non-EU, Swiss, and British nationals cannot live in Ireland without a job. The first step is to look for jobs in Ireland. You must receive the offer letter for a minimum of 2 years to apply for an Ireland work permit. Once the applicant has obtained a work permit, he/she can live in Ireland for the duration specified in the visa. 

Ireland Immigration Rules 

Instead of an Ireland job seeker visa, you need to apply for a work permit, and you must know about immigration rules. Those who are from the European Economic Area can work in Ireland without a visa. They do not need any employment permit. Those who are bringing family members outside Switzerland, the UK, or the EEA need to apply for either a visa or preclearance to enter the country. Therefore, it is important to check whether you need an Irish visa or not.

Working Holiday Visa

Apart from a work permit and a work visa, there is another type of visa that will let you stay in Ireland while you are employed. This visa is called a working holiday visa. However, it is only given to nationals from certain countries who meet the age criteria.

1. Australia
2. Argentina
3. Canada
4. Hong Kong
5. Chile
6. New Zealand 
7. Japan
8. Taiwan 
9. South Korea
10. USA

Also Read: Australia Working Holiday Visa for Indians: A New Opportunity for Young Travelers

International Protection Applicants 

Those who have applied for the International protection ‘asylum’ can apply for a work permit. That is, if you are waiting for a response regarding your application after 5 months. In this case, you can apply for labour market access permission.

Non-EEA Family Members 

The immigration rules for the non-EEA family members are provided below. The immigration rules differ based on the relationship you have with the main applicant.

1. Family members of UK citizens: Allowed to apply for a residency status and permission to work. 
2. Family members of EU/EEA nationals: Can apply for a residence card under the EU regulations. You can get an IRP with a stamp 4EUFAM, which will allow you to work in the country without an employment permit.
3. Irish National’s family members: Eligible to apply for Ireland residency. When your application has been accepted, you will get a Stamp 4 IRP.
4. Family members who have been granted subsidiary protection status or refugee status:  After receiving international protection, you are allowed to come to Ireland for family reunification. Successful applicants will get a Stamp 4 IRP
5. Family members of specific employment permit holders: You can get a Stamp 1G. This will allow you to work in Ireland without an employment permit.

Ireland Job Seeker Visa for Graduates: Can You Work After Studying?

International students who have received stamp 2 can work part-time in the country for 20 hours during the college term, and full-time during the college holiday permit. The holiday permits are in July, June, and September. The time between 15th December and 15th January is also the college holiday period. However, international students who have entered Ireland with Stamp 2A are not permitted to work.

Can I Apply for a Work Visa Without a Job Offer in Ireland?

No. Ireland does not provide a job seeker visa. This means if you do not have a job offer, you cannot apply for work. All work visas in Ireland are issued to applicants who already have a job offer. This means if you want to work in Ireland, you need to secure-

1. A job offer in advance 
2. A work permit in advance (your employer will assist you regarding the work permit application.

Can I Get a Job in Ireland from India?

Yes. You can get a job in Ireland from India. You can apply for jobs in Ireland from India. Popular websites that you can visit are:

1. JobsIreland 
2. Indeed for Ireland
3. Irish Jobs

Ensure that you are qualified for the position, and apply for a job. Once you receive a job offer, ensure that you are getting the required salary to apply for the visa. Thereafter, request the employer to start your work permit application. After the labour market check is conducted, your work permit is issued. Once the work permit is issued, you can start the work visa application. Choose the work visa you want to apply for, ensure you meet the requirements, and apply.

Is IELTS required for Ireland?

You need to clear an English language proficiency test to get a job offer. This can be IELTS/TOEFL or any other relevant examination. After you get a job offer, a permit, and apply for a visa, your details are checked by the consular officers. They will check if you meet the work visa requirements. This means you will need to clear an English language test like IELTS. This will prove that you meet the language criteria to work in Ireland.

How Do I Get a Work Visa for Ireland?

Ireland does not have a job seeker visa. However, it does offer you a work visa. You need a work permit and a work visa to work in Ireland. Here’s how you can get the work via for Ireland.

1. Secure a Job Offer– First, get a job offer from a recognised employer in Ireland 
2. Get a work permit- Ask your employer to apply for a work permit on your behalf (For example, Critical Skills Employment Permit or General Employment Permit)
3. Apply for a work visa– Choose the work visa you want to apply for. There are different types of work visas. For example, an Employment visa, Employment Scientific Researcher Visa.
4. Fill out the application form– Visit the official website (Ireland Immigration) and fill out the application form
5. Visa interview- Schedule your visa interview at the nearest visa application centre
6. Biometric information submission- On the date of your interview, submit biometric information and show up with your documents 
7. Application processing and decision– Your visa application will  be processed (4-8 weeks), and a decision will be made at

FAQs

Relevant Reads

How to Get PR in Ireland After Study?	Ireland Student Visa
Ireland Work Permit Options for Job Seekers	Ireland Student Visa Rejection Rate
Overview of Average Salary in Ireland	Master’s Degree in Ireland for Indian and International Students

We hope you now understand what is Ireland’s Job Seeker Visa. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!