Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit: Requirements and How to Apply

The Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit is the main work route for non-EEA professionals who have a job offer in an in-demand occupation. The headline requirement is salary: €40,904 a year for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List with a relevant degree, or €68,911 for other eligible roles. The permit leads to Stamp 4 and, after 60 months, long-term residence. Your employer applies. This page is based on the Department of Enterprise page we read on 2026-10-07; check the official page before you apply. Rules change, and we are researchers, not immigration advisors.

Who qualifies

The permit is for people with a job offer from an Irish employer in a strategically important occupation. The Department of Enterprise names ICT professionals, professional engineers and technologists among the eligible occupations, using the Critical Skills Occupations List. Public-sector roles follow their pay agreement. Nurses and midwives need a third-level degree or diploma accepted by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.

UK citizens do not need an employment permit to work in Ireland under the Common Travel Area. For Americans, Canadians and Australians, the permit is the usual employer route.

Salary requirement

The salary tests come from the Department's page:

• €40,904 a year (about €3,409 a month) for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, with a relevant degree or higher.
• €36,848 a year if your qualification was received within the 12 months before you apply.
• €68,911 a year or more for other occupations that are not on the Ineligible List and not contrary to the public interest.

Remuneration can include basic salary and qualifying health insurance payments. Check the official page for the latest amounts, because thresholds can change.

Documents you'll need

The Department's page does not list every document, so ask your employer and the permit portal for the current checklist. In practice the employer submits the job details and contract, and you provide proof of your qualification and identity. Nurses and midwives need professional registration documents. Where a role is regulated, the licence may need to be in place or in prospect.

Step-by-step application

1. Get the job offer. The offer must be for at least 2 years.
2. Check the salary and occupation. Your employer confirms the role is eligible and meets the threshold.
3. Employer applies. The application must be received at least 12 weeks before the start date.
4. Receive the permit decision. Applications are processed in date order by employer type (Trusted Partner or Standard).
5. Register and travel. Check your entry rules and immigration registration after arrival; the Irish Immigration Service pages have details.
6. Apply for Stamp 4. At permit expiry you can apply directly to the Department of Justice. A Stamp 4 support letter is no longer needed, as of 30 November 2023.

Costs and timeline

The permit fee is €1,000, and 90% is refunded if the application is unsuccessful. The Department's page gives no fixed processing time and refers to a separate processing-dates page. You are expected to stay with your first employer for at least 9 months. Immigration registration fees apply separately; we did not read them today.

Taxes once you're resident

You are taxed as an Irish resident under normal rules, with 20% income tax up to a standard-rate band of €44,000 for a single person in 2026 and 40% above it, plus USC and PRSI. Some relocated employees may qualify for SARP relief; confirm with Revenue. US citizens still file US returns, and Ireland has a tax treaty and totalization agreement with the United States. We are not tax advisors. See our Ireland country guide.

Family members

Dependants, partners and spouses can apply through the Immigration Service Delivery (Department of Justice). Once they are resident, they can seek employment and apply for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit, currently free of charge, according to the Department.

Path to long-term residence

After the initial permit you can apply for Stamp 4, initially for 2 years and renewable. After 60 months of residency permission you can apply for long-term residence. Irish citizenship typically requires further years of residence; read the official citizenship pages for the current rule.

Alternatives

• Irish citizenship by descent if you have an Irish-born grandparent.
• Other employment permits, such as those on the Department of Enterprise pages, if your salary or occupation does not fit.
• Other countries' work routes: compare Germany's EU Blue Card and the Dutch Highly Skilled Migrant permit.

Not sure where to start? Take our quiz or browse living in Dublin and living in Cork.

Official page: Critical Skills Employment Permit. Check the official page before you apply.