Work permits

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.