How to get a job and move to Ireland:
1. Are you eligible for a work permit or a visa?
2. Job search
3. Necessary documents
4. Apply
5. Celebrate!
If you are lucky enough to be a citizen of an EU country, congratulations! The hardest part is over, so go on and start your job search. The rest of us non-EU nationals will eye you enviously as we trudge through the red tape and paperwork.
While securing a work permit or visa sounds like a daunting and near-impossible task, there is more than one way to find yourself living happily in Ireland.
Citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, rejoice. Your governments have been gracious enough to set up reciprocal agreements with Ireland enabling you to live and work here for a set period of time. While these are temporary visas, if you find the right gig (or fall for an Irish citizen), you could find yourself with a work permit. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Here is the program eligibility in a nutshell:
You can apply for these programs yourself or go through an agency (for a fee) that will provide perks such as setting up your bank account and 24/7 support. Here is where to look if you are to citizen of one of the four countries and want to participate in one of these programs:
Not a citizen of any of the four countries above? Don’t despair. Argentina, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have similar programs but on a more selective lottery system. For links to country-specific information, check out this website.
A. Critical skills shortage
Certain sectors are facing a shortage of qualified workers so if you have the education and skills, you can essentially skip to the front of the line. The list of eligible fields includes nursing, IT, and engineering. If you fit into this category, you can breathe a little easier.
B. General Employment Permit
If you don’t happen to fall under one of the critical skills fields, you can still apply for a general permit. To qualify, jobs must pay minimum €30,000 and a Labour Market Needs Test must be performed. This basically just means that your prospective employer needs to show they first considered applicants from Ireland and the EU before deciding on an overseas candidate.
The Irish government has created this handy questionnaire to help determine if you’re eligible.
No matter which visa scheme or work permit works best for you, there’ll be a point where you’ll need to find a job and start bringing home some dough. There are several ways to find paid jobs that can be done either online before your arrival or once you’re in-country.
If you are applying for a work permit, you must have your job offer secured beforehand. My favorite site for job searches is Indeed.ie. You can also use IrishJobs.ie. Be sure to check with companies originating in your home country that may have offices in Ireland. For example, US companies like Facebook, Indeed, and Google all have branches in Dublin.
If you participate in a visa program, you can choose to start your search early or pound the pavement in your new town. For hostel and hospitality jobs, it’s best to show up in person with your resume. These jobs are highly sought after, especially in Dublin and larger cities like Galway. Making the rounds with your CV will allow you to demonstrate your shining personality to potential employers.
If you are a university student, check with your college. Paid opportunities exist on-campus. I worked at the University College Dublin library during my Master’s program. I made great connections, learned some new skills, and got paid to work flexible hours!
Whether you go for the general or critical skills employment permit, you will need the following:
For visa programs, requirements differ so check with the specific programs mentioned above.
Got everything? You’re almost there!
The online application system for work permits is easy and straightforward. Make sure you have all your documents ready and access to a scanner or camera as they will need to be uploaded. Thank goodness for modern technology.
Once you’ve submitted your application, you can check the processing times which are updated daily. If you are the type to compulsively check for updates, there is a page to enter your details to see the current status of your application.
Living in Ireland will teach you that most of life’s hardships can be shrugged off with a simple, “sure, it’s grand.” You’ll soon learn to kick back and enjoy the simple things, like a nice pint of stout with friends after work.
And if you stay long enough, the weather doesn’t seem half bad. 