If your business is preparing to expand into Ireland, it’s likely that you will be bringing in employees from abroad to work on the expansion operation. To do this, you may need work visas for Ireland.
However, obtaining your Ireland work visas can be a difficult process, with different types of visas to choose from, complex regulations, and waiting times all contributing to the difficulties.
At Horizons, our expansion experts offer an extensive range of Ireland work visa solutions, immigration support, and outsourcing, to help your business hire foreign employees in Ireland and expand more effectively.
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Standard requirements for Ireland work visas
Ireland is in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA), so EU/EAA nationals do not need visas to live and work in the country. For non-EU/EEA nationals, the requirements are a lot more strict, and there are multiple visas to choose from, all with differing requirements. However, there are some general requirements that most applicants will need to fulfill:
- Valid passport
- Completed application form
- Application fees
- Passport photos
- Job offer
- Biometrics
- Proof of sufficient finances
- Proof of qualifications/work experience
Different types of Ireland visas
For any non-EU/EEA national, there are various Ireland visa options to suit specific circumstances, so you will need to determine which is most relevant for your employees. Some of the most common visas are:
- Working holiday visas
- Critical skills employment permits
- Intra-company transfer permits
- Family permits
- Reactivation permits
For most foreign employees, the intra-company transfer or critical skills employment permits are likely to be the most useful. However, for the critical skills employment permit, the role in question must pay at least €60,000/year or €30,000/year for highly skilled positions.
How to obtain an Ireland work visa
Before traveling, your employees will generally need to obtain immigration permission to work in Ireland. The application can be completed online via the government website.
After receiving permission to work, your employees will need to apply for their visa, which can also be done online via the government website. Throughout the process, you will be provided with all the necessary details about what documentation you need and where to send it.
Once the visas/permits are approved, your employees can travel to Ireland and commence employment.
Additional considerations
It is recommended that employees begin their Ireland work visa applications three months before needing to start work to ensure everything will be processed in time.
All applications and supporting documents must be provided in either English or Irish language, so you may need to translate some of the documents depending on where they originate.
You should also consider whether a multi-entry visa may be necessary, as your employees will generally need one if they plan to leave and return to Ireland.
