Information & Advocacy Services
Information & Advocacy Services
If you are a citizen of a non-EEA country you may not have automatic permission to work in Ireland. You may need to obtain an Employment Permit in order to work. According to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation citizens of non-EEA countries who do not require Employment Permits include:
General Employment Permits are issued for up to 2 years. Generally the salary must be €30,000 or more and the employer must have carried out a labour market test. The cost for a 2 year work permit is €1000. After 12 months working in the country, work permit holders can apply for their family members to join them. For a list of eligible jobs and further information go to: www.djei.ie.
Critical Skills Employment Permits are issued for jobs where the salary is over €60,000. Green card permits are also issued for certain jobs where the salary is between €30,000 and €59,999, for an up-to-date list of eligible jobs go to: www.djei.ie. There is no labour market test. There must be a job offer of 2 or more years. Critical Skills Employment Permit holders can apply for immediate family re-unification.
Dependent/Partner/Spousal Employment Permits are issued to spouses, partners or dependents (who came to Ireland before they were 18 years of age). If the main employment permit holder is a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder, a Green Card Permit holder or a Researcher then:
What else do I need to work in Ireland?
You should have a Personal Public Service (PPS) number. Your PPS number is a unique reference number which your employer uses to make the required tax and social insurance contributions on your behalf. You also use your PPS number when accessing social welfare and health benefits.
You apply through the Department of Social Protection. Not all social welfare offices issue PPS numbers so you should contact your local social welfare office to get information on where to go. Alternatively follow this link: http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Personal-Public-Service-Number-Registration-Centres-by-Count.aspx
In order to receive a PPS number, you need to show you have a reason for needing one. For example, you have a job offer or you need to apply for a social welfare payment or child benefit.
Go to this page for detailed information on the PPS number, process and requirements: http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/ppsn.aspx
Usually 5 working days from the date you applied.
This will depend on the nature of the qualification and the country where it was obtained. It may be possible for you to get formal recognition of your qualification in Ireland. Quality and Qualifications Ireland provides a way of relating foreign qualifications to the nearest comparable qualification in Ireland. You should contact Quality and Qualifications Ireland. This service is free of charge.
Quality and Qualifications Ireland
26/27 Denzille Lane
Telephone: 01 9058100
Website: www.qqi.ie
CVs can take many formats. The most important criteria are that your CV is clear and easy to read. It should contain personal contact details, educational history, relevant skills or interests and most importantly work experience details.
Volunteering can also be a great way of gaining work experience in Ireland: www.volunteeringireland.ie
In Dublin you can also contact:
Intreo is a single point of contact for all employment services and income supports. For more information you should check out their website: www.intreo.ie or call in to your local Intreo office.
If you have stamp 1 and have been made redundant you can register with FÁS otherwise FÁS will only register people who have stamp 4.
You can also contact your Local Employment Service (LES): www.localemploymentservices.ie
You can check local and national newspapers: The Irish Times and The Irish Examiner (job supplement on Fridays), The Irish Independent (job supplement on Thursdays), The Sunday Independent and The Evening Herald.
Use personal contacts, for example, relatives or friends who may know of current vacancies.
You can also check the internet for details of current vacancies – here is a sample of some websites for job-seekers:
The Department of Social Protection runs the EmployAbility Service to assist jobseekers with a disability to find employment in the open labour market.
To avail of the EmployAbility Service, call into your local Intreo Office or Social Welfare Office.
There are two categories of payments for unemployed people: Jobseeker’s Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance. To qualify for either of these you must be:
It is important to note that you can get part-time or casual work and still be considered unemployed. So you may be eligible for a part-payment if you are in part-time or casual work.
This payment is based on insurance contributions paid while in employment in Ireland (PRSI) or another country covered by EC Regulations (see Social Welfare Section). You will qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit if:
To apply you must register (sign-on) with the Department of Social Protection at your local Social Welfare Office. You should apply straight away because Jobseeker’s Benefit is not paid for the first 3 days you are unemployed. Complete Form UP1 and bring this to your local Social Welfare Office.
If your claim for Jobseeker’s Benefit is refused, you have the right to appeal the decision. If you still do not qualify, you may be eligible for Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
To qualify you must:
You can claim Jobseeker’s allowance for as long as you need, as long as you satisfy all the requirements.
You must complete Form UP1 and bring it to your local social welfare office.
If your claim for Jobseeker’s Allowance is refused, you have the right to appeal the decision. If you still do not qualify, you may be entitled to other payments. You can contact your Community Welfare Officer (CWO) in your local Health Centre or you can contact your local social welfare office for further information.
If you have lost your job www.redundancy.ie provides practical information in English.
Information on all social welfare payments is available at: www.welfare.ie and www.gettingbacktowork.ie
Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed represents the interests and views of all unemployed people and their dependents at a national level: www.inou.ie
Araby House, 8 North Richmond Street, Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 8560090
Email: info@inou.ie
If you are from a non-EEA country you may need business permission to start a business in Ireland depending on your immigration status.
You do not need to get business permission if you:
For further details see: www.inis.gov.ie or contact the INIS about Investor and Entrepreneur Schemes: investmentstartup@justice.ie
What help can I get if I want to start a business in Ireland?
Enterprise Ireland provides advisory and financial support to High Potential Start-Up businesses and encourages all forms of entrepreneurship: www.enterpriseireland.ie
City and County Enterprise Boards support the start up and development of local businesses in Ireland. This includes advice, mentoring and grants or financial supports for training and growth: www.enterpriseboards.ie
Chambers Ireland: A chamber of commerce is an organisation made up of local business representatives who join together to promote the economic and social development of their community in order to make it a better place in which to live, work and do business: www.chambers.ie
Toil and Trouble is an excellent guide on the various procedures that you need to go through to become self-employed in Ireland.
This project is co-financed by the European Commission under the European Integration Fund
and is supported by the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration in the Dept of Justice & Equality & Pobal.