Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit
Ireland's Critical Skills Employment Permit has three remuneration tiers, each tied to its own qualification condition; it is exempt from the Labour Market Needs Test and leads directly to a Stamp 4 on expiry.
Core requirements
The occupation must fall within those identified as strategically important to the State, such as ICT professionals, professional engineers and technologists. The list is set from analyses by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.
Restricted strategically important occupations: €40,904 a year, with a relevant degree qualification or higher.
Where the qualification was obtained within the 12 months before the application, the threshold drops to €36,848. This tier applies only in that case, not to recent graduates generally.
All other occupations: €68,911 a year, and at this level a degree is not required provided the necessary experience is held.
A two-year job offer in respect of the eligible occupation.
No Labour Market Needs Test is required, so the employer does not first have to show the role could not be filled locally or within the EEA.
Nurses and midwives need a third-level degree or diploma accepted by the Nursing and Midwifery Board.
When the permit expires you can apply directly to the Department of Justice for a Stamp 4, after which you may reside and work without a further employment permit and are no longer tied to one employer.
Official sources
- Critical Skills Employment PermitDepartment of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland) · Reviewed 2026-09-06
How immigration works in Ireland — the process in order, the current figures with their dates, and what commonly blocks an application.
General educational information only, not personalized immigration or legal advice. Requirements can change; confirm them with the responsible government authority before acting. Next scheduled review: 2026-12-06.