IrelandWork residence permit

Permit for shortage occupations in Ireland

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is an Irish work permit for specialists in shortage occupations such as IT and engineering. The permit is tied to a specific employer and role, is issued without a labour market test and opens a faster route to long-term resident status.

Visa term

Tied to the employer, at least 9 months with the first one, then a flexible status

Processing time

No official processing time is set; around 4–8 weeks

Work

Yes, for the employer in the stated role until Stamp 4

Residence

Employment; the 50:50 rule on EEA composition

Source: enterprise.gov.ie — Critical Skills employment permit

Who can obtain it

Eligibility for the permit is determined by the occupation and the salary level

An occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List, a degree required

A salary from EUR 40,904 a year
From EUR 36,848 a year — if the degree was awarded less than 12 months ago
A job offer for at least 2 years

Any occupation not on the Ineligible List, no degree required

A salary from EUR 68,911 a year
Relevant work experience is required instead of a degree
A job offer for at least 2 years

Nurses, midwives and the public sector

Nurses and midwives — a qualification recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
In the public sector the salary is set by the applicable pay agreement (including section 38 employers)
A job offer for at least 2 years

What it costs

Fee for processing the application	1 000 EUR

Documents to gather

What you need to prepare for the application

A job offer from an Irish employer for at least 2 years
A full description of the role and the start date
The annual remuneration excluding bonuses
Proof of the qualifications, skills and experience required for the role
For nurses and midwives — a qualification recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

How the process runs

How the process works

1
Filing the application
at least 12 weeks before the start date
The application is filed online through Employment Permits Online together with the fee.
2
Processing queue
The application is placed in a queue according to the type of employer — Trusted Partner or Standard — and is processed strictly by date of filing.
3
Assessment
28 days to respond to a request for further documents
The decision is taken by a department official with decision-making powers; where necessary they request further documents.
4
Appealing a refusal
28 days to submit a request for a review
If the application is refused you can submit a request for a review of the decision; it is considered by a more senior official.
5
Issue of the permit
The permit is issued to the applicant and a certified copy is sent to the employer. From that moment you can work for the named employer in the named role.

Who you can bring with you

What applies to the family

Spouse or de facto partner of a CSEP holder

Since 6 March 2019 no separate employment permit is required: Immigration Service Delivery grants Stamp 1 status with direct access to the labour market.

Other dependants (not a spouse or partner)

A separate Dependant Employment Permit is required: filing is free of charge, any vacancy is available except domestic operative, the salary must be at least the minimum wage and no labour market test is carried out. The permit is issued for no longer than the validity of the main holder’s permit — a maximum of 2 years on first issue and a maximum of 3 years on renewal.

Renewal and the grace period

The Critical Skills Employment Permit does not have to be renewed through the department. The holder applies directly to the Department of Justice for Stamp 4: if immigration conditions are met and the holder is of good standing, a permission to live and work without an employment permit is granted for 2 years and can be renewed. After 60 months on that status you can apply for long term residence.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Permit for shortage occupations	Residence permit for start-up entrepreneurs	Stamp 2 student permission
Visa term	Tied to the employer, at least 9 months with the first one, then a flexible status	The first permission is granted for 2 years	The permission is granted for the duration of the course
Grounds	Shortage occupations	Permission to live in Ireland and run an innovative start-up here	Permission to stay for full-time study on a programme from the ILEP list
Money	EUR 40,904 for some critical occupations with a degree; EUR 36,848 for graduates; EUR 68,911+ for other roles	The minimum funding is EUR 50,000 with proof of the source of funds	For a course longer than 8 months you have to show EUR 10,000
Residence	Employment; the 50:50 rule on EEA composition	Children of the entrepreneur born abroad receive stamp 4	The permission is registered with the ISD and stamp 2 is placed in the passport

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

A fast route to Stamp 4 after the qualifying period

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation through Stamp 4 and residence

Frequently asked questions about Permit for shortage occupations

Who can obtain a Critical Skills Employment Permit?

Holders of a job offer for at least 2 years in an occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List with a salary from EUR 40,904 a year (from EUR 36,848 if the degree was awarded less than 12 months ago), or in any occupation not on the Ineligible List with a salary from EUR 68,911 a year. Separate conditions apply to nurses, midwives and the public sector.

How much does it cost to file an application?

The processing fee is EUR 1,000. If the application is refused, 90% of the fee is returned to the applicant regardless of who paid it.

How long does processing take?

The department does not state an exact processing time. The application must be filed at least 12 weeks before the start date; further documents requested and appeals against a refusal are dealt with within 28 days. Applications are queued by type of employer — Trusted Partner or Standard.

Can you change employer while the permit is valid?

The holder must work for the first employer for at least 9 months — before that period ends a new permit for a different employer will not be issued, except in cases of redundancy or unforeseen changes to the working conditions.

What is the family of a permit holder entitled to?

A spouse and a de facto partner receive Stamp 1 status with direct access to the labour market, without a separate employment permit. Other dependants living with the permit holder need a Dependant Employment Permit, which is free of charge.

How does the CSEP differ from the General Employment Permit?

The CSEP is issued only against a job offer of at least 2 years and without a Labour Market Needs Test. For shorter contracts the General Employment Permit is suitable.

What happens once the permit expires?

No renewal through the department is needed — the holder applies directly to the Department of Justice for Stamp 4, which is granted for 2 years and can be renewed. After 60 months on that status you can apply for long term residence.

Other ways to move to Ireland

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Ireland.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.