Ireland is one of the few European countries that lets skilled workers bring their family quickly and aim for permanent residence. The route for most Indian engineers and IT professionals is the Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit. This guide explains the 2026 salary thresholds, who is eligible, what the permit costs, how long you must stay with your employer and what your family can do.
Quick answer
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment describes the permit as designed to attract highly skilled people into the labour market, with the aim of encouraging them to take up permanent residence in Ireland. It replaced the Green Card permit. Eligible occupations – such as ICT professionals, professional engineers and technologists – are those considered critically important to growing Ireland’s economy and in significant shortage, as set out in the Critical Skills Occupations List.
| Category | Minimum annual remuneration | Other conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List | EUR 40,904 | A relevant degree or higher is required |
| Same occupations, qualification received within the 12 months before applying | EUR 36,848 | A recent graduate |
| Any other occupation that is not on the Ineligible Occupations List | Over EUR 68,911 | Without a degree you need the necessary level of experience |
| Public sector roles covered by a pay agreement | The rate of pay under that agreement | Includes Section 38 employers |
Remuneration is made up of components the Department specifies: it starts with a basic salary that at least meets the minimum wage or a legally fixed rate, and certain other payments such as some health insurance payments can count. Bonuses are excluded from the annual figure on the application, so check your contract against the Department’s remuneration criteria.
Either the prospective employee or the employer can apply. The permit is issued to the employee, with a certified copy to the employer, and allows you to work for the named employer, in the named occupation and at the named location. The job offer must be for at least 2 years.
You are expected to stay with the first employer for at least 9 months. A new permit for a different employer cannot be considered if less than 9 months have passed since you started work on a permit. Exceptions can apply if you are made redundant or if circumstances you could not have foreseen fundamentally change the employment relationship.
Watch out
Immigration permissions and fees change. Treat this guide as a map and check the Department’s page and the Critical Skills Occupations List before you accept a job offer.
Compare other countries in our guides to the Germany work visa routes, the Netherlands highly skilled migrant visa and the New Zealand AEWV. You can also read about the Europe job seeker visa for IT professionals.
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | General Employment Permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Job offer length | At least 2 years | The Department says a General Employment Permit may be applied for where the offer is shorter than 2 years |
| Labour Market Needs Test | Not required, because the skills are in short supply | Check the Department’s General Employment Permit page |
| Aim of the permit | To attract highly skilled people and encourage permanent residence | Employment in occupations that are not critical skills |
EUR 40,904 for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List (a relevant degree is required), EUR 36,848 if you received your qualification within the 12 months before applying, and over EUR 68,911 for other eligible occupations.
Yes. You need a job offer of at least 2 years from an employer based and trading in Ireland. For offers shorter than 2 years, a General Employment Permit may be an option.
The processing fee is EUR 1,000. If the application is unsuccessful, 90% of the fee is refunded.
Once your dependants are resident in Ireland, your spouse or partner can seek any employment and apply for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit, which is currently issued free of charge.
Not within 9 months of starting work on the permit, except in cases such as redundancy or fundamentally changed circumstances that could not have been foreseen when you applied.
Facts on this page were checked against the official sources listed at the end on 23 October 2026. Immigration rules, fees and thresholds change often, so confirm the current figure on the official site before you apply.
Thinking about working in Ireland? Our Ireland immigration consultants in Hyderabad check your occupation, salary and documents before you accept an offer. Book a free consultation or call +91 95055 15154. See all our work visa services.
