Right to Work & Hiring Eligibility
Before any candidate is assessed for a permit, check whether they need one at all. A meaningful share of the candidates you will meet already have the right to work in Ireland, no sponsorship required.
Who can work for you with no permit
EEA, UK and Swiss citizens
Free movement: no permit or visa needed to work in Ireland.
Stamp 4 holders
Full, unrestricted right to work for any employer, no permit required.
Stamp 1G graduates
Graduates of Irish third-level institutions can work without a permit for the duration of their Stamp 1G, typically up to 24 months.
Spouses/partners of Critical Skills permit holders
Issued Stamp 1G in their own right, which carries the same unrestricted work permission.
Stamp 3 holders in specific circumstances
Usually cannot work, but check the individual's specific conditions: some carry work permission attached.
Always check the specific stamp and its conditions on the candidate's IRP card or letter of permission: conditions vary by individual case, and this list covers the common patterns, not every exception.
Roles no permit can cover
The Ineligible Occupations List blocks a permit application outright, regardless of salary offered. It exists to protect roles where DETE judges the domestic and EEA labour supply is sufficient. As of the current list, this includes:
- Most retail sales roles
- General administration and clerical roles
- General catering roles (chef de partie and above on the Critical Skills list are the exception)
- Hairdressing and beauty services
- General operative and labouring roles outside the specific sectors DETE has opened
- Childcare workers (with narrow exceptions)
Checking a candidate fast
Ask for three things before you invest time in an application: their current immigration stamp (from their IRP card), whether the role matches the Critical Skills or Ineligible list, and their highest qualification with the date it was awarded. Those three facts answer most eligibility questions on their own.