Ireland Work Visa Requirements for South African Citizens
Over 15,000 South Africans currently call Ireland home. If they want to work, they have to have a work permit, which comes in several forms. Work permits are needed for all non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals who want to work in Ireland.
South Africans wanting work in Ireland can read this article to learn more about the work permit’s requirements. If you want further help, you should contact Immigration Advice Service online or at (+353) 061 518 025
What is the Irish Work Permit?
The Irish work permit gives you the right to work in the country for a maximum of two years. It can be renewed once this two-year period has elapsed. There are several types of work permits, but they generally exist to help the Irish economy to deal with its endemic skills shortages. You should match one of these types of work permits to your own needs and your eligibility.
Basic Eligibility Requirements for the Work Permit in Ireland
Despite there being multiple types of work permits, which are explained in more detail later in the article, there are several basic requirements that always apply. You can discover them below:
- You are a non-EEA citizen.
- Usually, you must have work already arranged in Ireland, and you have the qualifications, skills, and experience for the role.
- Your criminal record is clean at home and abroad.
- Your private health insurance includes full coverage for Irish private hospitals.
- Your passport is valid.
- An application fee of 1000 euros must be paid.
Please note that the Irish government is not concerned about who pays your application fee. You will need to come to an agreement with your prospective employer over who will pay it.
On top of these basic requirements, you will also need to fit the specific requirements of each individual type of employment permit.
Requirements of the Types of Work Permit
The Irish government expanded the basic work permit into several different permits through the Employment Permits Act (2006), which people from South Africa can now use for Irish work. The requirements of each permit are detailed in the section below. The types of employment permits are as follows:
- General
- Critical Skills Employment Permit.
- Dependant/Partner/Spouse.
- Intra-Company Transfer.
- Contract for Services
- Reactivation.
- Internship.
- Sport and Cultural.
- Exchange Agreement.
General Irish Work Permit
Overview
Most South Africans will need to get a general employment permit to get Irish work. The general employment permit requires you to match the following four requirements:
- Pay: Your salary must be at least 30,000 euros, but it can be lowered to 27,000 euros depending on your circumstances.
- Occupation: you must have an offer for a job in Ireland that is not on the Ineligible List of Occupations.
- The role must match the Labour Market Needs Test to prove that your employer could not find the right person in Ireland or the EEA.
- At least half the workforce needs to be Irish or from the EEA.
Critical Skills Employment Permit
A critical skills employment permit has similar requirements to the general employment permit for people from South Africa. However, it differs as it requires your role to be on the Critical Skills Occupations list, which includes roles primarily in the ICT, engineering, and technology industries.
Dependent/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit
The dependent/partner/spouse employment permit allows people from South Africa to work in any role, including those on the Ineligible List of Occupations and does not require you to have a job offer. However, it usually requires you to be the spouse, dependent, or partner of somebody on a Critical Skills Employment permit.
Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit
This work permit requires you to work for a multinational company wishing to bring South African workers to Irish headquarters temporarily.
Contract for Services Employment Permit
This permit requires you to work for a contractor that has been hired by an Irish public and private institution. You are also required to be on a foreign payroll.
Reactivation Employment Permit
Some people from South Africa fall through the cracks of the employment permit system in a way that isn’t their fault. To be eligible, you must be able to prove that you have been mistreated in an Irish workplace or something else has happened that wasn’t your fault while you were on a work permit.
Internship Employment Permit
The Internship Employment permit requires you to be a foreign student looking to get work placements in Ireland to gain experience. To be eligible for this permit, you must be in full-time tertiary education and have an active offer for a placement. Furthermore, the placement must be related to one of the occupations listed on the Critical Skills List.
Sport and Cultural Employment Permits
This type of employment permit requires you to be a sporting or cultural talent from abroad with the opportunity to work within the Irish entertainment and sports industry. To be eligible, you must be a professional sportsperson signed by an Irish team, or a touring artist, musician, actor, or some other type of entertainer.
Exchange Agreement Employment Permit
There are several agreements with other nations made via the Exchange Agreement Employment Permit, each of which come with unique requirements. The main exchange agreements that South Africans wishing to work in Ireland should be aware of are AIESEC and IAESTE. These agreements r
Requirements when you Apply for a Work Permit
You or your employer can apply for a work permit, but the requirements will always be the same. You will make your application to the Employer Permits Section, which is a part of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. They are currently using EPOS (Employment Permits Online System) to receive applications.
In the application, you may be required to provide the following information for permits, which require you to already have a job offer:
- The type of work and confirmation that the company follows the 50:50 rule if necessary.
- Your residency status and previous time spent (resident or visitor) in Ireland.
- Your qualifications and experience that mean you are suited for the role.
- The role’s start date.
- Your expected pay and hours worked per week.
- You and your employer’s contact details.
You or your employer will also need to pay the application fee of 1000 euros.
Required Documentation
Critical documentation will substantiate the claims that you make in your application so that you can live and work in Ireland. This includes the following:
- A valid passport.
- A PPS number if you are a PPS number holder.
- Evidence of your status in Ireland, such as a residence permit card.
- Certificates for the qualifications mentioned in your application.
- A Revenue Commissioner’s statement to confirm the validity of your employer.
- A copy of the role’s job advertisements.
- Your employment contract, signed by your employer and yourself.
- Licensing information to prove you are able to operate any machinery required by the role.
Appealing if You Are Refused
Failure to meet these requirements could result in your application being refused or even rejected in extreme cases, stopping you attempt to live and work in Ireland. If your application has just been refused, you will be allowed to appeal, but you must do so within 30 days of receiving your refusal.
The primary requirement of the appeal is to complete a “submission of a decision for review”. This document asks for your personal information and then requires you to detail why you are eligible for an employment permit and should be awarded it. Once you have completed the document, you must send it to the Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation.
How can IAS help?
Thousands of South African workers want to come to Ireland to work, but the process is very complicated. There are several employment permits to choose from, each of which has unique requirements. These requirements must be completed with a lot of accuracy if you stand a chance of having your employment permit accepted.
IAS will be immensely helpful during your application, giving you access to an immigration lawyer with experience helping people from South Africa to come to Ireland for work. They will assist you in completing and submitting your application and will keep an eye on the progress of your application to update you on any developments.
IAS could be the team for you to finally get the chance to work in Ireland. Contact us at te. Alternatively, you can visit us online.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Immigration Advice Service before making any decisions based on the content provided.
Last modified on September 15th, 2023 at 4:54 pm
Advice Package
Comprehensive immigration advice tailored to your circumstances and goals.
Application Package
Designed to make your visa application as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Fast Track Package
Premium application service that ensures your visa application is submitted to meet your deadline.
Appeal Package
Ensure you have the greatest chance of a successful appeal. We will represent you in any case.
The Advice Package
With our untimed Advice Session, our professional immigration lawyers will review your case and provide you with comprehensive advice, completely tailored to your needs and your situation.
The Application Package
With our Application Package, your dedicated caseworker will advise you on your application process and eligibility. Your legal advisor will then complete and submit your forms to the Home Office on your behalf.
The Fast Track Package
Our Fast-Track Application Package is a premium service for those who need to submit their application in time with their deadlines. Your case will become a top priority for our lawyers and you will benefit from our highest-quality services.
The Appeal Package
By choosing our Appeal Package, you can rely on our lawyers’ legal knowledge and experience to ensure you have the highest chance of a successful appeal. We will also fully represent you in any hearings/tribunals.
Related pages for your continued reading.
FAQ
The application fee is undeniably expensive whether you or your boss decides to pay it. This cost is alarming if your application is denied, as there will be no return on your investment.
If your application is completely rejected, you will not be able to get your application fee back. However, refused applications can have 90% of the fee refunded. Therefore, you will only lose 100 euros.
However, you will have to wait for the refund to be processed before you get your money back. This usually takes eight weeks.
As with the deposit refund, the standard processing time is eight weeks. However, there is some variation in this depending on a few factors.
Firstly, applications with discrepancies in them will usually take longer to process. If the government has to contact you to clarify details or must refuse or reject your application, you can usually expect to have a longer time to wait.
Furthermore, you can expect a longer wait if you apply during a busy time. The Employment Permit Section may have a backlog and will take longer to get to your application.
Standard employment permits to live and work in Ireland last for two years. In most cases, you will be able to renew the permit for another two years, and you will need to apply for an employment permit extension with the Employment Permit Section.
However, remember that the eight-week processing time also applies to renewals. Make sure that you leave plenty of time for processing so you don’t have a gap between your employment permits.
