Moving to Ireland
5 routes for people from the US, Canada and the UK, each checked against official sources. Find the one that fits, then check it with the source before you apply.
Retire or live on savings
Ireland retirement / independent means visa
Permission to reside as a person of independent means (Stamp 0)
Retirees and others with a large, secure passive income (pensions, investments) who will not work in Ireland.
- What you need
- Verifiable individual income from accessible sources such as pensions or investments (not speculative investments) (EUR 50,000 a year)
- Married couple: combined income reported as EUR 100,000 a year (can come mostly from one spouse) (EUR 100,000 a year)
- Access to a lump sum to cover sudden major expenses; no official amount published
- Private medical insurance with full cover for emergencies and hospital stays
- Not for
- Anyone who needs to work or run a business in Ireland (not allowed without specific permission)
- People relying on Irish State benefits (not accessible)
- Remote workers
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. Non-visa-required nationals (US, Canada, Australia) apply by post/online to Immigration Service Delivery using the TPER form before travelling, receive a Conditional Letter of Offer, then travel and register for an IRP. Visa-required nationals need an entry visa first. British citizens need no permission (Common Travel Area).
- How long it takes
- Not officially stated.
- First permit
- Typically 1 year (secondary source)
- Renewal
- Annually, if the financial criteria are still met.
- Family
- Spouse can be included (couple figure EUR 100,000 combined, secondary source). Rules for children not confirmed.
A job offer
Irish Critical Skills permit
Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP)
Graduates and experienced professionals with a 2-year job offer in Ireland in an occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List, or any eligible job paying EUR 68,911+.
- What you need
- Minimum annual remuneration for a job on the Critical Skills Occupations List, holder has a relevant degree or higher (EUR 40,904 a year)
- Lower threshold if the relevant qualification was received in the 12 months before applying (EUR 36,848 a year)
- Any occupation not on the ineligible list, with or without a degree (experience required if no degree) (EUR 68,911 a year)
- Job offer from an Irish employer for at least 2 years; holder expected to stay with the first employer for at least 9 months
- Relevant degree for the lower thresholds; no Labour Market Needs Test needed
- Not for
- Self-employed or remote workers for foreign employers
- Jobs under 2 years (use the General Employment Permit)
- Salaries below the thresholds; DETE rejects applications where the advertised salary is below the minimum
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. Employer or employee applies online to DETE (EPOS system) at least 12 weeks before the start date. US, Canadian and Australian citizens need no entry visa; they enter and register with Immigration Service Delivery (IRP card) after arrival. British citizens need no permit at all (Common Travel Area).
- How long it takes
- Not officially stated as a fixed time; DETE processes in date order by employer type (Trusted Partner or Standard) and publishes current processing dates on its site.
- First permit
- 2 years
- Renewal
- No CSEP renewal; after 2 years the holder applies to the Department of Justice for Stamp 4 (no support letter needed since 30 November 2023), granted for 2 years and renewable.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Spouse, partner and children can apply for immediate family reunification through Immigration Service Delivery; once resident, spouses/partners can work and may get a free Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit. No fixed extra income figure stated on the DETE page.
A job offer
Irish general work permit
General Employment Permit (GEP)
Workers with an Irish job offer in an occupation not on the ineligible list who do not qualify for the Critical Skills permit.
- What you need
- Standard minimum annual remuneration (basic salary plus qualifying health insurance payments) (EUR 36,605 a year)
- Lower threshold for horticulture workers, meat processor operatives, Health Care Assistants and Home Support Workers, plus minimum EUR 16.12/hour (EUR 32,691 a year)
- Lower threshold for graduates of an Irish third-level college within the previous 12 months (EUR 34,009 a year)
- Labour Market Needs Test usually required: employer advertises on DSP Employment Services/EURES and another platform (exempt at EUR 68,911+ and some other cases)
- Not for
- Occupations on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits
- Self-employed or remote work
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. Online to DETE (EPOS). US, Canadian, Australian citizens need no entry visa; register for an IRP after arrival. British citizens need no permit (Common Travel Area).
- How long it takes
- Not officially stated; DETE publishes current processing dates.
- First permit
- Usually 2 years
- Renewal
- Renewable for up to 3 more years; renew within 4 months before expiry.
- Longer term
- Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.
- Family
- Spouses/partners of GEP holders cannot use the Dependant Employment Permit and need their own permit to work. Family reunification timing and income rules for GEP holders are set by Immigration Service Delivery and were not confirmed in this check (commonly reported as after 12 months with an income test).
Family roots
Irish citizenship through a grandparent (FBR)
Foreign Births Register (Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, s.27)
Anyone with a grandparent born on the island of Ireland, or a parent who was an Irish citizen (not born in Ireland) and was registered or naturalized before the applicant's birth.
- What you need
- A grandparent born on the island of Ireland; or a parent who was an Irish citizen at the applicant's birth but not born in Ireland (great-grandparent lines work only if the parent was entered on the Register before the applicant was born). Citizenship runs from the date of registration, not from birth.
- Civil (long-form) birth certificates for applicant, parent and grandparent; marriage certificates; death certificates where applicable; certified identity documents witnessed by an approved witness; proof of address; photos.
- No language or residence requirement.
- Not for
- Great-grandchildren whose parent was not registered before their birth
- Where you apply
- From home, at a consulate. Online application with the Department of Foreign Affairs, then supporting documents posted to the Foreign Birth Registration unit; applicants anywhere can use it.
- How long it takes
- Not verified on an official page (ireland.ie blocked automated fetch). Oireachtas answer 2024: 8-9 months normal turnaround; 2025-2026 secondary sources report about 9-12 months from receipt of a complete application.
- First permit
- Not a permit: registration confers citizenship from the registration date.
- Renewal
- Not applicable.
0 - Family
- Each person applies; children born after a parent's registration can be registered through that parent. Spouses have no derived right.
Study
Irish student visa
Study permission (Stamp 2)
Students enrolled full-time in a course on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (degree or English language) who want limited part-time work rights.
- What you need
- Acceptance on a full-time course on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes
- Proof of funds; 2026 secondary guides cite EUR 10,000 per year (older guidance cited EUR 3,000 for English-language students) (EUR 10,000 a year)
- Private medical insurance
- Not for
- Self-employment
- Working more than 20 hours a week during term
- Stamp 2A (short or non-degree courses) has no work rights
- Where you apply
- From home or inside the country. US, Canadian, Australian citizens need no entry visa; they enter and register for an IRP card with Stamp 2. Visa-required nationals apply for a study visa first.
- How long it takes
- Not officially stated.
- First permit
- Usually 1 year, renewed annually for the course length
- Renewal
- Yearly with proof of attendance and progress; time limits apply to total years on student permission.
- Family
- Students generally cannot bring dependants on Stamp 2 (not verified in this check).