How Do I Hire Non-EU Citizens In Ireland?
Stamp this, stamp that, stamp the other. What does it all mean? You have found the PERFECT candidate but you simply do not understand if you can hire them based on their visa status – sounds familiar, right? We do not claim to be immigration specialists but we do deal with candidates frequently who are on various permits.
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How To Hire Non-EU Citizens
There have also been recent changes for partners of critical skills visa holders (click here).
So, let’s start at the beginning, what is a work permit? Simply put, a work permit is a document issued to people of non-EU residence to allow them to reside, work or study in Ireland for a specified period of time. There are various categories (click here for more details). Here are some of the more frequent Visas we come across:
Stamp 1
Individuals entitled to work subject to the terms of the relevant valid employment permit.
Stamp 1G
Individuals who have finished their studies are entitled to look for employment under the Third Level Graduate Programme.
Stamp 2
Students attending a recognised full-time course of at least one year. They are permitted to work for 20 hours a week during term time and full time (40 hours per week) during holidays.
Stamp 2A
Students who are attending a course not recognised by the Department of Education and Science. They are not permitted to work.
Stamp 3
Individuals who are not permitted to work. This includes visitors; retired people of independent means; ministers of religion and members of religious orders; and spouses and dependents of employment permit holders – their work rights have been updated recently, click here for more information.
Stamp 4
Individuals are permitted to work without an employment permit or business permission. Applies to spouses of Irish nationals; family members of EEA citizens; refugees and parents of an Irish citizen child who have been granted leave to remain.
Stamp 5
Individuals are permitted to stay in Ireland without limits on time, subject to other conditions.
Stamp 6
Individuals are Irish citizens with dual-citizenship.
In Practice . . .
Simply put, people who are a holder of Stamp 4, 5 and 6 have not encountered many issues when looking to get hired.
Let’s imagine you have found an ideal candidate who not only fits the technical specifications but has an excellent culture fit for your business but then you discover the individual requires sponsorship and you have no idea what to expect….
Oh, I hate to break it to you, but it is by no means a straight forward process:
I have investigated this for my clients and spoken with some people and you have to start your application here. I believe it can take around 12 weeks, but really depends on the quality of how all documents are completed and so on.
There is another option - become a 'trusted partner'. The application takes around 3 weeks but to become a trusted partner there are criteria to be met, click here.
Need Help?
If you are hiring for specific Skillset and find you are really struggling, we can help source Technology and Finance candidates on your behalf.
As we only work with a select client base, we deliver well on an ongoing basis.
Contact info@ttrmail.com or call us on +353 (0) 1 564 9602.