Ireland

Immigrating to Ireland has become popular and this is fuelled by the strong economy and immigration services which are less complicated than many other popular migration destinations. Ireland offers top class companies and working conditions and the country boasts itself with a low unemployment and low crime rates. Ireland also offers great healthcare and education as well as a rich cultural history and sense of national identity.

The great benefit of Irish visas is that they examine the skills, experience and qualifications of those wishing to live and work in Ireland; however, unlike making a visa application in countries such as the USA, Canada and the UK with options such as the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme or HSMP, Ireland does not impose points based assessments on potential migrants.

It is essential to get the right class of Irish visa for your individual needs. Global Visas is there to help you identify where your strength and we will steer you through the structure of Irish immigration. At Global Visas we will help you to assess your eligibility and ensure that you apply for the appropriate route for your relocation to Ireland. We have a team of immigration consultants who provide specialist immigration lawyer advice at every stage of the application process and progress can be monitored throughout.

Long term visas for Ireland

In Ireland, work visa applications fall into three categories, the Irish work permit, The Irish Green Card and the Intra Company Transfer or ICT. Irish work permits function in a similar manner to a UK work permit application or the L1 visa in the United States being a long-term immigration route designed to allow Irish companies to employ foreign nationals to perform a specific job. Like UK work permits the Irish model is also based upon the need for a guaranteed job offer to be in place. In the same way, Irish Intra Company Transfers follow the same principle as UK ICT's, designed specifically to allow a company to transfer the skills and experience of staff from a foreign branch or subsidiary for an agreed period in order to undertake a specific position or project. In Ireland, visas of this kind are intended as a temporary measure and applicants must return to their country of residence when the grant expires.

For positions which offer sufficient remuneration, candidates may obtain an Irish Green Card, which offers the possibility of applying for permanent residence in Ireland after only two years, rather than the usual five year minimum residency period. However, unlike the USA Green Card, the Irish version is not in itself a grant of permanent residence. The popularisation of the term Green Card when referring to the US immigration route can make the term Irish Green Card seem misleading; although Irish Green Cards may ultimately lead to the opportunity to apply for permanent residence and in time a grant of Irish citizenship, they in fact function much like working permits.

Visit visas

Applying for an Irish tourist visa to enter the country on a temporary basis allows foreign nationals to visit Ireland for a period of no longer than three months. When the three-month period expires, applicants must return to their country of residence. Irish visit visas often referred to as travel visas or entry visas function in a similar manner to UK visit visas and their equivalents in several different countries. These temporary immigration services do not permit applicants to work and are issued on the basis that candidates will return to their home country.

Studying in Ireland

An Irish student visa allows a candidate to study in Ireland for the duration of their course. Like a working permit for Ireland, study visa applications require an offer, in this case of a place on a full time course of study, to be pre-arranged. Irish study visas are granted for the time it takes to complete the specified course and are intended as a temporary solution. However, with the introduction of the Graduate Programme, some applicants may be able to switch to a permit for work subject to receiving a qualifying offer of employment, and remain in Ireland beyond the expiry of the student permit.

Spouse immigration and Dependent immigration

Applicants who are allowed to move to Ireland are permitted to have their spouses/dependents move to Ireland with the main applicant. Relatives moving to Ireland through this type of family visa class are generally granted leave to remain in Ireland which matches the duration of that awarded to the principle applicant. Candidates who immigrate with the main applicant to Ireland may apply for a spousal work permit or dependent work permit allowing them to seek and undertake employment during their time in the country.

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