The Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) is designed to attract the skills Ireland genuinely needs, from software engineers and data specialists to doctors, nurses and quantity surveyors. Because the State wants these workers to stay, the permit comes with the best conditions of any Irish work permit: no advertising requirement, the fastest route to permit-free residence, and your spouse or partner can work as soon as they register.
The trade-off is precision. The role must sit on the Critical Skills Occupations List (or clear a higher salary bar if it does not), the job offer must run at least two years, and the paperwork must line up exactly. That is where we come in.
Made for people like you
ICT and engineering professionals
Developers, data and cloud specialists, and most engineering disciplines sit on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
Healthcare professionals
Doctors, nurses, midwives and many allied health roles qualify, subject to Irish professional registration.
Skilled hires with a 2-year offer
You have a job offer of at least 24 months from an Irish-registered employer at or above the salary floor.
Professionals moving with family
You want your spouse or partner beside you from day one, with the right to work as soon as they register.
Do you qualify?
Two doors into the CSEP: a listed occupation with a relevant degree at €40,904 or more, or almost any non-ineligible occupation at €68,911 or more.
You will need
- A job offer of at least 2 years from a company registered with Revenue and the CRO and trading in Ireland
- A role on the Critical Skills Occupations List paying at least €40,904, plus a degree relevant to the role
- Or any role not on the ineligible list paying at least €68,911, with a relevant degree or equivalent experience
- Professional registration where the role is regulated, for example NMBI for nurses or the Medical Council for doctors
- An employer where at least half the staff are EEA nationals (the 50:50 rule)
This route is not for you if
- The salary on offer is below €40,904, look at the General Employment Permit instead
- The job offer is shorter than 24 months
- The role is on the ineligible occupations list
- You want to work as a self-employed contractor rather than an employee
Critical Skills vs General, at a glance
Critical Skills Employment Permit
Fast track- Salary floor
- €40,904 (listed role + degree)
- Labour market test
- Not required
- Stamp 4 after
- 21 months
- Family
- Immediate, spouse works on Stamp 1G
- Job offer
- Minimum 2 years
General Employment Permit
- Salary floor
- €36,605 (most roles)
- Labour market test
- Required, 28 days
- Stamp 4 after
- 57 months
- Family
- After 12 months + income test
- Job offer
- No 2-year minimum
How the journey works
- 01
Confirm the role and salary
Day 1We map your job title to the Critical Skills Occupations List, check the duties actually match, and confirm the salary clears the current threshold with room to spare.
- 02
Gather documents on both sides
Week 1You collect your passport, degree and registration documents; the employer confirms company registration, the contract and the job description. We check everything against the DETE checklist before anything is filed.
- 03
Submit through Employment Permits Online
Week 1-2The application is lodged on the EPOS portal with the €1,000 fee. The employer needs an EPOS employer portal registration first, and DETE asks for applications at least 12 weeks before the start date. Either the employer or the employee can apply; we make sure whoever files it gets every field right.
- 04
DETE processing and any follow-up
The Department reviews the application. New Critical Skills applications are currently decided in a few weeks. If DETE raises a query, we help you respond quickly and completely.
- 05
Visa, travel and registration
Visa-required nationals apply for an entry visa once the permit issues. After arrival you register with immigration, receive your IRP card with Stamp 1 and can start work.
- 06
Count down to Stamp 4
Month 21After 21 months of employment on the permit, evidenced by your Revenue Employment Detail Summary, you apply to Immigration Service Delivery for Stamp 4, which lets you live and work in Ireland without any employment permit.
What to gather
Start collecting these early. Weak or missing documents are the most common avoidable cause of delays and refusals.
Passport bio page
Valid for the full permit period
Signed employment contract
At least 24 months, salary stated clearly
Detailed job description
Duties matched to the listed occupation
Degree certificate and transcripts
Relevant to the role for the €40,904 band
Professional registration
Where the role is regulated, e.g. NMBI, Medical Council
Employer company details
CRO number and Revenue registration
Passport-standard photo
Recent, plain background
Current IRP card
If you are already in Ireland
Salary evidence
Offer letter or payslips if switching permits
Up-to-date CV
Consistent with the application details
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Employment permit application | €1,000 | Covers up to 24 months. Paid on application, by employer or employee. |
| Refund if refused or withdrawn | 90% back | €900 is refunded to the applicant; the refund request form issues with the decision letter. |
| Entry visa (visa-required nationals) | €60-€100 | Single entry €60, multi entry €100. |
| IRP registration | €300 | Per adult, each time you register or renew your permission. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
Government fees are set by DETE and ISD and can change. We confirm the current figures with you before anything is paid.
How long it takes
Guide figures from current official processing information. Individual cases vary.
DETE decision
2-3 weeks
Current queue for new Critical Skills applications, per DETE's published processing dates. File at least 12 weeks before the start date.
Entry visa, if required
Around 8 weeks
Applies to visa-required nationals after the permit issues; times vary by visa office.
IRP registration
A few weeks
Appointment after you arrive, then up to 15 working days for the card to be delivered.
Review, if refused
6+ months
The current review queue, which is exactly why getting it right first time matters.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
Salary drops below the threshold
The salary must meet the threshold in force when your application is received. Thresholds moved on 1 March 2026 and will move again under the national roadmap that runs to 2030.
Avoid it: Offer a salary with a buffer above €40,904 and check the current figure the week you file.
Duties do not match the listed occupation
DETE assesses the actual duties, not the job title. A 'software engineer' whose described work reads like IT support will be refused.
Avoid it: Write the job description around the real duties of the listed occupation and keep it consistent with the contract.
No relevant degree for the €40,904 band
The lower salary band requires a degree relevant to the role. An unrelated qualification pushes you into the €68,911 band.
Avoid it: Have your qualification assessed against the role before applying, or budget for the higher band.
Employer fails the 50:50 rule
Permits are refused where more than half of the employer's workforce is non-EEA, unless a startup exemption applies.
Avoid it: Check the workforce mix early. Startups within two years of registering as an employer with Revenue can seek a waiver, backed by an Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland support letter.
Contract shorter than 24 months
The CSEP requires a job offer of at least two years. Fixed-term contracts of 12 or 18 months do not qualify.
Avoid it: Ask the employer for a 24-month or permanent contract before filing.
Inconsistencies across documents
Different salaries, titles or start dates on the contract, the application form and the job description are the classic avoidable refusal.
Avoid it: Have one person cross-check every figure on every document. This is part of our standard review.
Common questions
How is this different from the General Employment Permit?+
The CSEP covers listed high-demand occupations, needs no labour market test, reaches Stamp 4 in 21 months rather than 57, and your spouse or partner can join immediately and work without their own permit. The GEP covers far more occupations but with slower benefits.
Can my spouse or partner really work straight away?+
Yes. Spouses, civil partners and recognised de facto partners of CSEP holders register with immigration and receive Stamp 1G, which lets them take up employment without an employment permit of their own.
What happens after 21 months?+
You apply directly to Immigration Service Delivery for Stamp 4. Since November 2023 there is no separate support letter step from DETE. Stamp 4 lets you work for any employer, change careers or start a business.
Can I change employer on a CSEP?+
Yes. After 9 months on your first permit you can use the change of employer process under the Employment Permits Act 2024 to move to a new employer within the same occupation category without a brand-new application.
What if I am made redundant?+
Notify DETE within 4 weeks of redundancy. You then have up to 6 months to find a new qualifying job, and we can help you plan the fastest route back onto a permit.
Do I need an English language test?+
No. Employment permits have no language test requirement. Regulated professions may have their own registration requirements, which can include language competence.
What if the application is refused?+
You have 28 days to request a review by a separate, more senior official, and 90% of the fee is refunded on a refusal. Often the stronger move is a corrected fresh application; we advise on which route fits your case.
Does time on the CSEP count towards citizenship?+
Yes. Residence on Stamp 1 as a permit holder and on Stamp 4 is reckonable for naturalisation, which generally requires 5 years of reckonable residence within the last 9.
Grounded in official sources
Ready to talk through your next step?
Book a consultation with our team and leave with a clear, personal plan grounded in the official rules.
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