There is no standalone 'graduate' permit. What exists is a reduced salary rate: for the 12 months after a relevant Level 8 or higher degree from an Irish third-level college, the General Employment Permit (GEP) drops its salary floor from €36,605 to €34,009 for you. It is the natural route where your role is not on the Critical Skills list but is not ineligible either.
Two things set this route apart from the Graduate Critical Skills option. First, the degree must be Irish, an award from an Irish third-level institution, awarded in the previous 12 months. Second, a Labour Market Needs Test still applies in most cases, so the job has to be advertised for at least 28 days before the application unless a waiver applies. We line up the salary, the adverts, the contract and the documents before anything is filed, and keep an eye on the 12-month rate window throughout.
Made for people like you
Irish-college graduates on Stamp 1G
You finished a relevant Level 8 or higher course at an Irish institution and are using the stay-back window to land a sponsoring employer.
Roles outside the Critical Skills list
Your job offer is in a role that is not on the Critical Skills list but is not on the Ineligible Occupations List either.
Graduates below the CSEP salary bar
The offer is under the Critical Skills floor but clears the €34,009 graduate rate on the General permit.
Employers keeping a graduate hire
You want to hold on to someone past their Stamp 1G and need the labour market test and application done right first time.
Do you qualify?
The logic runs in reverse compared to Critical Skills: instead of proving your role is on a list, you prove it is not on the Ineligible Occupations List, that the salary clears the €34,009 graduate rate, and in most cases that the job was genuinely offered to the local market first.
You will need
- A relevant qualification at NFQ Level 8 or above from an Irish third-level college, awarded within the previous 12 months
- A genuine job offer from a company registered with Revenue and the CRO and trading in Ireland, employing you directly
- A salary of at least the €34,009 graduate rate, counting basic pay plus qualifying health insurance only, not bonuses or allowances
- A role that is not on the Ineligible Occupations List
- A completed Labour Market Needs Test: 28 consecutive days on jobsireland.ie/EURES plus a second online platform, with the application filed within 90 days of first publication, unless a waiver applies
- An employer where at least half the staff are EEA nationals (the 50:50 rule), with waivers for genuine startups and where you would be the only employee
This route is not for you if
- Your degree is from outside Ireland, the €34,009 graduate rate is reserved for Irish third-level awards, though the Critical Skills graduate rate accepts any recognised institution
- Your award is below Level 8, or is more than 12 months old at application, in which case the standard €36,605 threshold applies
- The role is on the Ineligible Occupations List, which still covers most admin, retail and waiting staff, childminders, taxi drivers and domestic workers
- You want to work as a self-employed contractor; every employment permit requires a direct employer-employee relationship
The two graduate routes, side by side
Graduate General route
Broadest permit- Graduate salary rate
- €34,009
- Institution
- Irish third-level institutions only
- Award
- Level 8+, awarded within the previous 12 months
- Labour market test
- Required, 28 days, unless waived
- Job offer
- Most roles off the Ineligible List
- Stamp 4 after
- 57 months
- Family
- After 12 months, plus an income test
Graduate Critical Skills route
- Graduate salary rate
- €36,848
- Institution
- Any recognised third-level institution
- Award
- Level 8+, within 12 months of the application
- Labour market test
- Not required
- Job offer
- Minimum 2 years, role on the Critical Skills list
- Stamp 4 after
- 21 months
- Family
- Immediate, partner works on Stamp 1G
How the journey works
- 01
Map your two clocks
Day 1We pin down the exact date of your Irish award, which starts the 12-month graduate rate window, and the expiry of your Stamp 1G. Level 8 graduates get 12 months of 1G; Level 9 and above get 12 months with a further 12 on renewal if they can show genuine job seeking. Everything is planned backwards from whichever clock runs out first.
- 02
Confirm the occupation and graduate rate
Week 1We check the role against the Ineligible Occupations List, confirm the €34,009 graduate rate applies given your Irish Level 8+ award in the last 12 months, and confirm the salary clears it with room to spare before anyone spends money on adverts.
- 03
Run the Labour Market Needs Test, unless waived
Weeks 1-5The job is advertised on jobsireland.ie (which feeds EURES) and on one other online platform, each for at least 28 consecutive days, unamended for the full run. The advert must state the job description, employer name, minimum annual remuneration, location and hours. The application must follow within 90 days of first publication.
- 04
Gather documents on both sides
While the adverts run, you collect your passport, degree, transcripts and award notification; the employer prepares the signed contract, job description, salary breakdown and company registration details. We cross-check everything against the DETE checklist.
- 05
Submit through Employment Permits Online
The application is lodged on the EPOS portal with the fee, €1,000 for a permit over 6 months, within 90 days of the first advert going live and always inside your 12-month rate window. DETE asks for applications at least 12 weeks before the start date, and draft applications are deleted after 28 days.
- 06
DETE decision and any follow-up
In July 2026 new GEP applications were being decided in about 6 weeks, processed strictly in date order. If DETE requests further information you have 28 days to respond; we help you answer quickly and completely.
- 07
Register Stamp 1, then count down to Stamp 4
Month 57Once the permit issues you register with immigration for €300 and move from Stamp 1G to Stamp 1. You stay with your first employer for 9 months, the renewal window opens 4 months before expiry, and after 57 months of employment on the permit you apply directly to Immigration Service Delivery for Stamp 4.
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 at least 6 months when the permit application goes in
Irish degree certificate and final transcripts
From an Irish third-level college, relevant to the role, final results only
Award notification letter
Fixes the date your 12-month graduate rate window opened
Employment contract signed by both parties
Start date and period of employment stated, salary at or above €34,009
Detailed job description
Consistent with the advert and the contract
Labour Market Needs Test evidence
Both adverts, showing 28 unbroken days and all required content, unless waived
Employer company details
CRO number and Revenue registration, validated on the EPOS portal
Full salary breakdown
Annual salary, hourly and weekly rates, weekly hours; only basic pay plus HIA-registered health insurance counts
Current IRP card
Your Stamp 1G or Stamp 2 registration, if you are already in Ireland
Passport-standard photo
Recent, plain background
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New permit, up to 6 months | €500 | For short job offers of 6 months or less. |
| New permit, 6 to 24 months | €1,000 | The standard fee for a full 2-year permit. |
| Renewal, up to 6 months | €750 | Short renewals only. |
| Renewal, 6 months to 3 years | €1,500 | Covers the full 3-year renewal. |
| Refund if refused or withdrawn | 90% back | Refunded to the applicant, even if the employer paid. |
| IRP registration | €300 | Per registration or renewal, including your Stamp 1G and the new Stamp 1. |
Either the employer or the employee may apply and pay, but under the Employment Permits Act 2024 an employer may never deduct or recover the cost from you. 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.
Stamp 1G grant, if you still need it
6-8 weeks
Apply within 6 months of being notified of your award. Your Stamp 2 work conditions continue while you wait.
Labour market test, unless waived
28 days minimum
Both adverts must run their full course before you can apply, and the application must be filed within 90 days of first publication.
DETE decision, new permit
~6 weeks
In July 2026 DETE is deciding new GEP applications received at the end of May. File at least 12 weeks before the start date and inside your 12-month window.
Review, if refused
6+ months
DETE is currently deciding reviews received at the end of December 2025, which is exactly why the first filing has to land inside your window.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
Graduate rate claimed after the window closed
The €34,009 rate only applies where the award sits within the 12 months before the application. File on month 13 at €34,009 and the salary is simply below the standard €36,605 threshold.
Avoid it: Diarise your award date on day one and file well inside the anniversary, not the week of it.
Graduate rate on a non-Irish award
The €34,009 rate is reserved for graduates of Irish third-level institutions. A degree from abroad does not qualify for it, however recent.
Avoid it: With a non-Irish award, use the Graduate Critical Skills rate of €36,848 if the role is listed, or budget for the standard €36,605 GEP threshold.
A defective Labour Market Needs Test
Adverts that ran short of 28 days, were amended mid-run, omitted the salary or hours, or went stale because the application was filed more than 90 days after first publication all sink the application.
Avoid it: Draft the advert against the DETE checklist before it goes live and diary the 90-day deadline. We do both as standard.
Degree not relevant to the role
The graduate rate requires a qualification relevant to the job. A marketing graduate applying for a software role on the graduate rate invites refusal.
Avoid it: Have the match between transcript and job description assessed honestly before filing, not after.
Salary below the threshold or mis-computed
The hourly equivalent is worked out over 2,028 hours a year (39 hours over 52 weeks). Anyone working fewer than 39 hours needs a higher hourly rate to still clear the annual minimum, and only basic pay plus qualifying health insurance counts, not bonuses or shift allowances.
Avoid it: Offer a salary with a buffer above €34,009 and let us check the hourly maths for the actual contracted hours.
Role on the Ineligible Occupations List, or employer failures
DETE assesses the real duties, not the job title, and refuses ineligible roles. Permits are also refused where more than half the workforce is non-EEA or the employer's EPOS, Revenue and CRO details were never validated.
Avoid it: Match the job description to the genuine role, check the current list, and confirm the 50:50 mix and portal registration in week one.
Common questions
Is the Graduate General Employment Permit a separate permit?+
No. It is the ordinary General Employment Permit at a reduced graduate salary rate of €34,009 instead of €36,605, available where you hold a relevant Level 8 or higher degree from an Irish third-level college awarded within the previous 12 months. Once issued it behaves exactly like any other GEP.
Does my degree have to be Irish?+
For this rate, yes. The €34,009 graduate rate on the General permit is limited to graduates of Irish third-level institutions. If your degree is from outside Ireland, the Graduate Critical Skills rate of €36,848 accepts any recognised institution for a listed role, otherwise the standard €36,605 GEP threshold applies.
Do I still need a labour market test?+
In most cases, yes. Unlike the Critical Skills route, the General permit usually needs a 28-day Labour Market Needs Test before the application: advertised on jobsireland.ie/EURES and one other online platform. It is waived only in specific cases, such as roles paying at least €68,911, an Enterprise Ireland or IDA recommendation, carers of a person with exceptional medical needs, or a redundant permit holder reapplying within 6 months.
When does the 12-month clock start and stop?+
It runs from the award of your qualification to the date the permit application is made. DETE phrases it as within the 12-month period prior to the date of application. Filing inside the window is what matters; the decision can land after it.
What happens if I miss the window?+
The General permit is still open to you, just at the standard €36,605 threshold for most roles, current from 1 March 2026. Nothing else about the application changes, so a missed window is a pay-threshold problem, not a ban.
How long does Stamp 1G give me to find a job?+
A Level 8 award gets 12 months, not renewable. A Level 9 or 10 award gets 12 months with a further 12 on renewal if you show real job seeking, such as interviews and agency sign-ups. You must apply within 6 months of being notified of the award, with final results, and you can only ever access the programme twice.
Can my family join me?+
Yes, after you have held an eligible permission for 12 months. You apply as a Category C sponsor, which means showing gross income above €30,000 in the previous year and no reliance on State supports, with higher thresholds where children are involved. Once here, your spouse or partner registers on Stamp 1G and can work without their own permit.
What happens after the permit issues?+
You register Stamp 1 for €300 and normal permit rules take over: you stay 9 months with your first employer before a change is possible, the renewal window opens 4 months before expiry, and after 57 months of employment on the permit you apply to Immigration Service Delivery for Stamp 4. All of that time, including your graduate Stamp 1G, is reckonable towards citizenship, which generally needs 5 years.
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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