Losing your immigration status is frightening, and it usually happens quietly. A redundancy nobody reported on time, an employer who never filed the renewal, a workplace where you were exploited and eventually had to walk away. The Reactivation Employment Permit exists precisely for these situations. If you previously held a valid Irish employment permit and fell out of the system through no fault of your own, the State gives you a structured way back in.
The route has two distinct steps. First you apply to Immigration Service Delivery on Form REPA for permission to remain, which, if granted, gives you a temporary Stamp 1 for six months together with a Reactivation Employment Permit letter. Then, within that window, you apply to the Department of Enterprise through the EPOS portal for the permit itself. Each step has its own paperwork and its own pitfalls, and because you normally get only one Reactivation permit in a lifetime, this is an application worth getting right the first time.
Made for people like you
Made redundant, then out of status
Your job ended, the redundancy was never notified in time, your permit lapsed and your immigration permission expired with it.
Badly treated or exploited at work
You were mistreated or exploited in the workplace, the employment ended, and your status fell away through no fault of your own.
Let down by an employer
The company folded, never filed the renewal, or otherwise failed you, and you slipped out of the system while still in Ireland.
Former dependant permit holders
You held a Dependant, Partner or Spouse permit and your circumstances changed, for example a separation, and the Minister for Justice agrees you should have a route back.
Do you qualify?
The scheme is deliberately narrow. It is for people who once held a valid employment permit, are still in Ireland, and lost their status through no fault of their own. Both ISD and DETE test that story.
You will need
- A previous valid Irish employment permit, and a job loss that was not your fault or involved mistreatment or exploitation
- To be physically in Ireland. ISD does not accept Form REPA applications from outside the State
- Good character, with no adverse attention from the Garda authorities
- A job offer paying basic salary at or above the National Minimum Wage, €14.15 per hour or €28,696.20 a year from 1 January 2026
- Relevant qualifications, skills or experience for the role on offer
- An employer registered with Revenue and the CRO where at least half the staff are EEA nationals, with an exception where you would be the sole employee
This route is not for you if
- You came to Ireland as a student or visitor and never held an employment permit
- You held an Intra-Company Transfer, Contract for Services or Internship permit and overstayed
- You left Ireland after falling out of the system
- You moved from Stamp 1 to a different immigration stamp
- You have already used the scheme. A second Reactivation permit is granted only in very exceptional circumstances
Reactivation vs a fresh General Employment Permit
Reactivation Employment Permit
The reset route- Who it is for
- Former permit holders who fell out of the system
- Salary floor
- €28,696.20, the minimum wage
- Labour market test
- Not required
- Where you apply from
- Inside Ireland only
- Permit fee
- €500 or €1,000
General Employment Permit
- Who it is for
- New hires with a job offer in an eligible role
- Salary floor
- €36,605 for most roles
- Labour market test
- Required, 28 days of advertising
- Where you apply from
- Ireland or abroad
- Permit fee
- €1,000 for up to 24 months
How the journey works
- 01
Check your history and build your case
Day 1We confirm which permit you held, exactly how and when you fell out of the system, and that nothing in your history rules you out, such as an overstayed Intra-Company Transfer permit or a change of stamp. Then we assemble the evidence that the job loss was not your fault.
- 02
File Form REPA with ISD
Week 1The application goes to Immigration Service Delivery through the ISD Customer Service Portal, with your passport details, your entry stamp, a copy of your most recent permit and a letter from DETE or your former employer explaining why the employment ended. You must be in the State when you apply.
- 03
Receive temporary Stamp 1 and the Reactivation letter
If ISD is satisfied, you are granted permission to remain for six months on a temporary Stamp 1, together with a Reactivation Employment Permit letter. This restores your legal footing and opens the window for the DETE application. It is not itself a licence to start the new job.
- 04
Secure a qualifying job offer
Within 6 mthsAlmost any occupation works, with one exception: domestic roles in a private home are excluded, although certain carers in private homes are allowed. The basic pay must be at least the National Minimum Wage and you must have the skills or experience the role calls for. No advertising or labour market test is needed.
- 05
Apply to DETE through EPOS
With the temporary Stamp 1 and letter in hand, you or your employer lodge the full application on the Employment Permits Online System with the fee, €500 for up to 6 months or €1,000 for up to 24 months. Reactivation applications currently sit in a queue of roughly six weeks. The permit issues to you, with a certified copy to the employer.
- 06
Register, start work and stay compliant
The permit is not a residence permission on its own, so you register with immigration and keep that registration renewed, applying at least one month before it expires. Expect to stay with your first employer for 12 months, and if the job ever ends, notify DETE and return the permit within 4 weeks.
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 and matching every form exactly
Passport entry stamp
Showing your original arrival in Ireland
Copy of your most recent employment permit
Even if it has long expired
Letter explaining why the employment ended
From DETE or your former employer. The heart of the ISD application
Completed Form REPA
Submitted to ISD through the Customer Service Portal
Temporary Stamp 1 and Reactivation letter
Issued by ISD, required for the DETE step
Signed employment contract
Basic pay at or above €14.15 per hour
Detailed job description
Showing the duties and required skills
Evidence of qualifications, skills or experience
Relevant to the role on offer
Employer company details
CRO number and Revenue registration
Passport-standard photo
Recent, plain background
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reactivation permit, up to 6 months | €500 | Paid on the EPOS application to DETE. |
| Reactivation permit, up to 24 months | €1,000 | The usual choice, covering the full first grant. |
| Renewal, later on | €750-€1,500 | €750 for up to 6 months, €1,500 for 6 to 36 months. |
| Refund if refused or withdrawn | 90% back | €900 of a €1,000 fee is refunded. |
| IRP registration | €300 | Per adult, each time you register or renew your permission. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
Under the Employment Permits Act 2024 an employer cannot deduct or recover any permit fee or expense 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.
ISD decision on Form REPA
Varies
ISD does not publish a queue for this scheme. Your six-month window opens once the temporary permission is granted, not before.
DETE decision
~6 weeks
Reactivation applications sit in the general new-applications queue on the DETE dashboard, as of July 2026.
Renewal, when the time comes
~14 weeks
Renewals are currently the slowest standard queue. Apply at the start of the 16-week window before expiry.
Review, if refused
~6.5 months
The current review backlog. With a once-in-a-lifetime scheme, the first application has to be right.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
The job loss looks like your fault
The scheme exists for people who fell out of the system through no fault of their own or who were mistreated or exploited. If the file suggests you simply stopped working or ignored your obligations, ISD will not grant the temporary permission.
Avoid it: Get a letter from DETE or your former employer setting out why the employment ended, and back it with a clear timeline of events.
The wrong permit history
Former Intra-Company Transfer, Contract for Services and Internship permit holders who overstayed are excluded, as is anyone who entered as a student or visitor and never held an employment permit at all.
Avoid it: Check which permit you actually held before applying. If this scheme does not fit, we map the routes that do.
You left Ireland or changed stamps
Applications are only accepted from inside the State, and the scheme is closed to people who left after falling out of the system or who moved from Stamp 1 to a different stamp.
Avoid it: Stay in Ireland and take advice before travelling or changing your immigration status in any way.
Basic pay below the minimum wage
The salary floor is the National Minimum Wage, €14.15 per hour or €28,696.20 a year from 1 January 2026. An offer with basic pay below that rate is refused regardless of extras.
Avoid it: Make sure the contract states the hours and the hourly rate clearly, with basic pay at or above €14.15.
A domestic role in a private home
Every occupation is open to the Reactivation permit except domestic-setting jobs in a private home. The one carve-out is certain carers in private homes, who remain eligible.
Avoid it: If the offer is home-based domestic work, check the carer exception with us before anyone applies.
The employer fails the 50:50 rule
The permit is refused where more than half of the employer's workforce is non-EEA, although there is an exception where you would be the company's sole employee.
Avoid it: Ask about the workforce mix early, before you commit to the offer and the fee.
Common questions
What counts as falling out of the system through no fault of your own?+
Typical cases are a redundancy that was never notified in time so the permit lapsed, an employer who failed to renew or went out of business, and workplace mistreatment or exploitation that forced the employment to end. ISD looks at why the employment ended, which is why the explanatory letter from DETE or your former employer matters so much.
How long does the temporary permission last?+
Six months. If ISD grants your Form REPA application you receive a temporary Stamp 1 for six months together with a Reactivation Employment Permit letter, and you use that window to apply to DETE. Some older guidance still mentions four months, but the current official application form provides for six.
Do I need a job offer before contacting ISD?+
No. The ISD step is about restoring your permission to remain, and Form REPA asks for your permit history and why the employment ended, not for a new offer. You do need a qualifying job offer for the DETE step, and only six months to complete it, so it is wise to start the job search early.
How much does the whole process cost?+
The DETE application fee is €500 for a permit of up to 6 months or €1,000 for up to 24 months, and 90% is refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn. Registering your immigration permission costs €300 per adult. Your employer is not allowed to recover any of the permit costs from you.
Can I take any kind of job?+
Almost. Every occupation is eligible, including certain carer roles in private homes, but all other domestic jobs in a private home are excluded. The basic pay must be at least €14.15 per hour, you need the relevant skills or experience, and no labour market test is required, so the employer does not have to advertise the role first.
Can I change employer once I have the permit?+
You are expected to stay with your first employer for 12 months, with exceptions for redundancy or a fundamental unforeseen change in the job. If you are made redundant, notify DETE and you have up to 6 months from the dismissal to find a new role. Reactivation permit holders changing employer apply under the scheme again rather than using the change-of-employer process, which covers General and Critical Skills permits only.
Can my family get a Dependant permit through me?+
No. Dependants of Reactivation permit holders cannot apply for the Dependant, Partner or Spouse Employment Permit. A family member who wants to work in Ireland needs to qualify for an employment permit in their own right.
What happens after the permit is granted?+
The first permit runs for up to 24 months and can be renewed for up to a further 3 years, with renewal applications accepted from 16 weeks before expiry. After 5 consecutive years working lawfully you can look at the Stamp 4 route, and after 5 years with the same employer you may qualify for an unlimited renewal permit with no fee. Remember the permit is not a residence permission, so keep your immigration registration renewed as well.
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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