If you have just finished an Irish degree, Stamp 1G is your bridge from student life to a proper career in Ireland. Under the Third Level Graduate Programme, a Level 8 award earns you 12 months to work full-time and find an employer willing to sponsor an employment permit. A Level 9 or 10 award earns 12 months with a further 12-month extension available at renewal. The window is generous but strictly time-limited, and the graduates who do best treat it as a countdown from day one.
The same stamp also covers the family route. Spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills permit holders have received Stamp 1G since 2019, and since May 2024 spouses and partners of General Employment Permit and Intra-Company Transfer holders get it too, letting them take up work immediately with no permit of their own. Since November 2025, dependent children of these permit holders also register on Stamp 1G when they turn 16. Whichever door you are walking through, we make sure you register the right permission, understand exactly how long it lasts, and plan the next step before the clock forces your hand.
Made for people like you
Level 8 graduates of Irish colleges
You have finished an honours bachelor degree from a recognised Irish awarding body and want your 12-month window to find a sponsoring employer.
Master's and PhD graduates
A Level 9 or 10 award gives you up to 24 months, the longest runway on the programme, provided you renew correctly at the end of year one.
Spouses and partners of permit holders
Partners of Critical Skills holders since 2019, and of General Employment Permit and Intra-Company Transfer holders since May 2024, work on Stamp 1G without a permit.
Final-year students planning ahead
You want the jump from Stamp 2 to 1G to a work permit mapped out before your results even land, so no month of the window is wasted.
Do you qualify?
Two doors into Stamp 1G: the Third Level Graduate Programme for people finishing an eligible Irish award, and the family route for spouses and partners of qualifying employment permit holders.
For the graduate route you will need
- An award at Level 8 or above from a recognised Irish awarding body, such as a university, RCSI, an institute of technology or QQI, notified on or after 1 January 2017
- A current Stamp 2 student permission and an in-date IRP card when you apply
- To apply within 6 months of being notified of your final award, with final results, as provisional results are not accepted
- Room inside the student cap: Stamp 2 and 1G time combined cannot exceed 7 years for Level 8 graduates, or 8 years for Level 9 and 10 graduates using the full 24 months
- No more than one previous use of the programme, since the lifetime maximum is 2 accesses
- For the spouse route: marriage, civil partnership or de facto partnership with a Critical Skills, General Employment Permit or Intra-Company Transfer holder, or a hosting agreement researcher
This route is not for you if
- You want to run a business or work as a self-employed contractor, since Stamp 1G does not permit either
- Your award is below Level 8, in which case you return to Stamp 2 study or leave at course end
- You were notified of your award more than 6 months ago, as the window has closed
- You have already used the graduate programme twice
- You hold a Level 8 award and hope to extend beyond 12 months, since that grant is a single non-renewable block
Level 8 vs Level 9 and 10, at a glance
Level 8 (honours bachelor)
- Initial grant
- 12 months
- Extension
- None, non-renewable
- Total window
- 12 months
- Overall cap
- 7 years Stamp 2 + 1G combined
- Renewal evidence
- Not applicable
Level 9 and 10 (Master's, PhD)
Longer runway- Initial grant
- 12 months
- Extension
- A further 12 months at renewal
- Total window
- Up to 24 months
- Overall cap
- 8 years on student conditions
- Renewal evidence
- Job-seeking proof: interviews, agency sign-ups
How the journey works
- 01
Confirm which Stamp 1G you need
Day 1We check whether you qualify through the graduate programme or as the spouse or partner of a permit holder, how long your grant will run, whether the 7 or 8-year student cap leaves room, and whether this is your first or second access to the programme.
- 02
Wait for final results, then move fast
The graduate route needs your final results, since provisional results are not accepted, and the 6-month application clock runs from the date you are notified of the award. We line up every document in advance so you can file the week your parchment or official confirmation arrives.
- 03
Apply online, no appointment needed
Week 1The change from Stamp 2 to 1G is made through the ISD online renewals portal with the €300 fee, and you must be physically in Ireland when you apply. Spouses and partners arriving from abroad register in person at Burgh Quay in Dublin, which handles all first-time registrations nationwide.
- 04
Approval email, then your IRP card
Stamp 1G applications through the portal were taking roughly 12 weeks in July 2026, so file well before your Stamp 2 expires. The approval email is proof of your renewed permission, and the new IRP card follows by post within about 15 business days.
- 05
Use the window strategically
Months 1-9Work full-time, build Irish experience, and target employers who sponsor permits. Graduates with a relevant Irish award from the last 12 months can access reduced permit salary rates, from €34,009 on the General Employment Permit and €36,848 on Critical Skills, so early applications are often cheaper for the employer to support.
- 06
Renew or move on before the deadline
Month 10-12Level 9 and 10 graduates renew for the second year with evidence of genuine job-seeking, such as interview invitations and recruitment agency registrations. Everyone else needs to be on an employment permit, or another permission, before the 1G ends. We plan this exit from day one so the deadline never catches you by surprise.
What to gather
Start collecting these early. Weak or missing documents are the most common avoidable cause of delays and refusals.
Passport bio page
Clear colour scan, passport in date
Current IRP card
Front and back, still valid on the day you apply
Image of your signature
The ISD online system asks you to upload a clear image of your signature on plain white paper in dark ink
Final results or award parchment
Provisional results are not accepted
Course completion letter
From your college, confirming the award and notification date
Private medical insurance
Travel insurance is not sufficient for renewals
Job-seeking evidence
Level 9/10 second-year renewals: interviews, agency sign-ups
Marriage or partnership evidence
Spouse route: marriage certificate or de facto relationship proof
Sponsor's employment permit
Spouse route: copy of the CSEP, GEP or ICT permit
Sponsor's IRP card
Spouse route: your partner's current registration
Proof of address
For first-time registrations at Burgh Quay
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp 1G registration or renewal | €300 | Per person, each time, paid by card during the online application. |
| Anyone under 18 | Waived | The €300 fee is waived for anyone under 18, including dependent children of permit holders who first register on Stamp 1G at 16. |
| Next step: Critical Skills permit | €1,000 | 90% refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn. |
| Next step: General Employment Permit | €500-€1,000 | €500 for permits up to 6 months, €1,000 for 6 to 24 months. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
Government fees are set by ISD and DETE 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 2 to 1G decision
~12 weeks
In July 2026 ISD was processing Stamp 1G portal applications submitted around 12 weeks earlier. File as soon as your final results arrive.
IRP card delivery
Up to 15 business days
After the approval email, which itself is proof of your permission.
Level 8 window
12 months
A single block with no extension, so the job hunt starts immediately.
Level 9/10 window
Up to 24 months
The second 12 months is granted at renewal with job-seeking evidence.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
Applying outside the 6-month window
The application must be made within 6 months of being notified of your award. Graduates who travel home for a long break or wait for a graduation ceremony can run the clock out without realising.
Avoid it: Diary the notification date the day results issue and file within weeks, not months. The ceremony is irrelevant, the notification date is what counts.
Provisional results instead of final results
ISD is explicit that provisional results will not suffice. An application filed on a provisional transcript is refused even though the degree is all but confirmed.
Avoid it: Ask your college exactly when final results are ratified and request an official completion letter for that date. We check the wording before you file.
The student cap is already used up
Stamp 2 and Stamp 1G time combined cannot exceed 7 years for a Level 8 grant, or 8 years for the Level 9 and 10 version. Long study histories, repeated years and earlier language courses all eat into it.
Avoid it: Add up every student permission you have ever held in Ireland before applying. If you are close to the cap, we plan the permit route instead.
Stamp 2 expired before you applied
You must hold a current Stamp 2 and an in-date IRP card when you apply. Once your permission lapses you are out of status, and an out-of-status application will not simply be waved through.
Avoid it: Treat your IRP expiry date as a hard deadline and apply from up to 12 weeks before it. Renewals filed before expiry let you remain and work on your existing conditions, but only for up to 12 weeks after the card expires.
Wrong insurance at renewal
Renewal applications need private medical insurance. Travel insurance, which many students relied on at first registration, is not sufficient and leads to refused or returned applications.
Avoid it: Buy a private medical policy before you file the 1G application and upload the certificate, not just a receipt.
Second-year renewal without job-seeking evidence
The 12-month extension for Level 9 and 10 graduates is not automatic. ISD expects proof that you are genuinely seeking graduate-level work, such as interview records and recruitment agency registrations.
Avoid it: Keep a folder from month one: application confirmations, interview emails, agency sign-ups. We help you present it cleanly at renewal.
Common questions
How long does the graduate Stamp 1G last?+
A Level 8 honours bachelor award earns a single 12-month permission with no extension. A Level 9 or 10 award, so a Master's or PhD, earns 12 months plus a further 12 months at renewal, giving up to 24 months in total, subject to the overall 8-year limit on student conditions.
Can I really work full-time for any employer?+
Yes. Stamp 1G lets you work up to 40 hours a week for any employer without an employment permit, a big step up from the 20-hour term-time limit on Stamp 2. What you cannot do is run a business or work as a self-employed contractor.
When and how do I apply?+
Within 6 months of being notified of your final award. The change from Stamp 2 to 1G is done entirely online through the ISD renewals portal, with no in-person appointment, a €300 fee, and your final results attached, since provisional results are not accepted.
Can I use the graduate programme twice?+
Yes, the lifetime maximum is 2 accesses. A common pattern is 12 months after a Level 8 degree, a return to Stamp 2 for a Master's, then a second 1G afterwards. Both uses must fit inside the overall cap, which is 7 years of combined student and graduate time for Level 8 and 8 years for Level 9 and 10.
Does Stamp 1G time count towards citizenship?+
Yes. ISD's citizenship guide lists Stamp 1G as reckonable residence for naturalisation, covering the graduate scheme and the version held as the spouse or partner of a Critical Skills holder or hosting agreement researcher. Naturalisation generally needs 5 years of reckonable residence in the last 9. Two caveats: graduate 1G time does not count towards the separate Long Term Residency scheme, and 1G held as the spouse or dependant of an Intra-Company Transferee does not count towards Stamp 5.
I am married to a Critical Skills permit holder. What do I get?+
Stamp 1G, which lets you work for any employer without an employment permit and study if you wish, though not run a business. It is renewed annually alongside your partner's permission, the registration fee is €300 each time, and after 5 years on this stamp you can apply for Stamp 4 in your own right.
Which permit should I aim for before my 1G ends?+
If your role is on the Critical Skills Occupations List, the CSEP is the stronger route, reaching Stamp 4 in 21 months. Otherwise the General Employment Permit covers most occupations, with Stamp 4 at 57 months. Graduates holding a relevant Irish award from the previous 12 months can use reduced salary rates, from €34,009 for the GEP and €36,848 for the CSEP, against standard floors of €36,605 and €40,904 since 1 March 2026. Applying inside that first year makes you noticeably easier to hire.
What happens if my Stamp 1G expires before I find a sponsor?+
You need another permission in place before it ends, most commonly an employment permit, or a return to Stamp 2 for further eligible study if the caps allow. Falling out of permission creates a gap that hurts every future application, including citizenship, so we start exit planning months before the deadline rather than weeks.
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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