Since Ireland is undergoing a major economic boom, unemployment is virtually zero. Once a next exporter of skilled staff for decades, Iron has evolved into the role of a net importer. Irish immigration and work permit applications are no longer handled in Dublin. In fact, any Irish consular post can grant a work visa to someone who meets his or her criteria.

The work permit application has to be filled out by the employer on behalf of the applicant. For this reason, you need to have a job offer before you will be able to secure a work permit.

Ireland only considers new work permit applications from employers seeking to employ highly qualified or highly specific personnel and where there is a shortage in that labor market. The bottom line is that bearing in mind the addition to the European Union of over forty million potential employees, it is not anticipated that there will be any further need for low skilled non-EEA workers. Ireland maintains a list of occupations that are currently not being given work permits. The following is the current list from January 2006:

    * Clerical and administrative staff
    * General laborers and builders
    * Operator and production staff
    * Retail sales staff, sales representatives and management/supervisory/ specialist sales staff
    * Drivers - bus, coach, car, taxi, and fork lift, (excluding international HGV and articulated drivers - international)
    * Nursery/crèche workers, child minders/nannies
    * Hotel, tourism and catering: reception staff and barpersons
 * The following craft workers and apprentice/trainee craft workers: bookbinders, bricklayers, cabinet makers, carpenters/joiners, carton makers, fitters - construction plant, electricians, instrumentation craftspeople, fitters, tilers - floor/wall, mechanics - heavy vehicles, metal fabricators, mechanics - motor, originators, painters and decorators, plumbers, printers, engineers - refrigeration, sheet metal workers, tool makers, vehicle body repairers, machinists - wood (excluding plasterers and aircraft mechanic/engineers

For more information on work permits, please visit:
Work permits in Ireland