Before you start

A job offer of at least 2 years from an Irish employer
An occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List, or a salary above the higher general threshold
A relevant degree or equivalent experience for the role
Salary meeting the current threshold on basic pay alone

Step-by-step

1
Check your salary clears the March 2026 threshold
EUR 40,904 for a restricted set of strategically important occupations; EUR 36,848 where the qualification was obtained in the 12 months before applying; EUR 68,911 for other eligible occupations. Only basic annual salary counts.
OnlineWho: You and your employer
2
Employer or employee submits the permit application
Applications go to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment through its online system. The fee is EUR 1,000; if the application is refused, 90% is refunded — and the refund goes to the applicant even where the employer paid.
OnlineWho: Usually your employerEUR 1,000
3
Apply for an entry visa if your nationality requires one
Some nationalities need a long-stay 'D' visa to enter even with a permit granted. The permit is not entry clearance.
OnlineWho: You
4
Create your ISD customer portal account before you fly
First-time registration is booked only through the online portal, and the account can be created before you travel. Doing it on the plane home from your interview costs nothing and saves a week.
OnlineWho: You
5
Travel to Burgh Quay in Dublin to register
Every first-time registration in the State is done in person at the ISD Registration Office, 13–14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 — there is no Cork counter. Appointments are normally available within two to three weeks. The fee is EUR 300.
In personWho: YouWithin 90 days of arrivalEUR 300
6
Renew online, and start early
Renewals are done online and cannot be submitted until you have fewer than 12 weeks left on your current permission. ISD's own published processing time has been running beyond 17 weeks for some categories, so the window is tight by design.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport
Signed employment contract of at least 2 years
Degree certificate or evidence of equivalent experience
Evidence the salary meets the current threshold on basic pay
Proof of Irish address, for PPSN and registration

Things most newcomers don’t know

There is no immigration registration office in Cork, or anywhere else outside Dublin.

First-time registration for every non-EEA resident of the State is done in person at Burgh Quay in Dublin 2, booked through the ISD customer portal. From Cork that is a 260 km round trip inside a 90-day window, and it is the one part of the process a Dublin-written guide will never mention because for its readers it is a bus ride.

Source: Citizens Information — Registration of non-EEA nationals

Every threshold rose on 1 March 2026, and only basic salary counts.

Bonuses, overtime, commission, allowances and benefits in kind are all excluded. An offer that looks comfortably over the line on total compensation can fall under it on basic pay, and Cork offers are frequently structured with a shift or site premium that does not count.

Source: DETE — Critical Skills Employment Permit

The Critical Skills permit brings family with you immediately.

Spouses and partners can apply for immediate family reunification and then seek any employment, or a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit which is currently issued free of charge. That is materially better than the General Employment Permit and is often the deciding factor between two offers.

Source: DETE — Critical Skills Employment Permit

The 90% refund on a refused application belongs to the applicant.

Even where the employer paid the EUR 1,000, DETE restricts the refund to applicants. Worth knowing before agreeing informally that a refused fee is the company's loss.

Source: DETE — Critical Skills Employment Permit

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming you can register locally — there is no first-time registration counter outside Dublin.
Using pre-March-2026 salary thresholds, which get an application refused.
Counting a shift premium or bonus toward the threshold; only basic salary is assessed.
Leaving the Burgh Quay appointment until near the 90-day deadline, when the travel is the part that slips.
Waiting to renew until the permission has almost expired, against a 17-week-plus processing time.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.