Critical Skills Employment Permit Ireland for Nigerian Citizens

Understanding the Critical Skills Employment Permit in Ireland

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is one of the employment permits that allows Nigerians to work in Ireland. It replaced the Green Card Employment Permit. Ireland rolled out this employment permit to attract highly skilled professionals to Ireland to fill the skills shortages identified in the labour market.

Ireland’s economy is growing rapidly and expertise is required in sectors like engineering, healthcare, IT, and finance. This is an opportunity for highly skilled Nigerians to fill these gaps and help the economy develop further. 

A Critical Skills Employment Permit exposes you to global opportunities, high-salaried jobs, and career progression. This permit also allows you to move to Ireland with your family immediately. It is also one of the fastest ways to gain permanent residency in Ireland via work. 

Who is Eligible?

Nigerians who want to apply for the Critical Skills Employment Permit must meet the following Ireland work visa requirements:

• Your job must be on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
• You must possess at least a degree qualification in the field you intend to work in. If you do not have a degree, you must demonstrate years and levels of experience. 
• You have a job offer from a legitimate employer based in Ireland. 
• Your employer’s business must be registered with the Revenue Commissioners.
• Your employer’s business must be registered with the Companies Registration Office or Register of Friendly Societies. 
• Your salary must be at least €38,000 per annum. If your job is not on the Critical Skills Occupations Lists, your minimum salary per annum must be €64,000. However, the job you are coming to do must not be on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits. Your employer can meet the minimum salary requirement by paying you all the stipulated sum or by paying you a part while using the rest to contribute to your health insurance.
• Your job offer must be for at least 2 years. 
• Nurses and midwives can present a diploma or a third-level degree as a qualification for their roles. 
• Your employer must show that at least 50% of his employees are from the European Economic Area (EEA). This criterion can be excluded if the company started within the past 2 years and is supported by IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland. 
• You can only take up a role in the field of your qualification.

What Roles are on the Critical Skills Occupations List?

To obtain the Critical Skills Employment Permit, your job must be in one of these categories: 

• ICT Professionals
• Production Directors and Managers
• Health and Social Services Managers and Directors
• Natural and Social Science Professionals
• Managers and Proprietors in Agricultural Services
• Engineering
• Information Technology and Telecommunication Professionals
• Health Professionals
• Nursing and Midwifery Professionals
• Therapy Professionals
• Teaching and Educational Professionals
• Business, Research, and Administrative Professionals
• Town Planners, Architects, and Surveyors
• Quality and Regulatory Professionals
• Welfare Professionals
• Health Associate Professionals 
• Media Professionals
• Draughtspersons and Related Architectural Technicians
• Artistic, Literary, and Media Occupations
• Sports and Fitness Occupations
• Design Occupations
• Sales and Marketing Professionals 
• Business and Finance

Advantages of the Critical Skills Employment Permit

Below are the benefits of the Critical Skills Employment Permit:  

Accelerated Application Process: The application process for employment permits in Ireland can be time-consuming due to multiple application steps, including the Labour Market Needs Test which takes 28 days. However, with the Critical Skills Employment Permit, your employer does not need to conduct a Labour Market Needs Test since there is an obvious need for your skills in Ireland. This thereby reduces the application processing time by 28 days. 

Working Without Employment Permit: After spending 21 months on the Critical Skills Employment Permit, you can apply for Stamp 4, valid for 2 years, which gives you the right to work in Ireland without a work permit. Stamp 4 permission is renewable, provided you keep meeting the criteria. 

Fast-track to Citizenship: After spending 5 years on the Critical Skills Employment Permit, you can apply for citizenship. 

Comparing other Ireland Work Visa Types with Critical Skills Employment Permits

Here are the differences between the Critical Skills Employment Permit and other employment permits: 

Eligibility: Your job must be on the Critical Skills Occupations List to be eligible for the Critical Skills Employment Permit. However, your job does not need to be on this list for other employment permits, like the General Employment Permit. 

Salary Threshold: The minimum annual salary requirement for the Critical Skills Employment Permit is €38,000, €34,000 for the General Employment Permit, and €46,000for Contract for Service Employment. 

Stamp 4 Permission: The Critical Skills Employment Permit allows you to apply for Stamp 4 permission after 21 months. You can only apply for Stamp 4 permission after 57 months for the General Employment Permit. 

Similarities between the Critical Skills Employment Permit and other permits: 

50:50 Rule: Any company in Ireland hiring you must prove that at least half their employees are nationals of the European Economic Area. 

Validity: Most permanent employment permits in Ireland are valid for 2 years. 

Changing Employers: Employment permits in Ireland like the Critical Skills Employment and General Skills Employment Permits allow you to change employers. However, you need to work for the employer that sponsored you to Ireland for at least 9 months. 

Critical Skills Employment Permit Application and Fees Permit

To apply for this permit, you’ll need the following documents: 

• Document showing your employer’s business address. 
• Proof of your employer’s registration with the Companies Registration Office. 
• Documents showing the type of company, nature of business, and the name and nationality of all the employees in the company. 
• Details of the contact person, including their name, address, phone number, and role in the company. 
• Your details, including name, phone number, job position, and email address. 
• ECOWAS passport valid for a minimum of 6 months. 
• Certificates showing you are qualified for the role. 
• Old passports with previous visas. 
• Job offer containing your role, remuneration, length of employment, location of role, and details of your experience. You and your prospective employer should sign this. 
• Receipt of paying the employment permit fee. 
• Proof of the monthly return sent to Revenue Commissioners by your employer in the past 3 months before your application submission date.
• Proof that the employment is registered with the relevant regulatory body for health practitioners, accountants, natural scientists, engineers, private investigators, etc. 

How to Apply 

All employment permits must be submitted via the Employment Permits Online System (EPOS). You must submit your application at least 12 weeks before your job start date. 

The application is a 3-stage process: 

• Application Stage: When you submit your application, it will be placed on a queue depending on your submission date and whether you are using an agent (Trusted Partner) or not (Standard). Trusted partner applications are processed faster.
• Processing Stage: An official will assess your application and make a decision on your application within 28 days. 
• Review Stage: If your application is denied, you have 28 days to ask for a review. 

Here’s how to submit your application on the EPOS:

• Log in to the EPOS system:
• Select “Help me choose employment permit application form”.
• If your employer is applying for you, select “I am an employee”. They should then choose whether they are trusted partners or standard employers. 
• Choose an employment permit type.
• Choose “new employment permit.” 
• Complete the Ireland work permit application form by supplying the required details.
• Check the “form complete” box when you are done. 
• Print the form as PDF and sign it. 
• Attach the signed form with your supporting documents by using the “add attachment” button. 
• Pay the application fee and submit your application. You’ll receive a confirmation email after submitting the application. 

If your application is approved by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), you can apply for a visa. The Irish government manages all visa applications via the AVATS platform. 

To apply:

• Visit the AVATS platform. 
• Fill out the application form for a Long Stay D visa.
• Pay the application fee. 
• Attach the supporting document used to get the employment permit. 
• Print out the application form, sign it, and then upload it back to the platform. 
• Schedule a biometric collection appointment with VFSGlobal in Lagos or Abuja. 
• Go for your appointment with your original documents. 
• Wait for a decision. 
• If your visa application is approved, travel to Ireland. 
• Register your stay with the Immigration Bureau.

Ireland Work Permit Cost

• €1,000 for the employment permit for 24 months.
• €60 for a multiple entry visa. 
• €100 for a single entry visa.

Processing Time

It typically takes 6 to 8 weeks to process the application for a Critical Skills Permit. 

Support Provided by IAS 

Nigerians seeking a Critical Skills Employment Permit can get support from our immigration advisors at IAS. They can assess your eligibility, check and gather your supporting documents, apply for the permit, and track your application. Call us at +2342013438882, message us online, or visit our office at 42 Saka Tinubu Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Permit Renewal Process

A characteristic of the Critical Skills Employment Permit is that holders do not need to apply for renewal from the DETE. You should apply for Stamp 4 from the Department of Justice. 

To apply for Stamp 4, submit the following documents at your local immigration office: 

• Copy of your valid ECOWAS passport data page.
• Front and back copies of your Irish Resident Permit card.
• Copy of the Critical Skills Employment Permit issued by the DETE.
• Copy of your last payslip.
• Letter of confirmation from your employer written no earlier than 3 months from your application submission date. The letter should state your job role, title, location, and employment date.
• Copy of your employment summary details covering every year of your employment in Ireland. 
• Receipt of paying the €300 application fee. 

If your application for Stamp 4 is refused, you’ll be issued Stamp 1 and have to reapply for the employment permit. 

Changing Circumstances

If you lose your job through no fault of yours, perhaps due to unfair dismissal, closure, or downsizing of the business, you must notify the DETE by completing the Notification of Redundancy Form within 28 days of your dismissal. You’ll have 6 months to find another job, meet the criteria, and get a new permit. 

If you lose your job and the role is no longer eligible for a Critical Skills Employment Permit, you can still apply for the permit if you get a job contract for at least two years. 

If you cannot get a new job within 6 months, you must notify your local immigration office. 

Transfer of Undertakings

If a new employer takes over the business of the employer that sponsored your application, the employer that sponsored you must fill out the Transfer of Undertaking Form and send it via email to [email protected]. The email must confirm that all conditions for your employment remain the same. After this, the DETE will issue you a new permit. 

Cancellation of Employment Permits

Once you leave the employ of any employer, you must return your permit to the DETE within one month of dismissal. You can mail the softcopy of your permit to [email protected]. If you don’t do this, you and your employer commit a severe offence.

Critical Skills Employment Permit with Family Dependents

Your family members can join you in Ireland on a Critical Skills Employment Permit. However, they need to apply separately for a visa. Family members here refer to spouses, de facto partners, and dependent children below 18. Children between 18 and 23 must show they’re students and depend on their parents for financial sustenance. 

Below are the documents a family dependent needs to submit for their visa: 

• Signed and dated summary page of the application form. 
• 2 recent passport photographs.
• ECOWAS passport valid for a minimum of 12 months after the date you plan to enter Ireland. 
• Copy of previous passports. 
• Evidence of change of name.
• Apostilled or attested marriage certificate if you are the spouse of a permit holder. 
• Apostilled or attested birth or adoption certificate if you are the dependent child of a permit holder. 
• Proof of visa fee payment. 
• Proof you’ve purchased private medical insurance worth at least €25,000 for ill health and €25,000 for accidents. This must be done for both the sponsor and family member. 
• 6 months bank statement. This must be provided for both the sponsor and the family member. 
• Application letter stating your details and reason for travelling to Ireland, details of family members residing in the EU, and a statement that you’ll obey the terms of your visa. 
• Police Character Certificate obtained within the past 6 months from Nigeria and any other country you’ve lived in the past 5 years. This must be gotten for both the permit holder and the family member.
• If you’re the de facto partner, your rental contact must show that you have been cohabiting with the employment permit holder for at least 2 years. 
• Biodata page of the employment permit holder. 
• Coloured copy of the permit holder’s Critical Skills Employment Permit. 
• Job contract of the permit holder. 
• Certificates confirming the qualification of the permit holder. 
• Sponsorship letter from the permit holder. 

To apply for the visa:

• Visit the AVATS platform.
• Fill out the long stay D visa application form.
• Attach supporting documents. 
• Pay the application fee of €100 for a multiple entry visa or €60 for a single entry visa.
• Print out the application summary page, sign, date, and upload to the system. 
• Schedule an appointment with VFSGlobal. 
• Take your original documents to your appointment and also submit your biometrics. 
• If your visa is approved and you enter Ireland, visit the Immigration Bureau and register your stay and get Stamp 1G Irish Resident Permit (IRP). This gives you the right to work in any chosen field without an employment permit.

Dependant children can work in Ireland but they must be at least 16 years old. They can get the Dependent Employment Permit without cost and work in any chosen field without restriction.

Critical Skills Employment Permit to Irish Citizenship

After spending 5 years on the Critical Skills Employment Permit, you are eligible to apply for citizenship. Below are the documents you need to prove you meet the conditions for citizenship: 

• Signed, dated, and completed Form 8. 
• Valid ECOWAS passport. 
• Certified Irish Resident Permit covering all the years spent in Ireland. 
• Statutory declaration signed before a solicitor practicing in Ireland.
• Proof of application fee payment. 
• Permission to Remain documents from the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).
• Certified birth/adoption and marriage certificate if you’re applying with your family. 
• Job contract showing your start date and role. 
• Copy of your Stamp 4 permission. 
• Bank statement printed on the bank’s letterhead covering the last 3 months before your application date. 
• Two recent passport photographs. 
• Rental contract or bank statement showing your address in Ireland. 
• Evidence of tax returns from the Revenue Commissioners for each year spent in Ireland. 
• Last 3 payslips. 
• Completed change of address form if you’ve lived in more than one address since moving to Ireland. 

You can apply for citizenship online or by post. 

To apply online: 

• Visit the INIS website and fill out the application form. 
• Attach your supporting documents. 
• Check the statutory declaration box. 
• Pay the application fee. 
• Submit your application.

To apply by post:

• Send an email to [email protected] asking for the form. 
• Pay the application fee using a bank draft.
• Submit your application form, supporting documents, and bank draft to: 

Citizenship Division

Department of Justice Office

Rosanna Road

Tipperary Town

Tipperary

E34 N566

Ireland.

It takes 19 months for your citizenship application to be processed. 

Fees

• €175 for the application fee.
• €950 for the citizenship ceremony. 

Critical Skills Employment Permit Rejection and Alternatives for Nigerian Citizens

Your Critical Skills Employment Permit application can be rejected if the salary stipulated on your job offer does not meet the minimum requirement.  Lack of proof that you’re qualified for the job may also result in denial. You can also be denied if you submit an application with incomplete or erroneous documents. 

You can either apply for a review or reapply if you are denied. When reapplying, ensure that you meet all the requirements and have the complete documentation. If your salary does not meet the minimum requirement, you can apply for the General Employment Permit with a lower salary threshold. 

Comprehensive Support for Your Immigration Journey

At IAS, we offer a complete immigration service to Ireland for Nigerian citizens. We assess your long-term goals, including permanent residency and citizenship plans. We suggest the best route to meet your goals. After assisting you in choosing the best visa, we guide you through gathering supporting documents and application submission. 

Our team of lawyers are experts in Irish immigration laws. Their handling of your application improves your chances of success. We also track your application and swiftly submit any extra details the INIS requests. In the case of an unsuccessful application, we can file a Submission of a Decision for a Review Form for you. When the time comes for you to apply for Stamp 4 or permanent residency or citizenship, our team can also help.

When you are ready to move to Ireland, our concierge service can assist you with moving logistics, such as flight bookings, housing, and school placements for your children. 

For more information about what we do and how we can help you achieve your Ireland immigration goals, call us at +2342013438882, message us online, or visit our office at 42 Saka Tinubu Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.