Ireland is famous for its history and folklore. Working in the country, you’ll be able to enjoy the lush green landscapes and vibrant cities, and perhaps indulge in a Guinness or two. This article emphasizes how foreigners can get a job in Ireland.
Jobs in Ireland
The service sector mostly dominates the job market. There are opportunities in several major industries including the thriving technology sector, where there is high demand for IT workers. Additionally, due to Ireland’s increasing popularity as a holiday destination, the hospitality and tourism industry requires both skilled and casual workers.
The country is also home to several multinational companies, including:
- Apple
- Facebook (Meta)
- Microsoft
- Ryanair
Competition for skilled jobs is fierce and your chances of securing work will increase with relevant work experience and third-level qualifications. In general, work will be easier to come by in major towns and cities such as Cork, Dublin and Galway. While the capital city of Dublin is known to be relatively expensive, the cost of living is still much cheaper than other major European cities – such as Copenhagen, London, Paris, and Zurich.
Look for job vacancies at:
Irish Visas
Citizens of the UK and EU do not require a visa to enter Ireland. However, non-EU or international citizens may need a visa to work in Ireland, which can be applied for online through the Irish Nationalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).
UK, EU, European Economic Area (EEA), and Swiss nationals have the right to work in Ireland without needing an employment permit, and they are treated the same as Irish citizens when applying for a job.
If you are from a country outside the EU, you will need an employment permit to work in Ireland before you arrive in the country. However, in some cases, if you are coming to live with family, you may not need one. There are different types of permits, including a general permit and a critical skills permit.
For more information on work visas and employment permits, you can visit Citizens Information – Coming to work in Ireland.
How To Get a Job in Ireland For Foreigners
Irish Recruitment Agencies
Recruitment agencies can be a great resource for you to tap into when carrying out your job hunt. They actively recruit skilled workers in the high-demand industries. However, you may find it very difficult to get any response from the job agencies before you arrive in Ireland. For those of you who don’t need a job offer to gain a work permit before moving to Ireland, then it’s best to contact the agencies once you arrive in Ireland. This will show that you are serious and have made the move, and not just thinking about it. Once they see that you have an Irish phone number and address, you will hopefully see more interest from recruiters.
Unfortunately, recruitment agencies receive vast amounts of inquiries so may not be very responsive. In that case, it would be best for you to register with several recruitment agencies to increase your chances of success. However, it is not recommended that you apply for the same job through more than one agency.
There are a large number of recruitment agencies throughout Ireland. Some focus on specific industries, but others are broader. A good place to start your search would be using the agency directory and agency list on the Employment and Recruitment Federation (ERF) website. The NRF is a voluntary organization that grants membership to recruitment agencies that meet their criteria of excellence.
Irish Job Websites
There are an ever-growing number of job websites offering a variety of employment opportunities. As well as jobs, they also provide lots of great advice about tailoring your cover letter and CV for the Irish market as well as interview tips. Employers are increasingly choosing to advertise online over traditional newspapers.
All Sectors
- Career Builder
- Career Jet
- CV Library
- Dublin Work
- FRS Recruitment
- Hays
- Headhunt International
- Indeed
- Irish Jobs
- Irish Times
- Jobs
- Jobs Guide Ireland
- Jobs Ireland
- Manpower
- Monster
- Osborne
- Reed Global
- Recruit Ireland
- Staffline
Agriculture
Construction
Education
Finance
Graduates
Health
IT
Language Jobs
Media & Marketing
Nonprofit
Public Sector
Sports
Flexible work for Parents
Using Social Media to Find Work in Ireland
Social Media like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn have become a popular way for people to share and promote job opportunities amongst like-minded people. If you work in a particular industry that uses social media in this way, then try following people in key roles to learn more about any opportunities that may be available. Make sure that you spend time developing your LinkedIn profile as it is a popular website in Ireland and many businesses use it to headhunt for key roles.
Job Advertisements in Irish Newspapers
Although much of the job advertising is done via job websites, there are still many jobs advertised in the Irish newspapers. The Irish Times both publishes jobs and hosts their own web-based job search on their website.
The Irish Independent, which also publishes the Sunday Independent, publishes job advertisements, and on their websites, their online job search links to the Irish Jobs website.
The local newspapers are also a good place to search for jobs.
What It’s Like to Work in Ireland
Your standard working week should not exceed 48 hours. As an employee, you are entitled to sick leave, public holidays, maternity leave, parental leave, and four weeks of paid holiday per year.
As of January 2024, the national minimum wage for an experienced adult aged 20 and above is €12.70 (£10.54) per hour. In addition, the government plans to introduce a living wage set at 60% of the median wage by 2026.
There are nine public holidays in Ireland, these include:
- New Year’s Day (1 January)
- St Patrick’s Day (17 March)
- Easter Monday
- The first Monday in May, June and August
- Last Monday in October
- Christmas Day (25 December)
- St Stephen’s Day (26 December).
Your income is subject to income tax, which your employer will deduct from your wages based on your earnings. The first portion of your income up to a specific amount is taxed at a standard rate of 20%. This threshold is adjusted for married couples and even more so for couples with two incomes.
To find out more about tax in Ireland visit Citizens Information – How your income tax is calculated.
Conclusion
With an unemployment rate of under 5% and future Government plans for a universal living wage, Ireland is an ideal country to seek employment English is widely spoken in Ireland, and the people on the Emerald Isle are friendly and welcoming. The country boasts one of the highest standards of living in Europe. Thanks to its well-connected geographical location and low corporation tax rates, many multinational companies have their European headquarters in Ireland, providing numerous job opportunities.
