Known for its verdant rolling green hills and quaint unique culture, Ireland is one of the world’s best destinations to pursue a career and settle in.
If you are looking for exciting job opportunities or a dynamic culture that will embrace you, Ireland might be the right choice or even your ‘forever home’!
To work in Ireland and obtain permanent residency there, taking the IELTS test and attaining the necessary band score is an essential step.
The pathways to work in Ireland and obtain a PR
There are a few routes that you can take to get a PR in Ireland. But regardless of your approach to permanent residency, you will have to live legally in Ireland for at least 5 years or 60 months.
One way is by being an international student and studying for your degree at an Irish university. This means obtaining a Stamp 2 visa in your passport.
Upon graduation, you can apply for a post study work permit to start working in Ireland for up to 2 years and find suitable employment.
The other route is either through the General Employment Permit (Stamp 1) or Critical Skills Employment Permit (Stamp 4).
IELTS scores to work and attain get Ireland PR in 2023
1. Study visa route
To embark on the study route to obtain PR, you will have to get a study visa by meeting the minimum English language requirement.
This will mean obtaining an overall IELTS band score of 5.0 on the academic test. It is also recommended to attain the highest score possible as most universities in Ireland require you to obtain an overall score of 6.0 and above.
For example:
Trinity College Dublin: IELTS overall band score of 6.5
Cork Institute of Technology: IELTS overall band score of 6.0
University of Limerick: IELTS overall band score of 6.5
2. Critical Skills Employment Permit
Covering jobs that require critical skills, including ICT professionals, professional engineers and technologists, the Critical Skills Employment Permit doesn’t explicitly state the necessary IELTS band score you have to attain to prove your English proficiency.
However, there are other eligibility criteria that you must note, of which your employer might require an IELTS test.
These include:
A minimum annual salary of €32,000 for a restricted number of occupations as well as a relevant degree qualification
All occupations with a minimum annual remuneration of over €64,000 that aren’t on the ineligible list
Securing a 2-year job offer
While an IELTS score isn’t a requirement, it is still recommended to sit for the test and attain a high band score for the general test as part of the application. This could help to boost your chances by proving your level of English is suitable for general living, working and daily interaction in Ireland.
3. General employment work permit
While there are no restrictions to what job you need to be in to qualify for this permit, it would be an advantage to be in a role on the critical skills occupation list that includes ICT and engineering professionals.
The General Employment Permit doesn’t explicitly state the necessary IELTS band score you have to attain to prove your English proficiency.
However, there are other eligibility criteria that you must note, of which your employer might require an IELTS test.
These include:
A minimum annual salary of €30,000. However, if you are a non-EEA international student who graduated from an Irish university in the last 12 months, you will just need a salary of €27,000
Being employed in a job category that is not under the ineligible list
While an IELTS score isn’t a requirement, it is still recommended to sit for the test and attain a high band score for the general test as part of the application.
This could help to boost your chances by proving your level of English is suitable for general living, working and daily interaction in Ireland.
4. Sport and Cultural Employment Permit
This permit is designed to allow foreign nationals with the relevant qualifications, skills and experience in sporting and cultural activities to work in Ireland.
While the Sport and Cultural Employment Permit doesn’t have any explicit language proficiency requirements, there are still other criteria that you must take note of.
These include:
Having at least a national minimum wage salary or higher
Working for an employer that is registered with the revenue commissioners
Possessing the necessary skills, qualifications and experience required for your employment position
While taking the IELTS test isn’t a requirement, it is still recommended to sit for it and attain the best possible band score to improve your chances in the application.
This will prove your English proficiency to live and work in Ireland with ease.
More information on employment permits can be found on Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment website.
Pursue your career and PR in Ireland with IDP
Ready to embark on your journey to work and live in Ireland?
At IDP, we help students and professionals take the first step by helping them sit for IELTS.
Here’s how we can help you effectively prepare and why IDP is the best choice for passing your IELTS test!