Can I move to Ireland without a job?

Moving to Ireland

Each year, thousands of foreign nationals relocate to the Republic of Ireland – each with their own unique circumstances and reasons for their relocation. Many come to work in the State, some choose to study here, and others make the decision to settle in Ireland with their Irish partners.

Whatever your reason for desiring to move to Ireland, you must find a visa route suited to you and your personal circumstances. Most importantly, you must ensure that you are eligible for whichever visa you wish to apply for.

If you are an EU/EEA national, you are not required to apply for an Irish visa in order to enter and reside in Ireland for a period of up to 3 months. You may stay longer if you are in employment, are studying in Ireland, or can prove that you have the financial means to reside in the State without relying on public funds.

However, for the majority of non-EU/EEA nationals, you will be required to secure a visa or permit to reside and work in Ireland. If you are hoping to relocate to Ireland without securing a job first, there are a few routes you may be eligible to take.

Am I eligible to move to Ireland without a job?

If you are moving to Ireland as a non-EU/EEA national without a job, you must be eligible for one of the Irish immigration stamps.

There are a range of immigration routes open to those who do not have a job in Ireland.

You may be hoping to move to settle with your Irish partner (or partner with settled status in Ireland), or you may wish to study in the State.

Neither of these routes will require you to have a job, however you will have to prove that you are able to support yourself financially during your time in Ireland.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the various forms of immigration permission open to those without a job. These include specific routes under the following stamps:

• Stamp 0
• Stamp 1G
• Stamp 2
• Stamp 2A
• Stamp 3
• Stamp 4

Stamp 0

Stamp 0 permission allows you to live in Ireland for a specified period of time, without necessitating you to work. While this stamp may be granted to visiting academics who wish to work in the State for less than 9 months, it is also open to the following people who do not intend on working in Ireland:

• Elderly, dependent relatives
• Persons of independent financial means

You must, however, prove that you are financially self-sufficient and will not be able to access public funds or work during your stay.

Stamp 1G 

Stamp 1G permission can be granted to those who do not yet have a job, but who are looking for employment in Ireland. It is specifically aimed towards those who have graduated from a Level 8 or above course and wish to look for employment in Ireland under the Third Level Graduate Scheme.

If you are studying in Ireland and wish to remain after you have graduated but do not yet have a job, this scheme may be suited to you.

This form of immigration permission can also be granted to those who are the spouse/de facto partner of a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder or a spouse/de facto partner of Researchers in the State on Hosting Agreements. You do not have to have a job to qualify for this type of immigration permission, however you must have the means to support yourself financially. If you wish to, you can work under this route.

Stamp 2 & Stamp 2A

This form of immigration permission is for those who are moving to Ireland to study in the State. You are not required to have a job to relocate to Ireland under this route – in fact, if you wish to work under this permission, you will be restricted as to how many hours you may work per week.

To qualify for Stamp 2 permission, you must have been granted permission to study on a full-time course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), including English language students, undergraduates, postgraduates, higher national diploma or PhD students.

To qualify for Stamp 2A, you must have received permission to study for a limited period on a course that does not feature on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP). This typically relates to foreign students who are participating in a semester of studying abroad at an Irish university. Students under this route are not permitted to work at all.

Stamp 3

Stamp 3 permission can be granted to those who are moving to Ireland to volunteer. As a volunteer, you will not be permitted to undertake any paid work during your stay.

This stamp can also granted to other types of applicant – such as Ministers of Religion – however for the purposes of this blog post, we are looking primarily at how to move to the State without a job.

Stamp 4

Under Stamp 4 permission, you may stay in Ireland for a specified period of time if you are eligible as one of the following applicants:

• You are joining your Irish spouse/civil partner or de-facto partner
• You are joining your minor child who is an Irish citizen
• You are joining your family member who is a recognised refugee/has been granted subsidiary protection
• You are joining your EU/EEA or Swiss family member through exercising their EU Treaty Rights
• You have been recognised as a convention/programme refugee or have been granted subsidiary protection
• You have been accepted for the Investor and Entrepreneur Programme
• You have been granted permission for long-term residence

As you can see, this route is open to a variety of applicants. However, each type of applicant will have to meet specific requirements. While you may not have to be employed in the State to be granted permission under this route, you may have to prove that you are financially self-sufficient or that your partner can support you.

If you are moving to Ireland and need help, our expert immigration lawyers can guide you throughout the visa process and can provide tailored advice on which route is most suited to you and your personal situation. To enquire, call us today on (+353) 061 518 025.