What are skills in high demand in Ireland?
If you are hoping to move to Ireland by obtaining a Critical Skills Employment Permit, you must ensure that you have the skills required.
This includes checking that your skills are considered critical to the Irish economy.
To enquire about your eligibility for skilled worker immigration to Ireland, contact our dedicated immigration lawyers on +353 (0) 615 180 25.
Moving to Ireland
If you are thinking of moving to Ireland, you may be wondering whether you could qualify for permission to work and live in the State as a skilled worker. Acquiring an employment permit is one of the best ways of emigrating to Ireland, particularly if you qualify for a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP).
Being a CSEP holder is attractive for a number of reasons, as the Irish government wishes to encourage highly skilled individuals to take up roles which would be beneficial to the Irish economy – particularly those of which the State has a skills shortage.
Looking at which skills are in high demand in Ireland is a good place to start; from here, you can see how in demand your specific skills are, and consider important factors such as the average salary for the type of role you would wish to take up.
What is the Critical Skills Occupation List?
When it comes to the Critical Skills work permit, the Irish government has established what is known as the ‘Critical Skills Occupation List’ (CSOL). This list features occupations which require skills and qualifications that are in demand in Ireland, typically due to skills shortages.
This typically means that Irish businesses and organisations struggle to recruit for these roles in Ireland, facing difficulties when trying to hire applicants with the necessary skill level. Certain industries are more susceptible to facing skills shortages, such as engineering, natural and social sciences, ICT, healthcare, transport and logistics, and business and finance.
For this reason, many occupations within these sectors feature on the CSOL. Examples include IT specialist managers, IT business analysts, architects and systems designers, civil engineers, structural engineers, chemical scientists in manufacturing, and medical practitioners.
When looking at jobs in Ireland, you should consider whether you have the necessary knowledge, experience and qualifications to help with these shortages. If this is the case, you may qualify for a CSEP and can enjoy the many benefits which come with this work permit.
How do I apply for a job in Ireland as a non-EU national?
As a person who is not from a European Union member state, you must ensure that you acquire a work permit before moving to Ireland to take up employment.
If you believe you have the relevant skills and experience to succeed in a sector which struggles with skills shortages, this will give you a significant advantage.
Job competition in Ireland can be challenging, particularly since hiring a non-EU national requires additional hurdles and expenses for the employer.
You will be competing against both Irish and EU citizens who already have the right to work in the State, meaning your application must stand out.
One way of doing this, of course, is by proving that you could fill a skills shortage in a relevant industry/sector.
Before applying for a work permit – such as the CSEP – you must have received a job offer and be set to receive a salary of at least €64,000 or €32,000 if your role is on the Critical Skills Occupation List.
What is a comprehensive list of skills in demand in Ireland?
The key jobs currently listed on the Critical Skills Occupation List (CSOL) include the following:
- Product Managers and Directors
- Natural and Social Science professionals
- Engineering professionals
- ICT professionals
- Health professionals
- Health and Social Services Managers and Directors
- Nursing and Midwifery professionals
- Therapy professionals
- Health Associate professionals
- Teaching and Educational professionals
- Business, Research and Administrative professionals
- Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors
- Quality and Regulatory professionals
- Media professionals
- Artistic, Literary and Media occupations
- Design occupations
- Sports and Fitness occupations
- Sales, Marketing and Related Associate professionals
Each industry is looking for specific jobs to be occupied; it is worth looking at these to determine whether you would qualify under the CSOL. If you have the necessary qualifications and experience to perform in one of these jobs, you stand a good chance of successfully acquiring a work permit.
