It was announced on the 6th March that the spouses and partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit (Stamp 3) holders will no longer have to apply for an independent work permit to access the Irish labour market.
Until now they could only apply for a work permit on receipt of a job offer and follow a lengthy and cumbersome process to have it approved and be eligible to work. This is no longer the case and on entry into Ireland spouses and partners will be entitled to the same conditions as a Stamp 1 holder enabling them to take up work immediately.
What does this mean to employers in Ireland?
Specifically in the tech sector where there are significant skills gaps and shortages employers are forced to source talent from outside of the country and the EEA. The Critical Skills Employment Permit was designed to attract highly skilled workers to fill these vacancies and enable Irish companies to grow and expand.
The permit holder has the option to apply for immediate family reunification which makes it very attractive. Although spouses and partners have always been able to access the labour market the administration and process involved made it difficult and often prohibitive. Therefore, these changes will now enhance the attraction and benefits of coming to Ireland on a Critical Skills.
Employment Permit for the holder and their co-dependants. It will also provide an immediate boost to the labour market here as they will be available to work themselves immediately should they wish to.
In such a competitive talent market, Ireland needs to be seen as a great place to live, work and invest in and making changes like this is critical to ensuring our economic growth and prosperity.
If you, as an employer, are struggling with hiring highly skilled people and think your roles might be eligible for permit holders, visit the following government website for all the criteria and details.
For further advice or information, please contact our Operations Manager Ingrid on 01 5252914 or email info@voltedge.ie.
Voltedge Management
