Ireland - Trainee

An application for an Internship Employment Permit should made to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation at least 12 weeks before the proposed employment start date. An application can be made online on the Employment Permits Online System.

Either the non-EU citizen or the employer can apply for an Internship Employment Permit and the Employment Permit is issued to the non-EU citizen, and a certified copy sent to the employer, which permits his or her employment in Ireland by the employer in the occupation and location/s specified on the permit.

The processing fee for an Internship Employment Permit is:

• €500 for an Employment Permit of 6 months or less duration or
• €1,000 for an Employment Permit from 6 months up to 12 months duration.

The following criteria must be met:

• Remuneration must be National Minimum Wage or higher.
• The internship must be in respect of one of the employments on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
• The course of study must be wholly or substantially concerned with the skills shortages identified on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
• It must be a requirement for the completion of that course of study, to obtain experience in the practice of those skills or qualifications, in an employment that requires the practice of those skills or qualifications.
• At the end of the internship, the employee must leave Ireland and it is expected that they will return to the third level institution to complete the course of study.

You can apply for an internship visa to travel to Ireland if, as an integral part of your studies, you are required to undertake unpaid work experience (an internship).

Applications will only be accepted in respect of non-EU citizen who:

• Are full-time students, including post-graduate students, enrolled in a third-level institution outside the State,
• Are pursuing a Degree course or higher, and
• Have an offer of an internship with an employer in the State.
• Applications will only be accepted from employers who are registered with the Revenue Commissioners and, if applicable, with the Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies, and which are currently trading in the State.
• An employer – employee relationship must exist in that the prospective employee concerned will be employed, salaried and paid directly by the employer.
• An Employment Permit will not issue unless at the time of application 50% or more of the employees in a firm are EEA nationals.
• A Labour Market Needs Test is not required for an Internship Employment Permits

You can apply for an internship visa to travel to Ireland if, as an integral part of your studies, you are required to undertake unpaid work experience (an internship).You can apply for an internship visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to Ireland.

If you are visiting another state prior to travelling to Ireland, you must have the relevant visa for that state in your passport before applying for an Irish visa.

Visa applications must be made online

Following admission to Ireland, you must register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau/local immigration officer and obtain a certificate of registration.

If you live in Dublin City or county, you must register at Burgh Quay Immigration Registration Office. This office is managed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).

If you live outside Dublin City or county, you must register at your local immigration registration office. These offices are managed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (police) and located at Garda stations nationwide.

Where an applicant wishes a refusal decision to be reviewed then he/she may do so within 28 days on the prescribed Submission of a Decision for Review Form. The review will be considered by a separate and more senior official. The confirmation of a refusal decision on review does not preclude the applicant from submitting a new application following all of the relevant procedures for the specific employment permit type.

More on Internship Employment Permit

More on visas

More on registration

Holders of Internship Employment Permits do not accrue rights for long term residency purposes as the Employment Permit is available on the basis that the employment is temporary. At the end of the internship, the employee must leave Ireland and it is expected that they will return to the third level institution to complete the course of study.