Job Prospects in Ireland
Verdant beaches, picturesque landscapes and friendly people beckon students and professionals alike to Ireland. Students seeking to study abroad find Ireland to be the perfect backdrop for realizing their dreams of a bright future. Even more interesting is the fact that, skilled expat professionals are actively recruited to work in Ireland to address skill shortages in the local workforce, which is why universities retain global talent and serve as conduits for skilled manpower, which enrich the local economy.
The service sector dominates the job market and key industries in the country like beverages and brewing, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. Opportunities can be found in a number of major industries including the growing technology sector, where the demand for IT workers is high. Further, Ireland’s rising popularity as a holiday destination has led to the growth of the hospitality and tourism industry, which is in constant need of both skilled and casual workers.
There is also good news for the talented foreign students, who seek gainful employment after completing their masters/research degrees in the Irish mainland. The Third Level Graduate Scheme allows non-EEA students, who have graduated with Level 7 on or after 1 January 2007, to remain in Ireland for 6 months and those who graduate with Level 8-10 to continue staying for 12 months after their program ends. This allows them to find employment and apply for a General or Critical Skills Employment Permit. You can visit the following site for detailed information: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/working_in_ireland/coming_to_work_in_ireland.html#l1f4da.
Graduates with an award at Level 9 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications will be granted permission for twelve months initially. This will be renewed for a further period of twelve months (subject to the overall eight-year limit) where the graduate satisfies the immigration authorities that he or she has taken appropriate steps to access suitable graduate level employment (e.g. attendance at job interviews, signing up with graduate employment agencies, etc.). Such legislations have made Ireland an attractive destination for students from the world over.
As an Indian student, you will need an employment permit to work in Ireland. There are nine different types of permits, including a general permit and critical skills permit. Non-EEA nationals, who have been invited to attend an interview for employment on the Highly Skilled Occupations list, will be granted a Highly Skilled Job Interview Authorisation, allowing them to remain in Ireland for a maximum of 90 days. Also, the employer must employ you directly – this means that applications from recruitment agencies, agents, intermediaries or companies who intend to outsource or subcontract you to work in another company are not accepted. For more information on the types of work permits and application procedures, please follow the link https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/.
Foreign nationals who wish to take up work in Ireland must obtain a Personal Public Services Number (PPS Number). An employer can only pay employees with a PPS number, and funds will usually only be paid to an Irish bank account. Students will also be required to comply with the Universal Social Contribution (USC), Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI), employment laws and taxation requirements. For the various rights and protections offered to any worker in Ireland.
Apart from incomes, the greatest consideration for anyone looking to work in Ireland is the living expenses. Dublin ranks amongst the top 20 expensive cities in Europe, Outer London and Milan are cheaper than Dublin. The Dublin cost of living calculator will have three components that make up the major chunk – Property rentals, Insurance premiums and childcare. Dublin car insurance premiums are some of the highest in the world. So the minimum salary in Dublin should be 50,000 Euros a year. This would also put you in the highly skilled work permit segment, for which the mandatory requirement is that the annual compensation should be above 30,000 Euros.
Most foreign workers will find that the cost of expatriate life in Dublin is comparable to any major European city and they will most likely end up living on the south side of the river. Areas preferred by senior executives with high salaries are – Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Ranelagh, IFSC, Grand Canal Dock, Spencer Dock, Merrion Square, Milltown, Adelaide Road and pretty much any nice street in D2. Average cost of renting a 2 Bedroom is 1500-2000 Euros a month in these areas. A 3-bedroom house would cost about 3000 Euros/month to rent. For more details, please visit http://www.dublin-insider.com/dublin-for-expats/cost-of-living-in-dublin-for-expats.
Given the vast scope for employment in Ireland, where unlike the rest of Europe, English and Gaelic remain the two national languages, it comes as no surprise that expats prefer working in Ireland for its liberal policies as much as its scenic beauty. Also, as the saying goes, there’s no better hospitality to be had than with the Irish and their warm hearths.
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