Ireland: From Stamp 1G to an Employment Permit and Stamp 1

What Stamp 1G gives you

After graduating in Ireland, eligible non-EEA students can apply for the Third Level Graduate Programme, which gives a Stamp 1G permission to look for graduate-level employment. Irish Immigration Service Delivery states that on Stamp 1G you can work full time in line with employment law, but you cannot operate a business or be self-employed. The length depends on your qualification level on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ): an award at Level 8, and an award at Level 9 or above, are granted set periods that are subject to overall limits on student permission. These periods can change, so confirm the current conditions on irishimmigration.ie. This is general information, not immigration advice.

• Stamp 1G = permission to seek graduate employment after study
• Full-time work allowed; no self-employment or running a business
• Duration depends on your NFQ level (Level 8 vs Level 9+) — verify the current periods on irishimmigration.ie
• Subject to overall limits on total student permission

The employment permit system

Stamp 1G is time-limited, so the route to longer-term work is usually an employment permit, issued by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. The two most relevant types for graduates are the Critical Skills Employment Permit and the General Employment Permit. Eligibility and conditions are set officially and change, so verify them on enterprise.gov.ie.

Critical Skills vs General Employment Permit

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is aimed at highly skilled roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List and is designed to encourage long-term residence. The General Employment Permit covers a broad range of occupations except those on the Ineligible List of Occupations. Salary thresholds and the occupation lists are set officially and change, so verify the current figures on enterprise.gov.ie before relying on them.

• Critical Skills: for roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List
• General: most roles except those on the Ineligible List
• Each has its own salary and eligibility rules — verify the current figures on enterprise.gov.ie
• The job offer drives which permit applies

Moving onto Stamp 1

Once you hold an employment permit and start the sponsored job, you generally register for a Stamp 1 permission, which lets you work for the specific employer named on your permit. Stamp 1 is the working permission tied to your employment permit, distinct from the open-search Stamp 1G. Confirm the current registration steps on irishimmigration.ie.

Plan the transition before Stamp 1G ends

Because Stamp 1G has a maximum duration, line up an employment-permit-eligible job offer before it expires. Your employer or you (depending on permit type) apply for the employment permit, and once granted you register your Stamp 1 with immigration. Always check current processing steps and timelines on the official sites, as they are updated regularly.

• Secure a job offer eligible for an employment permit
• Apply for the relevant employment permit (enterprise.gov.ie)
• Register your Stamp 1 permission with immigration (irishimmigration.ie)
• Do this before your Stamp 1G permission expires