9 May 2024
As of 15 May 2024, spouses or partners of holders of Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permits and General Employment Permits can work in Ireland. Such individuals now have access to the labour market without the need to hold a separate employment permit. For new applicants of this type, they will now receive an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) Stamp 1G rather than a Stamp 3.
Labour market access was already available to spouses or partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit and Hosting Agreement holders, and this has now been extended to other categories of employment permits.
The spouse or partner of an Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit or a General Employments Permit had previously been able to avail of family reunification to reside in Ireland; however, they had no automatic entitlement to work unless they were sponsored by an employer and obtained an employment permit. Now these restrictions have been eased.
An IRP Stamp 1G is granted based on a relationship with a principal employment permit holder and is therefore not an independent immigration permission. The validity and renewal of an IRP Stamp 1G will remain contingent on the relationship between the parties, continued joint residency in Ireland, and the immigration status of the principal employment permit holder.
Individuals should be aware that the application processes for family reunification remains unchanged by this update. By way of example, General Employment Permit holders are usually required to have worked in Ireland for 12 months before they may seek to enjoy family reunification with their spouses or partners and children.
If employers have questions regarding this notice, family reunification requirements, or the conditions attached to an IRP Stamp 1G, please contact a member of the Immigration and Employment Law team with KPMG Law in Ireland (see the Contact the team section).
KPMG Law’s Employment & Immigration team is at hand to assist your organisation in understanding Irish immigration implications and applications.
Please do not hesitate to contact our team below.