Critical Skills permit, Stamp 1G and Stamp 4 — the real path

This guide reflects the rules as understood in 2026. Irish immigration and employment permit policy — including the salary thresholds and the Critical Skills Occupations List itself — is reviewed periodically by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Justice. Always verify current figures at enterprise.gov.ie and irishimmigration.ie before making a decision.

1. 1

   20 hours a week during term, 40 during holidays

   Stamp 2 holders may work up to 20 hours per week during term time, and up to 40 hours per week during official college holiday periods (summer, Christmas, Easter) — verify current limits with your institution's international office.

2. 2

   Your programme must be ILEP-listed

   Only degree programmes on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes qualify you for Stamp 2 renewal and, later, for the Stamp 1G graduate scheme. Confirm ILEP status of your exact programme before enrolling.

3. 3

   Registration and GNIB/IRP card

   You must register with the immigration authorities and hold a valid Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card for the duration of your stay, renewing it in line with your programme length.

During Stamp 1G you are not tied to the 20-hour weekly limit — you can work full-time while you search for a permit-qualifying role. This window exists specifically so you can find and start a job before your employment permit application is submitted.

The €38,000 threshold applies specifically to occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List where you hold a relevant degree — this list is dominated by ICT (software development, data/AI, cybersecurity, cloud engineering), certain engineering disciplines, and specific healthcare and science roles. Other Critical Skills-eligible roles not tied to a listed occupation-plus-degree combination require the higher ≈€64,000 threshold. Always check the current Critical Skills Occupations List and exact thresholds on enterprise.gov.ie — both are reviewed periodically and figures shift.

1. 1

   Critical Skills holders: apply after 2 years

   After 2 years on a Critical Skills Employment Permit, you become eligible to apply for Stamp 4, which grants unrestricted access to the labour market.

2. 2

   General Employment Permit holders: after 5 years

   General Employment Permit holders must generally wait 5 years of reckonable residence on the permit before qualifying for Stamp 4 — a materially longer route.

3. 3

   Stamp 4 holders can change jobs freely

   Once on Stamp 4, you are no longer tied to a single employer or occupation, which is a major practical and career advantage over both permit types.

In practice, for a Bangladeshi graduate this typically means the clock for citizenship starts meaningfully ticking once you move onto an employment permit or Stamp 4, not from your first day as a student. Combined with the permit-to-Stamp-4 timelines above, a realistic total timeline from starting a master's to citizenship eligibility is commonly in the range of 7–9 years for Critical Skills holders, and longer for General Employment Permit holders. Reckonable residence rules have specific carve-outs and exceptions — verify your exact eligibility date with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) rather than estimating from this guide alone.