Permits

Internship Employment Permits facilitate the employment in the State of foreign nationals who are full-time students, enrolled in a third level institution outside the State, for the purpose of gaining work experience.

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

Internship Employment Permits can only be issued for a maximum period of 12 months and are non-renewable.

Eligibility criteria:

• Remuneration must be National Minimum Wage or higher.
• The internship must be in respect of one of the occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
• The course of study must be 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 the State and it is expected that they will return to the third level institution to complete the course of study.