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Please be advised that the Consulate General of Ireland, Shanghai website has moved and this page is no longer being updated. The Consulate website is now available at Ireland.ie/shanghai.

Application Requirements for an Employment Visa

A non-EEA national requires a Work Permit to work in Ireland

[The European Economic Area (EEA) comprises the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway]


If you are visa-required national and are travelling to Ireland to take up employment you should present the following with your visa application:

PERSONAL DOCUMENTS AND FEE

• Passport, valid for 6 months after your intended date of departure from the State. Please include 2 photocopies of the passport bio page. If you have held a previous passport, you must submit your previous passport with your application.
• Signed summary of your on-line application form. Please refer to our How to Apply Page for details.
• 2 passport sized colour photos taken in the past six months that meet our specifications.
• A signed letter of application outlining the nature and duration of your visit to Ireland and including contact details.
• Photocopy and official English translation of applicant's hukou
Please follow these links for information on Visa Fees & VFS service charge and payment methods

Please follow the link to find the application centre most convenient to you – information on Visa Application Centers

OTHER DOCUMENTS

• A valid work permit for Ireland

• A letter from the employer in Ireland stating:
I. contact details for the place of employment in Ireland
II. name of the applicant and nature of the employment
III. details of the salary and any benefits in kind

• Details of the applicant’s previous training and work experience

• If currently / previously employed in China , a letter from current / previous employer stating:
I. contact details for the place of employment in China
II. name of the applicant and nature of the employment
III. details of the salary and any benefits in kind

• Copies of all certificates held relevant to the employment position in Ireland

• Full details of the applicants family (parents, spouse, children and siblings)

• If you are travelling to Ireland to work as a performing artist you must provide your schedule of performances

Please note the above list is not exhaustive and applications should be supported by all information considered relevant.

Please note that any document submitted in Chinese, must be accompanied by an official English translation.

You are required to provide a copy of all original documents

It is not possible to change your status while in Ireland.

Your employer in Ireland must apply to the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment for a work permit on your behalf.

We aim to make a decision on your application as soon as possible however, please allow 10 working days for your application to be processed.

Before you complete your visa application please thoroughly read the information contained in General Information for all applications.