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Dependants / Spouses / Partners of Permit Holders

Suppose you work in Ireland and hold a Critical or General Employment Permit. You may be eligible to bring your partner (De Facto), spouse and dependent children (under 18) into Ireland to live with you. The word “De Facto” refers to a “de facto relationship” where you and your partner are not married but in a committed relationship and have lived together for at least two years.

Agreement Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) Holders and Researchers on a Hosting Agreement

If you are a critical skill employment permit holder or a researcher on a hosting agreement. You are eligible to bring your de facto partner or spouse and dependent children to live together with you in Ireland immediately. However, they will be granted different immigration permissions, and their right to work in Ireland depends on their immigration status.

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Spouse

  • Your spouse will be granted a Stamp 1G immigration permission

  • Your spouse will not require an employment permit to work in Ireland under that Stamp 1G permission.

  • If your spouse is a citizen of a non-EEA country, you may need to apply for an entry visa beforehand, given that they are from a visa-required country.

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De-Facto Partner

  • Your de facto partner will be granted a Stamp 1G immigration permission

  • Your de facto partner will not require an employment permit to work in Ireland under that Stamp 1G permission.

  • If your de facto partner is a citizen of a non-EEA country, you may need to apply for an entry visa beforehand to enter Ireland

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Dependants

  • The individual will be granted a Stamp 3  immigration permission based on their relationship with the permit holder

  • The dependents must apply for a “Dependent Employment Permit” with a job offer to work in Ireland

  • If your dependent is a citizen of a non-EEA country, you may need to apply for an entry visa beforehand for them to enter Ireland

General Employment Permits (GEP) and Other Eligible Permits

For General Employment Permits, your spouse or de facto partner and dependent children can apply to join you after one year. However, you must earn enough money to support your family.

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If your spouse and partner want to join you in Ireland, you must have a minimum annual salary of €30,000 in the past two years before you file this application. If you have dependent children, your income level will be separately assessed based on the weekly working family payment income limits based on your family size.

Your family member must apply for an employment permit to work in Ireland. Unlike the critical skills permit, they must apply for another category of employment permit.

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Spouse

  • Your spouse will be granted a Stamp 3 immigration permission

  • Your spouse will require an employment permit to work in Ireland under that Stamp 3 permission.

  • If your spouse is a citizen of a non-EEA country, you may need to apply for an entry visa beforehand, given that they are from a visa-required country.

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De-Facto Partner

  • Your de facto partner will be granted a Stamp 3 immigration permission

  • Your de facto partner will require an employment permit to work in Ireland under that Stamp 3 permission.

  • If your de facto partner is a citizen of a non-EEA country, you may need to apply for an entry visa beforehand to enter Ireland

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Dependants

  • The individual will be granted a Stamp 3  immigration permission based on their relationship with the permit holder

  • The dependents must apply for a “Dependent Employment Permit” with a job offer to work in Ireland

  • If your dependent is a citizen of a non-EEA country, you may need to apply for an entry visa beforehand for them to enter Ireland

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FAQ

A dependent spouse refers to a husband or wife who relies on the other spouse for financial support and maintenance or who is in significant need of assistance and support from the other spouse.

If you are a Critical Skill Employment Permit holder, you can bring your family to Ireland immediately. If you are on a General Skill Employment Permit, you need to wait for a year in order to do so.

Your family’s right to work depends on the type of employment permit you have. If you are a holder of a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP), a researcher on a Hosting Agreement, or a doctor with Stamp 1H, Your spouse or partner can get a Stamp 1G when they register. This gives them the right to work without an employment permit.

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However, if you are on a General Employment Permit, your family will need their employment permit to work in Ireland.

If you have an employment permit (other than a Critical Skills Employment Permit) or a Stamp 4, then your family can apply to join you in Ireland after 12 months.

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You should have enough income to support your family. If your spouse or partner wants to join you in Ireland, you should have earned at least €30,000 per year in the two years before the application.

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For children, the amount you should earn is based on the weekly Working Family Payment income limits for your family size.

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