Working in Ireland

Coming to Ireland to work is a great way to open up career opportunities, earn some money and gain experience.

EURES

European Employment Services

The EURES Network was established by the European Commission to help European citizens find work in another country of the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA).

EURES has a network of EURES advisers, who can give you information and advice on your job search in Ireland and help you to contact Irish employers. They can also give you more general practical information on living and working conditions in Ireland – for example, social security, information on pay levels, taxes, and recruitment practices – and provide pre-departure and on-arrival advice.

Coming from the EU/EEA

As an EU citizen, you can come to Ireland to look for work, and you can take up employment (or self-employment) without needing an employment permit. This also applies to citizens of European Economic Area (EEA) countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and Switzerland. Further information on Coming to work in Ireland.

PPS Number

In order to work in Ireland, you need a PPS (Personal Public Service) number. This is unique to an individual, and is used for identifying individuals for tax and welfare purposes. You usually cannot apply for your PPS number before you come to Ireland. When applying, you will need either a national identity card or a passport and proof of residence. More information

Paying tax

If you are employed by someone or self-employed, you will pay the following tax and social insurance:

PAYE (Pay as You Earn)

If you are an employee, you pay tax through the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system, which is usually deducted from your earnings by your employer. See Starting your first job and Calculating your Income Tax (revenue.ie) for more information.

PRSI

Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributes towards any benefits you may be entitled to.

USC

The Universal Social Charge is tax paid on all your income if your gross income is more than €13,000 per year.

Self Employed/Freelance Contractor

If you are self-employed, doing contract work or working freelance, you are responsible for paying your own tax.

Looking For A Job

Get that Job – a useful guide to creating your CV (curriculum vitae/ résumé) and applying online, with interview tips, information on employment supports, and tips on how to stay positive.

Careers Portal – information on careers, career path, industry news and opportunities.

Tips for finding a job online

Job Search Engines

Internships/Graduateships

Where to start

Start with a conversation with the Career Office in your university. Most universities have their own specific programmes to support internships and graduateships. There is often a section on their websites specifically relating to internships, and that would be a good starting point.

Gradireland. Register and complete the careers report. Through this, jobs information will be tailored for your qualifications and to the internships you want. They also list internship posts on their website.
Contact the main body over the particular sector in Ireland that you are interested in.

Well-established routes into internship. Investment banking, consultancy, accountancy, finance and IT have well-established routes into internship, regularly leading on to graduate recruitment.

General employment websites like indeed.com, Linked-in and Glassdoor do have a list of internship opportunities. The process of application and CV uploading would be similar to applying for a job. The main thing would be to find the appropriate sector, as there are internships in all types of career areas.

Employment Supports

Local Intreo Centre

You can drop in or call your local Intreo centre to get information on job vacancies. Intreo centres provide information and advice for all jobseekers. You can read more about employment services for jobseekers. More information

Youth Information Service

Youth Information Services can help you with job-hunting support, including:

creating a CV (curriculum vitae/résumé)
applying for jobs online
interview skills
information on options and opportunities.

Employment Supports for a Young Person with a disability

If you have a disability, there are services provided to help you with your job hunt or work life. This employment guide includes information about supports available to you. More information

Rights When Working

If you are coming to Ireland to start working, it is important to know that you have certain basic rights as an employee. These include equal treatment, holiday pay, breaks and time off, safe workplace, and statement of terms and conditions. More information

If you are working part-time, have a zero-hour contract, or are working on an employment permit, you have certain employment rights. More information

As a young person aged under 18, you have additional protection under Employment Law – The Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 is there to protect your health and ensure that working during your school years does not affect your education. More information

As a migrant worker (anybody who works in a place that is not their country of citizenship), you have the same rights and protections in work as Irish nationals. It’s not legal for your boss to discriminate against you based on your accent, your nationality or the colour of your skin. Use this handy guide from spunout.ie to know your rights and stand up for them if you think they’re being ignored. More information

Social Welfare & Support

The EU has rules on how social welfare is coordinated between EU/EEA countries, including Switzerland. These rules apply to many of the payments available in Ireland. Learn more about your rights to social welfare in Ireland as an EU/EEA worker. More information

More information on jobseeker and disability payments, the Habitual Residence conditions, housing supports and emergency payments.

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