Republic of Ireland vs Japan
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Republic of Ireland
Ireland operates an employment permits system administered by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), with immigration permissions separately issued by Immigration Service Delivery (ISD). The Critical Skills Employment Permit is the headline route for high-skill migration.
- Official portal
- Department of Justice (Ireland)
- Languages
- Irish, English
- Currency
- Euro
Japan
Japan's immigration is administered by the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) under the Ministry of Justice. The system uses 29 residence-status categories. Key routes include the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa with fast-track PR, Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Types 1 and 2 for designated industries, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services for knowledge workers, and Business Manager for entrepreneurs. Major reforms in 2023–24 expanded the SSW system significantly.
- Official portal
- Immigration Services Agency (ISA)
- Languages
- Japanese
- Currency
- Japanese yen
How Republic of Ireland and Japan differ
| Dimension | Republic of Ireland | Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 7 | 5 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 4 | 1 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 6 | 3 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | Arrival → Stamp 4 (2 years on CSEP, 5 on GEP) → citizenship (5 years reckonable, typically year 6–7 from arrival). | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | Critical Skills Employment Permit | Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | €38,000/year | — |
| Skilled visa processing time | DETE publishes current processing dates weekly; Critical Skills Employment Permits are consistently prioritised over General permits, typically 3–6 weeks for trusted-partner employers. | — |
| Skilled visa government fees | A Critical Skills Employment Permit to Ireland costs around €1,300 in government fees for a single applicant — the CSEP fee is typically employer-borne, so the worker's out-of-pocket cost is closer to €300. | — |
| Official languages | Irish, English | Japanese |
| Currency | Euro | Japanese yen |
| Primary regulator | Law Society | JFBA |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 1 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Republic of Ireland
Critical Skills Employment Permit
- Salary minimum
- €38,000/year
- Government fees
- A Critical Skills Employment Permit to Ireland costs around €1,300 in government fees for a single applicant — the CSEP fee is typically employer-borne, so the worker's out-of-pocket cost is closer to €300.
- Processing time
- DETE publishes current processing dates weekly; Critical Skills Employment Permits are consistently prioritised over General permits, typically 3–6 weeks for trusted-partner employers.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Japan
Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Routes unique to Republic of Ireland
Routes unique to Japan
Visa routes side by side
Republic of Ireland (7)
Critical Skills Employment Permit
Sponsor · To settlement · 2 years initially; leads to Stamp 4 permission and long-term residence after 2 years.
General Employment Permit
Sponsor · To settlement · 2 years initially; renewable; longer-term residence possible after 5 years.
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
No sponsor · To settlement · Initial 2-year permission; renewable; leads to Stamp 4 after 5 years.
Stamp 4 permission
No sponsor · To settlement · Typically issued for 1–5 years at a time; renewable.
Irish Student visa (Stamp 2)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 1 year at a time; renewable during studies.
Join Family (Irish national or EEA national)
No sponsor · To settlement · Variable — usually 1–3 years at a time; leads to Stamp 4.
Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed)
No sponsor · To settlement · Closed to new applicants.
Japan (5)
Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa
Sponsor · To settlement · 5 years; with fast-track PR after 1–3 years.
Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services
Sponsor · To settlement · 1 or 3 years (5 years for renewals); renewable.
Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 (SSW-1 / 特定技能1号)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 5 years total (not renewable beyond 5 years — must transition to SSW-2 or another status).
Business Manager Visa (経営・管理)
No sponsor · To settlement · 1 year initially; renewable for 1, 3, or 5 years.
Student Visa (留学)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · 1–2 years; renewable for duration of studies.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Republic of Ireland or Japan?+
Republic of Ireland’s Critical Skills Employment Permit requires a salary of at least €38,000/year; Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Does Republic of Ireland or Japan have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Republic of Ireland has more: 4 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 1 for Japan. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.