Republic of Ireland vs Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory)
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
Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory)
Saint Helena Visa Atlas coverage is based on official St Helena Government immigration pages. The current packet covers landing permission, short-term entry permits, long-term entry permits, work permits, immigrant employment certificates, e-visa filing, forms, and the Immigration Section under Safety, Security and Home Affairs.
- Official portal
- St Helena Government
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Saint Helena pound
How Republic of Ireland and Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory) differ
| Dimension | Republic of Ireland | Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory) |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 7 | 5 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 4 | 3 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 6 | 0 |
| 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 | Work Permit |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | €40,904/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 | English |
| Currency | Euro | Saint Helena pound |
| Primary regulator | Law Society | Immigration |
| 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
- €40,904/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
Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory)
Work Permit
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Recent policy activity
Last 6 months. Each entry links to its primary government source.
- 28 May 2026Republic of Ireland
Ireland announces employment-permit occupation list changes
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment announced occupation-list changes to support housing, health and transport needs, including additions to the Critical Skills Occupation List and removals from the Ineligible Occupations List.
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)
Routes unique to Republic of Ireland
Routes unique to Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory)
Visa routes side by side
Republic of Ireland (7)
Critical Skills Employment Permit
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 2 years initially; leads to Stamp 4 permission and long-term residence after 2 years.
General Employment Permit
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 2 years initially; renewable; longer-term residence possible after 5 years.
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial 2-year permission; renewable; leads to Stamp 4 after 5 years.
Stamp 4 permission
No sponsor · Leads 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 · Leads to settlement · Variable — usually 1–3 years at a time; leads to Stamp 4.
Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Closed to new applicants.
Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory) (5)
Landing Permission
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 24 hours on island.
Short-term Entry Permit
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Not exceeding 183 days.
Long-term Entry Permit
No sponsor · Non-settlement · For stays in excess of 183 days, as issued by St Helena authorities.
Work Permit
Sponsor · Non-settlement · As issued by St Helena immigration authorities for the approved work basis.
Immigrant Employment Certificate
Sponsor · Non-settlement · As issued by St Helena immigration authorities for the approved employment basis.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Republic of Ireland or Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory)?+
Republic of Ireland’s Critical Skills Employment Permit requires a salary of at least €40,904/year; Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory)’s Work Permit is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Which immigration system has changed more recently, Republic of Ireland or Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory)?+
In the last 6 months: 1 logged policy change for Republic of Ireland, 0 for Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory). See the recent-policy section above for the details, each linked to its primary source.
Does Republic of Ireland or Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory) 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 3 for Saint Helena (British Overseas Territory). 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.