British citizens moving to Republic of Ireland
British nationals typically move to Republic of Ireland through its standard work, study, family, and skilled-migration routes rather than through a dedicated bilateral scheme. Eligibility and processing times are set by Department of Justice (Ireland), so check each route below for its primary source.
We cover 7 Ireland routes — 4 can be started without a job offer, and 6 lead to permanent residence.
Tourist entry
Tourist-entry rules for British nationals are set by Department of Justice (Ireland) and change periodically — check the official entry-requirements page before travelling. Either way, tourist entry does not confer the right to work, study long-term, or establish residence.
Treaty & bilateral memberships
- Schengen Area
- Commonwealth
- UK–Ireland Common Travel Area
- UK–Ireland Common Travel Area
Consular processing: a Republic of Ireland consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence
Long-tail depth brief
British to Republic of Ireland at a glance
Version 2026-07-02
| Signal | Current value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Covered routes | 7 4 do not require an employer sponsor; 6 are marked as settlement routes. | Visa route dataset |
| Sponsor-free routes | 4 Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP), Stamp 4 permission, Join Family (Irish national or EEA national), and more. | Visa route dataset |
| Settlement-mapped routes | 6 Critical Skills Employment Permit, General Employment Permit, Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP), and more. | Visa route dataset |
| Dominant skilled route | Critical Skills Employment Permit Sponsor or job offer required; settlement route. | DETE — Critical Skills Employment Permit - 8 July 2026 |
| Published salary floor | €40,904/yr Critical Skills Employment Permit — general floor | DETE — Critical Skills Employment Permit - 1 March 2026 |
| Published processing clock | 3 weeks – 6 weeks DETE publishes current processing dates weekly; Critical Skills Employment Permits are consistently prioritised over General permits, typically 3–6 weeks for trusted-partner employers. | DETE — Employment permits current processing dates - 1 June 2026 |
| Government cost example | €1,300 Single applicant, non-visa-required nationality | DETE — Fees for employment permits - 1 June 2026 |
Index rule: Rendered on nationality corridor pages that pass shouldIndexCorridor; sparse fallback-only corridors remain omitted from static generation and sitemap. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times, /api/public/fees.
What this means for British citizens
Of the 7 Republic of Ireland routes we cover, 4 can be started without an employer sponsor and 6 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Relevant memberships: Schengen Area, Commonwealth, UK–Ireland Common Travel Area, UK–Ireland Common Travel Area. Language-test requirements vary by route — check each route below for the requirement set out in its official source.
Headline figures — Critical Skills Employment Permit
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
€40,904/yr
Critical Skills Employment Permit — general floor
Verified 1 March 2026 · DETE — Critical Skills Employment Permit
Government cost
€1,300
Single applicant, non-visa-required nationality
CSEP permit holders can sponsor family immediately. Each family IRP is €300. D-visas for visa-required dependants are €60 each.
Verified 1 June 2026 · DETE — Fees for employment permits
How long it takes
3 weeks – 6 weeks
DETE publishes current processing dates weekly; Critical Skills Employment Permits are consistently prioritised over General permits, typically 3–6 weeks for trusted-partner employers.
Verified 1 June 2026 · DETE — Employment permits current processing dates
Time to permanent residence
Arrival → Stamp 4 (2 years on CSEP, 5 on GEP) → citizenship (5 years reckonable, typically year 6–7 from arrival).
Leads to Long-Term Residence / Stamp 4, then Irish citizenship.
All Republic of Ireland routes open to British applicants
General routes available to all nationalities. Click any to read the full guide.
Critical Skills Employment Permit
Fast-track employment permit for high-skill roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement
General Employment Permit
Sponsored employment permit for roles not on the Critical Skills list but above the general salary threshold.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
Residence programme for founders establishing a High Potential Start-Up in Ireland.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement
Stamp 4 permission
Long-term residence permission allowing unrestricted work in Ireland.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement
Irish Student visa (Stamp 2)
Study permission for international students enrolled at eligible Irish institutions on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement
Join Family (Irish national or EEA national)
Family reunification permission for spouses, civil partners, and dependants of Irish or EEA nationals resident in Ireland.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement
Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed)
Historic golden-visa equivalent; closed to new applications from 15 February 2023.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 28 May 2026In force 28 May 2026
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)
Frequently asked questions
Can British citizens enter Republic of Ireland without a visa?+
Tourist-entry rules for British nationals are set by Department of Justice (Ireland) and change periodically — check the official entry-requirements page before travelling. Either way, tourist entry does not confer the right to work, study long-term, or establish residence.
Which Republic of Ireland visa routes are best suited to British applicants?+
British nationals typically move to Republic of Ireland through its standard work, study, family, and skilled-migration routes rather than through a dedicated bilateral scheme. Eligibility and processing times are set by Department of Justice (Ireland), so check each route below for its primary source.
Where do British applicants typically apply for a Republic of Ireland visa?+
Applications are typically processed at a Republic of Ireland consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence. Some digital and in-country applications can be filed directly with Republic of Ireland's immigration authority without a consular visit.
Do British citizens need a job offer to move to Republic of Ireland?+
Not necessarily. 4 of the 7 Republic of Ireland routes we cover can be started without an employer sponsor, while the rest need a sponsoring employer or job offer. If you do not have an offer yet, the no-sponsor routes are the place to start.
Can British citizens get permanent residence in Republic of Ireland?+
Yes. 6 of the 7 Republic of Ireland routes we cover lead toward settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
How much does the Critical Skills Employment Permit cost for a British applicant?+
Government fees for the worked example (Single applicant, non-visa-required nationality) total about €1,300. CSEP permit holders can sponsor family immediately. Each family IRP is €300. D-visas for visa-required dependants are €60 each. Figures from DETE — Fees for employment permits, verified 1 June 2026. Treat these as indicative — confirm the current schedule on the official source before budgeting.
What salary do British applicants need for the Critical Skills Employment Permit?+
The Critical Skills Employment Permit — general floor floor is €40,904/yr, effective 1 March 2026 (DETE — Critical Skills Employment Permit). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How long does the Critical Skills Employment Permit take to process from United Kingdom?+
The typical published decision window is 3 weeks – 6 weeks. British applicants usually file via a Republic of Ireland consulate or visa application centre in your country of residence, and consular-post backlogs can add to the wait. Source: DETE — Employment permits current processing dates, verified 1 June 2026.
How long until permanent residence in Republic of Ireland?+
Arrival → Stamp 4 (2 years on CSEP, 5 on GEP) → citizenship (5 years reckonable, typically year 6–7 from arrival). The route leads to Long-Term Residence / Stamp 4, then Irish citizenship. See ISD — Irish citizenship by naturalisation for the qualifying-residence rules.