Entrepreneur visa routes in Republic of Ireland
Thinking about Republic of Ireland as a place to work? Below are the 2 Republic of Ireland visa routes that most commonly fit entrepreneurs, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: startup founder, business owner, company director.
What this means for entrepreneurs
Of the 2 Republic of Ireland routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs, 0 need a sponsoring employer and 2 do not, 2 have confirmed permanent residence mapping. Entrepreneurs are not usually a licensed profession, so your main gates are securing a qualifying job offer where a route needs a sponsor, and meeting any salary or points threshold, rather than re-credentialing.
The most-used skilled route into Republic of Ireland overall is the Critical Skills Employment Permit; it is not specific to entrepreneurs but is worth understanding as the benchmark route.
Typical figures — Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
How long it takes
No fixed national clock published
Irish Immigration Service — STEP does not publish one fixed, route-wide end-to-end processing time that can be stated responsibly for this application route.
Use the current Irish Immigration Service — STEP service for the responsible mission, service centre, authority or live processing-time tool before applying.
Verified 10 September 2026 · Irish Immigration Service — STEP
Time to permanent residence
Separate clocks: CSEP and other specified permissions may qualify for a Stamp 4 upgrade after 21 months of employment; ordinary GEP/ICT after 57 months. Long Term Residency has its own 60-month qualifying-residence test. Naturalisation normally requires five years of reckonable residence, including the final continuous year; neither Stamp 4 nor Long Term Residency guarantees citizenship or a decision date.
Leads to Long Term Residency (separate from a Stamp 4 upgrade), then Irish citizenship.
Occupation salary-floor answer
Entrepreneur salary floor in Republic of Ireland
Verified 22 June 2026
Salary floor
No route-specific floor mapped
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) eligibility
No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test.
Compare this occupation across priority destinations · Source datasets: /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/visas
Licensing vs visa timeline
Entrepreneur: visa vs licensing timeline in Republic of Ireland
Version 2026-07-02
This separates the immigration filing track from the profession, regulator or recognition track. It uses route source data and cost-to-complete evidence; it is indicative and not legal advice.
Visa track
- 1
Confirm route fit
Before relying on an offer
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) is the representative route for this profession page. It does not require an employer sponsor and is mapped as leading to settlement.
- 2
Check current route figures
Before budgeting
Current source-backed figures on this page include processing No fixed national clock published.
Source: Visa Atlas figure datasets
- 3
Follow the official application pathway
After route fit is clear
Refine the business concept in consultation with Enterprise Ireland or an experienced advisor.
Licensing / recognition track
- 1
No separate licence line modelled
After route fit is clear
This profession category is usually driven by offer, salary, qualification and route fit rather than a separate professional-registration clock. Still confirm the official route source before filing.
Method: Compares the representative visa track with profession-sensitive recognition, registration or skills-assessment evidence found in the route cost model; it does not create country-specific regulator claims when no source-backed line exists. Source datasets: /api/public/visas, /api/public/cost-to-complete, /api/public/salary-thresholds, /api/public/processing-times.
Source basis
This profession page uses Republic of Ireland's official immigration portal plus the primary government source for each matched route. The route cards link to full eligibility and source records.
Reviewed
Primary sources
- Immigration Service Delivery
Department of Justice (Ireland) - verified
- ISD — Start-up Entrepreneur Programme
Immigration Service Delivery (Ireland) - verified
- ISD — IIP closure FAQ
Immigration Service Delivery - verified
Routes that fit entrepreneurs
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
Residence programme for founders establishing a High Potential Start-Up in Ireland.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Initial 2-year permission; renewable; leads to Stamp 4 after 5 years.
Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed)
Historic golden-visa equivalent; closed to new applications from 15 February 2023.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Closed to new applicants.
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) | — | No fixed national clock published | Yes |
| Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed) | — | No fixed national clock published | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit entrepreneurs moving to Republic of Ireland?+
Republic of Ireland has 2 routes that commonly fit entrepreneurs: Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP), Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP — closed). The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do entrepreneurs need a job offer to move to Republic of Ireland?+
Not always. 2 of the 2 matched Republic of Ireland routes can be pursued without an employer sponsoring you (such as the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)), while 0 need a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. If you do not yet have an offer, start with the no-sponsor routes.
Can entrepreneurs settle permanently in Republic of Ireland?+
Yes. 2 of the 2 matched routes lead toward settlement or permanent residence. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
What salary do entrepreneurs need in Republic of Ireland?+
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) does not have one fixed numeric floor in the mapped salary-threshold record. No route-specific salary threshold is mapped for this profession-route pair yet; use the route source for eligibility and the salary-threshold dataset for any destination-level pay test. Source: ISD — Start-up Entrepreneur Programme, verified 22 June 2026.
How long does the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) take to process?+
The typical published decision window is No fixed national clock published (Irish Immigration Service — STEP, verified 10 September 2026).