Economy and Employment
The country is gifted with acres of arable land, and so it is not surprising that Ireland has built its economy on agriculture. However, Ireland has to adapt to current trends to survive, and there has been a shift of focus to a modern economy.
The Irish economy did take a beating from the worldwide financial slump, decreasing the GDP by 3%. With an impressive GDP of 176.9 billion USD as of 2009, Ireland is obviously taking best measures to weather the current financial crisis.
Ireland has a workforce of 2.187 million people, 49% of which are employed in the services sector, 46% are involved in the industries sector, and the remaining 6% are part of the agriculture sector.
Like its other European neighbors, the Emerald Isle has also opened its doors to the high-technology industry. It also continues to thrive with the help of the trade and investment sectors.
Another key employer in Ireland is the export sector. Multinational companies are the major players in this industry, primarily dealing with the manufacture and export of food products, textile, machinery, chemicals, and even transportation equipment. Recently, the construction sector has also greatly contributed to appease the needs of the increasing labor force.
Getting Work Permit
Citizens of the EU countries are not required to hold a work permit in order to work in Ireland. You can personally file the application or your employer can do it in your behalf. Applications are to be submitted to the Employment Permits Section of the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment.
Additional documents aside from your passport and visa should be provided. Types of documents that may be required would include evidence that a labor market test has been undertaken as well as certification of your qualifications.
The fee required would depend on the term of validity of the work permit you're applying for. A work permit valid for six months would require a fee of 500 Euros, while one that would be good for two to three years would cost you about 1500 Euros.
General processing time for new applications is around three months.
There are very few instances that one would not be granted a work permit. This applies if you entered the state on the basis other than employment, or if you're seeking employment with a business establishment that does not have a valid business permit.
You are also expected to stay with your current employer for 12 months if you are applying for your first work permit. Should you decide to change or shift jobs, then you would need to secure a new work permit.
Renewal of permits can only be done once the previous permit is already expired. New fees would apply, but a labor market needs test would no longer be necessary.
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