Can I Move to Ireland as a Teacher? Registration and Permits 2026

Short answer: It depends

Yes, with Teaching Council registration and a job offer. Registration is a requirement for being paid from state funds, and teachers qualified outside Ireland are often registered with conditions to complete. The permit is usually the General Employment Permit, unless your role is on the Critical Skills list.

The programmes that apply to teachers in Ireland

Fees, salary floors and processing times below come from the official sources in Transita's visa database. Processing is an estimate from the published figure, not a promise.

Programme	Fee	Salary floor	Processing	Job offer	PR after
General Employment Permit	$1,100	EUR 36,605/yr (≈ $41,949/yr)	2–5 months	Yes	5 years
Critical Skills Employment Permit	$1,100	EUR 40,904/yr (≈ $46,876/yr)	2–4 months	Yes	2 years
Third-Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G)	$350	None set	1–2 months	No	7 years

General Employment Permit headline floor: general minimum.

Critical Skills Employment Permit headline floor: occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List, relevant degree qualification or higher required.

General Employment Permit alternative floor: EUR 34,009/yr (relevant degree issued by an Irish third-level college within the previous 12 months).

General Employment Permit alternative floor: EUR 32,691/yr (Horticulture, meat processing, care and home support (SOC 6145)).

Critical Skills Employment Permit alternative floor: EUR 36,848/yr (qualification obtained in the last 12 months).

Critical Skills Employment Permit alternative floor: EUR 68,911/yr (occupations outside the Critical Skills list, other than on the Ineligible List of Occupations).

General Employment Permit: The standard permit for a teaching post that is not on the Critical Skills list. The school applies once it has offered you the job.
Critical Skills Employment Permit: Only if your occupation appears on the Critical Skills Occupations List. Check the list for your subject and level before assuming it applies.
Third-Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G): For graduates of Irish institutions, for example after an Irish teacher education programme. It lets you work while you move to a permit.

Teaching Council registration

The Teaching Council's registration handbook states that registration is a requirement for teachers to be paid from state funds. If the school is state-funded, start registration before anything else.

Teachers qualified outside Ireland are typically registered with Qualification Shortfalls conditions, which come with a set period to address them. Two conditions come up most: the Irish Language Requirement for primary teachers, and History and Structure of the Irish Education System for post-primary teachers.

Which permit, and what salary

The General Employment Permit floor is EUR 36,605/yr (≈ $41,949/yr). Other floors in our data: EUR 34,009/yr (relevant degree issued by an Irish third-level college within the previous 12 months); EUR 32,691/yr (Horticulture, meat processing, care and home support (SOC 6145)). The permit costs $1,100, processing takes about 2–5 months and it leads to Stamp 4 after 5 years.

If your occupation is on the Critical Skills Occupations List, the Critical Skills permit has a floor of EUR 40,904/yr (≈ $46,876/yr) and reaches Stamp 4 after 2 years. Check the current list for your subject before you apply.

Who sponsors teachers in Ireland

Transita does not hold an Irish sponsor register. Employment permits are applied for against a specific job offer, so the school that hires you is the one that matters. Ask whether it has hired teachers on employment permits before.

The Transita sponsor register collects the official sponsor lists we hold, so you can check an employer before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register with the Teaching Council to teach in Ireland?

Yes, if you will be paid from state funds. Registration is separate from your employment permit.

Can teachers trained abroad register in Ireland?

Yes. They are often registered with Qualification Shortfalls conditions, such as the Irish Language Requirement for primary or History and Structure of the Irish Education System for post-primary, with a set period to meet them.

What permit do teachers need to work in Ireland?

Usually a General Employment Permit (floor EUR 36,605/yr (≈ $41,949/yr)). A Critical Skills permit applies only if your occupation is on the Critical Skills Occupations List.

How long does an Irish employment permit take?

About 2–5 months for a General Employment Permit, as an estimate.

Related guides

Plan your registration and permit together

Transita keeps the Teaching Council steps and employment permit documents in one plan and checks your salary against the permit floors. Answer 8 questions and your routes, documents and dates are set up for you. Free.

Build my workspace

official sources: GEP · enterprise.gov.ie·CSEP · enterprise.gov.ie·1G · irishimmigration.ie