Critical Skills Work Permit Stamp 1 to Stamp 4

I am a non EU citizen and I am currently processing my Stamp 4. My GNIB card expires on 3 December 2019. I started working in Ireland on 8 January 2018 but my work permit start date is 4 December 2017. I sent my application around August 2019 and DBEI received it on 6 August 2019. DBEI already processed 6 Aug application last week (sometime around 25 Sept 2019) but for some reason I haven’t received any letter until now. I called DBEI and told me that it hasn’t been processed as per their system and advised me to email DBEI and ask if there’s any issue. I’ve submitted all the requirements and followed the 4 months in advance application as per Dec 2018 email they sent. Is there something that I missed in my application? Did I apply too soon?

I emailed DBEI and this was their response:

Dear Sir/Madam

I am directed by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation to refer to your correspondence regarding the employment permit issued to the above named.


Thank you for your email querying the status of your Stamp 4 Support Letter. Please note that you must have completed 21 months of continuous
employment on a Critical Skills Employment Permit before being considered for a Stamp 4 Support Letter. I note from your application that you
commenced employment with your current employer on 8 January 2018 so you will not be considered for a Stamp 4 Support letter until 8 October 2019

The requirement has always been that you need to work for 21 months under the work permit before you can apply for that letter. I am not aware of any "4 month" rule.
If you have an email from them from 2018 that confirms that you can apply for the letter in August, you can send this letter to them to ask for clarification, but as far as I know, the rules have never changed since the introduction of the support letter - I applied for the letter on the very first week when this rule came in.

It’s actually on their website. Refer to Stamp 4 Letter section.

https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workp ... t-updates/

You can't use their old announcement history as their policy document... Also it clearly states this was an interim measure for December 2018 only, and the situation was to be resolved by January 2019.

You will see from DBEI website that:

A request for a Support Letter for a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder seeking a Stamp 4 cannot be processed until the permit holder has completed 21 months working in the State.

This has been there all the time. It was never changed.

It didn’t say for December 2018 only. But I emailed them before I submitted my requirements to be sure. They confirmed the same.

Dude, there is no point arguing that you don't understand the wording. It is a very clear requirement - 21 months. The December announcement is just to cater for the increased demands and shortage in staff during the Christmas season, and they cleared spelled out that they expected it to be resolved in January. If you were to submit your application in February you might have a point to argue, but this is August.

Also I don't understand what the fuss is. You are not being refused for a stamp 4. You are just being deferred because you didn't meet the 21 month requirement. Just wait for a few days and submit it again.

To those who also have similar experience, I got my Stamp 4 Support Letter on 10 October 2019. They actually processed it. Yay!