Just Shown Up?

I was wondering if anyone has just gone to Ireland on a tourist visa, and then just went and got a work visa. No spouse, or anything. My friend who works for an accounting firm in Dublin, says they have all sorts of admins & secretaries from countries outside the EU who have done such a thing. I am American, and am thinking of trying this myself. Any one have any information?

Let me share my recent experience regarding this issue. Since my girlfriend lived in Ireland, we decided to spend some time together in Ireland before we got married. I then resigned my job from the States where I was working on a work visa, and I got a visit visa to Ireland easily enough. I found a job two months later in Ireland ,and my employer agreed to sponsor my work visa.I arrived back to my home country and applied for the work visa at the Irish embassy in Delhi.The people at the embassy did not respond at all for two months and meanwhile I lost the job that I had found in Ireland. we then decided to get married in Ireland and I applied again for a visit visa, this time from Delhi...the dearly beloved (insert appropriate cuss word here) at the Delhi Irish embassy refused my visit visa for the second time even though I had been in Ireland just 3 months previously and left without any problems.Obviously, there is a difference if you apply for visit visa from Delhi versus Chicago even if it's on the same passport.We then had to change our plans for the third time and get married in India and then apply for a spouse visa.Now it's six months since I have been here, and even though all the paperwork is in order I still havent received my residence card.

Although technically it is possible, it's vaguely illegal, as you're not supposed to look for a job while on a tourist visa.

Which is not to say people don't do it. If you do find a job, however, you'd need a work visa. Your employer applies for one for you. To get a work visa, your employer has to prove to the government that they have advertised the job publicly for a certain length of time, and that no one in Ireland or the EU can fill the position (so no bar/waitressing/admin work, basically- you have to have a pretty rare or in demand skill set). You have to apply for this in your country of residence, so you'd have to go back home and wait for the work permit to come through. It's supposed to take 8-12 weeks to issue a work permit. Then, once you have it, you come to Ireland and present the permit at immigration.

This is if you want to do it legally. I have nothing to say about doing it illegally. Your friend may have told you there are a lot of non-EU nationals working there, but they may hold WHVs, or are spouses of work permit holders, or students who are allowed to work a certain number of hours.

Platinum wrote:Although technically it is possible, it's vaguely illegal, as you're not supposed to look for a job while on a tourist visa.

Which is not to say people don't do it. If you do find a job, however, you'd need a work visa. Your employer applies for one for you. To get a work visa, your employer has to prove to the government that they have advertised the job publicly for a certain length of time, and that no one in Ireland or the EU can fill the position (so no bar/waitressing/admin work, basically- you have to have a pretty rare or in demand skill set). You have to apply for this in your country of residence, so you'd have to go back home and wait for the work permit to come through. It's supposed to take 8-12 weeks to issue a work permit. Then, once you have it, you come to Ireland and present the permit at immigration.

This is if you want to do it legally. I have nothing to say about doing it illegally. Your friend may have told you there are a lot of non-EU nationals working there, but they may hold WHVs, or are spouses of work permit holders, or students who are allowed to work a certain number of hours.

The above procedure roughly corresponds to that for people who require a visa to enter Ireland as a tourist. As a US citizen you dont. Therefore you can come to Ireland as a tourist and look for work. Then if you find a willing employer to employ you you can apply for a green card if your salary is above 30 000 and the offer is for 2+ years. You do not have to leave the country. However you cant do any job, its fairly specific. If the job pays more than 60 000 almost all jobs will qualify. There is still a work permit procedure for all other occupations, you still need to earn 30 000+ however a labour market needs test has to be done which takes 4 weeks before the application can be filed.

More detailed info can be found on http://www.entemp.ie/labour/workpermits/

The above procedure roughly corresponds to that for people who require a visa to enter Ireland as a tourist. As a US citizen you dont. Therefore you can come to Ireland as a tourist and look for work.

Really? I was under the impression that, even on a visa waiver (which is what a US citizen comes into Ireland with), you're still here as a tourist and therefore shouldn't be looking for jobs. Of course, it's hard to prove that you are.

I forgot about the other, newer ways of obtaining permission to work. The 'green card' scheme will probably come in useful for some people.

Well the girl I speak of is Brazilian... and has not ties with Ireland. Secondly the accounting firm is top accounting firm in Ireland, so I imagine they are doing anything unseemly in their hiring of admins.

Also, I am sorry to hear that people have been treated with dearly beloved attitudes when dealing with Irish immigration, but I am as cookie cutter looking western european as they come.

I think everyone has heard stories about people who are able to wrangle better circumstances when they go to see Immigration people, I just wanted to know if anyone here has managed as such.

I am not interested in going any illegal route. I prefer to do things by the law.

Thanks for all your input.