TiocfaidhÁrLá wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2025 11:19 pm
Hi,
I'm quite new to consideration of Ireland as an immigration destination so please excuse if this is a silly question.
I'm a US citizen. I work for a US company and can work from wherever in the world. I see that I can get a 1-year Working Holiday Authorisation (WHA) an unlimited number of times as long as I meet the criteria (e.g. in higher education) each time I apply. I also see that I can apply for permanent Irish residence after 5 years of living there.
Suppose that I get 5 1-year WHA permits and live in Ireland for 5 years, working for the US company the whole time. After the 5 years, can I apply for permanent residency on the basis that I have lived in Ireland for 5 years? Or does the time spent on a WHA in Ireland working for a US company not count for residency?
Much obliged!
As a US citizen you can get the Irish Working Hollday Visa more than once, but as you say, you'd need to re-qualify each time. Only Canadians can get a second one in a row. You'd need to be in continuous study to qualify for back to back WHV. You also need to be out of Ireland, and back in the US, to apply for a WHV, so you'd need to have at least a small break and so they wouldn't be continuous.
'USA
To be eligible for the Working Holiday Authorisation you must be a US citizen who is currently enrolled in full-time third level education or has graduated from such a programme in the past 12 months. You must apply directly to the relevant Consulate General or Embassy. The fees they charge vary from $352 to $360 USD. The application process is split into two stages. First you submit your application and supporting documents. Once this has been approved you must provide a return plane ticket, evidence of medical/travel insurance and your original passport. You can submit your application by post or in person.'
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/m ... n-Ireland/
The single-use nature (ie requirement to qualify via study for every WHV) is confirmed here:
https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/visas-for ... rish%20law.
You can't work for a non-Irish company on WHV. That is to say, the employer must be registered in Ireland as an employer and employing people via Irish social security and tax systems. This is confirmed in following link, with reference to 'comply with Irish law'. An employment relationship with someone based in Ireland legally requires using the Irish social security/employment system. I don't believe you could set up as self-employed on the WHV and freelance for a US employer, though I haven't looked into this. Most entry permissions to Ireland for non-EU/British citizens preclude self-employment. Stamp 4/Critical Skills do allow self-employment and they are recognised as unusual in this regard.
https://www.ireland.ie/en/dfa/visas-for ... rish%20law.
You are technically generally limited to working for a single employer for no more than 6 out of 12 months. That is to say, it is for 'temporary' work - and 6 months out of 12 is the longest that Irish convention recognises something as being temporary and not permanent. In practice this is fairly loosely enforced for those spending 12 months on a WHV. I think however this relaxed attitude would change if you added a second WHV to a first and continued with the same employer.
https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming- ... n-ireland/
The WHV doesn't count for long term residency, only work permits do.
'If you have been legally resident in Ireland for a minimum of five years (60 months) as the holder of an employment permit issued by Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment you may apply for Long Term Residency permission.'
https://www.irishimmigration.ie/my-situ ... 20criteria.
As a non-EU citizen, you would never be eligible for permanent residency, as that is an EU Treaty Right scheme. Long Term Residency (the non-Eu citizen option) looks and feels quite similar in practice, but they are different permissions.
https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming- ... ty-rights/
The WHV doesn't count towards citizenship either.
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/m ... on/#4d140a
The WHV is specifically designed to prevent any use towards permanency of any kind. That's why it is easy to get. It's generally meant to be for young people mixing some temporary work with holidaying. You could potentially get away with a different use unnoticed, you can't use it to regularise your residency in Ireland. You need a standard work/family reunification etc visa for that.
