Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) — €38,000+ / SOL

Build a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) strategy for [CLIENT_NAME] hired by [EMPLOYER_NAME] for [POSITION_TITLE] at EUR [ANNUAL_SALARY_EUR]. SOL: [IS_SOL]. Qualification: [QUALIFICATION].

§1 — CSEP OVERVIEW (90-110 words)
Section 3D of Employment Permits Acts. Fast-track permit for high-skill non-EEA workers:
  • Salary threshold: EUR 38,000+ for occupations on Critical Skills Occupations List (CSOL/SOL) OR EUR 64,000+ for any occupation (other than ineligible) [VERIFY current — thresholds revised 1 January 2025]
  • 2-year initial duration
  • Family reunification rights immediately (vs 12-month wait for GEP)
  • Direct path to Stamp 4 long-term residency after 24 months continuous CSEP employment
  • No Labour Market Needs Test required (vs GEP requires LMNT)
  • Employer-specific permit (change of employer = new permit application after 12 months OR with consent)

§2 — CRITICAL SKILLS OCCUPATIONS LIST (110-140 words)
CSOL covers high-shortage occupations:
  • ICT: software developers, data scientists, AI specialists, cybersecurity, devops engineers
  • Engineering: civil, electrical, electronic, mechanical, chemical, automation
  • Healthcare: medical practitioners, nurses (selected specialties), allied health
  • Finance: actuaries, risk managers, quantitative analysts
  • Sciences: chemists, pharmacists, biotech researchers
  • Education: senior university faculty + specific shortage subjects

For [POSITION_TITLE] / [SOC_CODE]: verify against current CSOL at enterprise.gov.ie/employment-permits.
If [IS_SOL] = Y → EUR 38,000 minimum applies.
If [IS_SOL] = N → EUR 64,000 minimum applies + occupation must NOT be on Ineligible Occupations List.

§3 — APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS (90-110 words)
[EMPLOYER_NAME] OR [CLIENT_NAME] may apply (typically employer):
  • Employment Permits Online System (EPOS) at epos.enterprise.gov.ie
  • Application fee: EUR 1,000 (2-year permit) [VERIFY]
  • Employer required to be:
    - Trading in Ireland with Irish tax registration
    - Compliant with Irish employment law
    - 50:50 rule — employing minimum 50% EEA workers (waived for some startup categories)
  • Job offer in writing, salary at threshold, role description matching occupation duties
  • [CLIENT_NAME] qualifications + experience evidenced
  • Processing: 2-8 weeks typical (faster for trusted partner employers)

§4 — QUALIFICATION + EXPERIENCE (80-100 words)
For SOL occupations: typically bachelor's degree minimum + 2-5 years relevant experience. For non-SOL EUR 64,000+: higher salary substitutes for some qualification flexibility, but employer + role complexity scrutiny applies.

For Indian-cohort:
  • Bachelor's degree from UGC-recognized institution accepted directly
  • For nursing: Nursing + Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) registration required before permit
  • For medicine: Medical Council of Ireland registration required
  • For engineering: typically no separate Irish registration but Engineers Ireland membership beneficial
  • Foreign qualification recognition: NARIC Ireland statement of comparability if needed

§5 — ARRIVAL + STAMP 1 REGISTRATION (60-80 words)
After CSEP grant:
  • Apply for D-visa at VFS Global India (only for visa-required nationals — Indian nationals required)
  • Visa fee: EUR 60
  • Travel to Ireland with CSEP letter + visa
  • Register at Burgh Quay (Dublin) OR regional GNIB within 90 days
  • IRP card issued with Stamp 1 endorsement
  • Stamp 1 = employer-specific employment permission
  • Renewable annually OR matching CSEP validity

§6 — STAMP 4 PATHWAY + INDIAN COHORT (60-80 words)
After 24 months continuous CSEP with [EMPLOYER_NAME]:
  • Apply for Stamp 4 LTR (Long-term Resident, see separate prompt)
  • Stamp 4 = no employer restriction, no permit required, full work rights
  • Most Indian-cohort CSEP holders convert at exactly 24 months
For families: spouse + children join under Stamp 3 initially; spouse converts to Stamp 1G (Spouse of CSEP holder) with work rights immediately on arrival.

End with: "DRAFT CSEP STRATEGY — for review by Irish solicitor or qualified immigration adviser. The 24-month-to-Stamp-4 path is the strongest non-EU residency pathway in Ireland; verify [POSITION_TITLE] on CSOL + [ANNUAL_SALARY_EUR] meets threshold before lodgement."