Post-Study Work Visa in Ireland for Indian Students

Located just off the coasts of England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland makes up a significant part of the area. One of the world's largest centres for employment and education, Ireland is home to major multinational corporations and prestigious educational institutions. Therefore, it only makes sense that graduates from universities in Ireland might wish to remain there and begin looking for employment opportunities in Ireland. Indian students must apply for post-study work visas in Ireland in order to stay in the country after completing their study in Ireland and obtain employment under the Irish Third Level Graduate Scheme, in contrast to EEA/EU/Swiss students. This permits legally residing third-level non-EU graduates to stay in the nation while looking for work or applying for a work permit/green card. It works similarly to an Irish post-study work visa. 
 

What is the Irish Third Level Graduate Scheme?

The Irish government launched the third-level graduate programme/scheme in 2007, which enables qualified graduates to hunt for and accept jobs in Ireland without requiring an employment permit. This permits them to apply for a general employment permit, a vital skills employment permit, a research hosting agreement, and graduate-level work. Prior to the expiration of your current student permit, you ought to set aside a considerable amount of time for renewing your registration and setting up revised immigration permits. If your current visa for the nation has already reached the expiration date, your application for the Ireland post-study work permit will be denied. Those who are accepted will be given Stamp 1G immigration authorisation. The programme permits two kinds of students:

• A Level 8 achievement on the NFQ(National Framework of Qualification) entitles the holder to a 12-month graduate immigration permit. The entire permit period lasts for 7 years. 
• For people with Level 9 or above qualifications, the graduate immigration authorisation is valid for up to 24 months. The maximum permit validity is eight years. 
   

Who can Apply?

If you ask, why study in Ireland? This scheme should be your answer to a smooth academic time and professional career in the country. The NFQ (National Framework of Qualification), which is based on nationally accepted knowledge, competence, and skill standards, is used to divide Irish degrees into ten categories. Higher education certificate programmes completed before earning a bachelor's degree are referred to as Level 6 programmes in the NFQ scale. The third-level graduate programme is only open to students who have finished their Study in Ireland and who have received a minimum Level 8 or higher qualification from an accredited awarding authority. 

Other requirements include:

• possessing a valid immigration card and a Stamp 2 student visa,
• not having surpassed the non-EEA graduate stay limit of seven years,
• have obtained a degree from a recognised Irish granting institution on or after January 1, 2017,
• not submitted more than two applications to the programme.

The approved awarding bodies include:

• 7 universities in Ireland, namely University College Dublin (UCD), Trinity College Dublin, Maynooth University, Dublin City University (DCU), University of Limerick, University of Galway, and University College Cork (UCC) 
• Technological University Dublin
• South East Technological University
• Atlantic Technological University.
   

What are the Rules against the Programme?

The third-level graduate programme has the following rules which must be kept in mind before applying for the same:

• This programme allows you a permit to look for work or work full-time or part-time.
• It does not allow the individual to start a business or work for themselves (self-employed)
• After being permitted, under no circumstance can the individual assume to receive social assistance (government) benefits.
• This permit also does not allow the permitted individual to bring their family to Ireland. In order to do that, each family member brought to the country must first apply for a permit to live and work there.

Before applying, be mindful that each approval is different. Each application is considered individually when granting a visa. Depending on your situation, yours might have additional conditions.
 

How Much Will the Permit Cost?

The cost of enrolling in the Irish graduate third-level programme is EUR 300. This entire amount will be refunded if your application is denied. Keep in mind that when you are in Ireland, you will need to be able to afford to support yourself. In your budget, don't forget to account for expenses like rent, bills, health insurance, and travel expenses.
 

What are the Documents Required?

When you apply to the Irish third-level graduate scheme, you will need the following documents:

• Irish Residence Permit (also known as your IRP card)
• Passport (or other valid travel document)
• Proof of the qualification you have obtained, either:
• a copy of the certificate you received for completing your studies or 
• a letter from your education provider confirming your completion of the course you took. 
• Proof you have medical insurance.

Within six weeks of submitting your application, you should know the end result of it for the third-level graduate programme. If approved, you will be issued a new IRP card.
 

Conclusion

Choosing to stay back in a country where you have gone for abroad education, a country you have grown to like is why the Irish government has come up with this great scheme. Instead of coming back to India, if students wish to stay back and work there for a couple of years or even settle there in future should be the choice of the individual himself. To help you achieve this goal of yours, there are many top Ed Tech Companies, such as KC Overseas, where experts provide students with extensive guidance about higher education abroad, why study in Ireland, along with visa-related advice to achieve your dream.