#DYK About Ireland’s Stay-Back Visa?

Friendly Ireland wants foreign students to study there, and wants them to stay! Vanessa Raphaely reports.

One of the most appealing features of studying in Ireland is that students can apply for a “Stay-Back Visa” after they graduate.

According to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, “The intention of the [Third Level Graduate Programme] is to allow legally resident Irish-educated non-EEA graduates holding an award of a recognised Irish awarding body to remain in Ireland after their studies.”

The Complicated Version

The Irish Department of Justice upgraded their website in 2023 to explain that “Graduates with an award at Level 8 [Bachelors] on the National Framework of Qualifications will be granted a 12-month permission, to a maximum of seven years’ student permission overall, (time spent on Stamp 2 as a student and on Stamp 1G under this programme cannot exceed an aggregate time of seven years in total).

“Graduates with an award at Level 9 or above [Master’s or PhD] on the National Framework of Qualifications who qualify for the Programme will be granted permission for 12 months initially. This will be renewed for a further period of 12 months (subject to the overall eight year limit on student conditions not being exceeded).”

BASICALLY…

All graduates and postgrads can apply for a one-year Stay-Back Visa in order to work in Ireland, and Master’s and PhD grads can apply to have this extended for a second year. The full details of the policy can be read here.

After 24 months students may even be eligible for the Green Card or Work Permit Scheme.

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY GRADUATES:

• Must be able to show, via a graduation scroll or official transcript, that their university or institution has awarded them the qualification they enrolled for.

• Must hold a current student immigration permit [Stamp 2] and an up-to-date immigration registration card.

• Must apply for permission within six months of graduating.

• Must not have already been in Ireland for more than seven years as a student. If they are postgrads, and have already used one year of the programme, they may apply for a second year as long as this doesn’t push them over eight years in the country.

• Must pay a registration fee of €300.

• Must be physically in Ireland when they apply.

Your stamp collection…

Stamp 2 indicates permission to study a full time course on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) for a specified period, subject to conditions.

Stamp 1G indicates you have finished your studies in Ireland and have permission to look for employment here under the Third Level Graduate Programme, subject to conditions.

Stamp 1 indicates permission to work or operate a business in Ireland, subject to conditions. Find the full list of immigration stamps here.

QUALIFICATIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING IRISH INSTITUTIONS ARE ACCEPTED FOR THIS VISA: Trinity College, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin City University (DCU), Technological University Dublin (TU), Maynooth University, Munster Technological University (MTU), University College Cork (UCC), University of Galway (NUIG), the University of Limerick (UL) and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland; Institutes of Technology; and any qualifications listed in the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

UCD notes that “Students from outside the EU/EEA who have previously registered with Irish Immigration Service for the Stamp 2 permission must apply for their Stamp 1G through the Immigration Online renewal portal.”

NOTE:

A student cannot be self-employed on this visa. And any student wanting to remain after the allotted time is up, would need to apply for a work permit, i.e. change from stamp 1G to Stamp 1 permission once sponsored by an employer through an employment permit or hosting agreement.

UCD Global reports that Ireland is looking to extend the period from 1 to 2 years (Bachelors), and from 2 to 3 years (Master’s/PhDs).

Learn more about this visa.

Top 10 Reasons To Study In Ireland

1. IRISH UNIVERSITIES RANKED IN TOP 5% GLOBALLY

2. 25+ UNIVERSITIES TO CHOOSE FROM OFFERING 5000+ COURSES

3. HOME TO +1400 LEADING GLOBAL COMPANIES FOR INTERNSHIPS OR POST-STUDY WORK PLACEMENT

4. WORK PART TIME DURING YOUR STUDIES

5. 1-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE WORKING VISA, 2-YEAR POSTGRADUATE WORKING VISA

6. TOP 20 COUNTRY IN THE WORLD FOR INNOVATION

7. UN RANKS IRELAND IN THE TOP 5 IN THE WORLD FOR QUALITY OF LIFE

8. ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY WITH MULTICULTURAL CAMPUSES

9. OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW COST EUROPEAN TRAVEL

10. A SAFE, TOLERANT COUNTRY TO GROW AND DISCOVER YOURSELF