Ireland Family Reunification and Dependant Work Permit
A Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) holder can apply to bring family to Ireland, and the family's right to work has two layers that are easy to confuse. This page describes Irish rules. Based on the official guidance (enterprise.gov.ie), September 2026.
Who can use this route
- You hold a Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP), or are a researcher under a Hosting Agreement.
- Your spouse, partner or children are the family members covered.
- A CSEP needs a job offer of 2 years or more and does not need a Labour Market Needs Test.
- The CSEP holder is expected to stay with the initial employer for at least 9 months.
The two layers of family work rights
| Spouse / de facto partner | Since 6 March 2019, no employment permit needed — ISD grants Stamp 1 with direct labour market access |
| Other dependants | Still need a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit (they hold Stamp 3) |
The Dependant Employment Permit
- Free of charge.
- All jobs except domestic operative.
- Pay at or above the National Minimum Wage.
- No Labour Market Needs Test.
- After it is granted, apply to ISD to move to Stamp 1.
Step by step
- The main applicant obtains a CSEP (job offer of 2 years or more, no LMNT).
- The CSEP holder applies to ISD for family reunification.
- Family members arrive and get residence (spouse/partner: Stamp 1 with work access; other dependants: Stamp 3).
- A dependant who needs a permit gets a job offer.
- Apply for the Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit (free, no LMNT).
- After approval, apply to ISD to move to Stamp 1.
Common misconceptions
- Assuming all family get work rights automatically — only the spouse/partner is exempt from a permit; other dependants need one.
- Applying for a Dependant Employment Permit without a job offer.
- Assuming the CSEP holder can change employer freely within the first 9 months.
- Family pay below the National Minimum Wage, which makes them ineligible.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder bring family immediately?
Yes. A CSEP holder can apply to ISD for family reunification immediately; there is no requirement to wait.
Does my spouse need a work permit?
Since 6 March 2019 the spouse or de facto partner of a CSEP holder or a Hosting Agreement researcher does not need an employment permit — ISD grants Stamp 1 with direct access to the labour market.
Do other dependants need a permit?
Yes. Other dependants (holding Stamp 3) still need a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit. That permit is free.
What jobs can a dependant do?
All jobs except that of domestic operative, with pay at or above the National Minimum Wage, and no Labour Market Needs Test is required.
How long must a CSEP holder stay with the first employer?
A CSEP holder is expected to stay with the initial employer for at least 9 months.
What is not published here?
The ISD application materials, fee and processing time for family reunification itself are not set out on the pages used here, so none is asserted here.
Related: the Ireland short-stay visa documents checklist, document translation and copies, and the guides hub.
Source: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (enterprise.gov.ie), Critical Skills Employment Permit and Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit pages — retrieved 2026-09-29. Requirements change, so confirm the current position on the official page at the time you apply.