How to get a job in Ireland from the UK (2026)

Can British citizens work in Ireland without a visa?

Yes. The Common Travel Area is a long-standing arrangement between the UK, the Crown Dependencies and Ireland. The UK government's guidance says British citizens can work in Ireland, including on a self-employed basis, without needing any permission from the authorities. The same arrangement covers living there, studying, access to health services and social welfare, and voting in certain elections.

The two governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 8 May 2019 reaffirming it, and Citizens Information confirms Brexit has not affected the right to live, work and access public services. There are no routine passport checks between the two countries, but airlines and ferries ask for ID, so travel with your passport.

The rights belong to British and Irish citizens only. A partner or relative with another nationality needs their own permission. Glo is not a migration adviser: if your circumstances are unusual, check with the Irish Immigration Service before you move.

How does hiring work in Ireland?

It will feel familiar. Citizens Information says you usually send a CV or complete an online application form, with a cover letter if the advert asks for one. Recruitment agencies are common, and the National Recruitment Federation keeps a directory of them. Citizens Information notes that agencies may get a fee from the employer if you get the job.

Interviews usually take a shape UK candidates will recognise: a screening call, then one or two rounds with the hiring manager, sometimes with a presentation or test. Employment equality law protects you throughout, and Citizens Information notes you can ask for feedback afterwards and, if refused, request your interview notes under GDPR.

Expect checks at offer stage. GOV.UK says Irish employers may ask for a UK police certificate or a Garda police certificate. Work with children or vulnerable adults also needs Garda vetting. References are often taken up at offer stage, so brief your referees early.

Where are jobs in Ireland advertised?

Use several channels at once. Citizens Information recommends checking job sites, recruitment agencies, company websites, social media and personal contacts regularly, because some employers only advertise on their own site.

• JobsIreland.ie: lists jobs in Ireland and lets you upload your CV so employers can contact you.
• publicjobs.ie: Ireland's public sector recruitment site, for civil and public service roles.
• IrishJobs.ie, Jobs.ie, Indeed and LinkedIn: the large commercial boards for private sector roles.
• Specialist recruitment agencies: find them through the National Recruitment Federation directory and register with two or three in your field.
• Company career pages: some employers only advertise vacancies on their own website.
• Intreo centres: once you live in Ireland, your local centre has vacancy information and advice.

How do you apply for Irish jobs while you are still in the UK?

Be specific about the move. Recruiters screen out vague relocators because they have been let down before. Relocating to Cork in August 2026 gets a call. Open to relocating does not.

Most first and second interviews can run by video, and Ireland keeps the same clock as the UK, so you can take calls in your lunch hour. Be ready to travel for a final interview, and say so in your cover letter. Many employers will move one stage online if you ask, but not all.

Put your UK mobile with +44 on your CV and answer unknown numbers while you are searching. Have your notice period ready to quote, along with a date you can start in Ireland once you allow for the move itself.

If an employer asks whether you need sponsorship, the answer is no. Say it in one sentence and move on to why you fit the role.

When do you need a PPS number in Ireland?

When you start work, not when you apply. Your Personal Public Service number is your reference for tax, social welfare and public services. Citizens Information says you need it to register with the Revenue Commissioners when you start a job, and that employers should not ask for it while recruiting.

You apply online through MyWelfare with a basic MyGovID account, then attend an in-person appointment to finish the application. As a UK citizen you prove your identity with your current passport. You also need proof of an Irish address dated within the last three months, such as a utility bill, bank statement, tenancy agreement or a letter from your accommodation provider. In practice that means you apply after you have somewhere to live.

Will your UK qualifications be recognised in Ireland?

For most jobs, your degree speaks for itself. If an employer is unsure of the level, NARIC Ireland, hosted by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, publishes free comparability statements that place foreign qualifications on Ireland's National Framework of Qualifications. The employer still makes the final decision.

Regulated professions need more. Since 1 January 2021, mutual recognition of professional qualifications between the EU and the UK no longer applies, so UK-qualified people must apply to the Irish regulator, called the competent authority, before they can practise. The regulator may accept your qualification, refuse it, or ask for a compensation measure such as extra experience, a course or an aptitude test.

• Teachers: the Teaching Council.
• Nurses and midwives: the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.
• Health and social care professionals: CORU.
• Engineers: Engineers Ireland awards titles such as Chartered Engineer and has a route for recognising professional titles from abroad.
• Other professions, including accountants, architects, pharmacists and electricians: find your regulator on the government's list of competent authorities.

Do you need Garda vetting to work in Ireland?

Mainly if your role involves children or vulnerable adults, for example in schools, childcare, hospitals and health services, residential care or sport for young people. Private security staff are vetted too.

You cannot apply on your own. Vetting is run by the Garda National Vetting Bureau and only goes through organisations registered with it. Once you accept an offer, the employer sends you a form, you prove your identity, and you complete the e-Vetting application online. Build this into your start date. GOV.UK notes you may also be asked for a UK police certificate.

What is a realistic timeline for moving to Ireland for work?

No permit means you control the pace. This is the order we would follow. Regulated professionals should start step two before anything else, because you cannot practise until the regulator says yes.

• Before you apply: confirm you hold British citizenship and check whether your profession is regulated in Ireland.
• Before you apply: if it is, contact the Irish regulator and start your application.
• Before you apply: rewrite your CV for Ireland and download a NARIC Ireland statement if your degree level might be questioned.
• While you apply: set alerts on publicjobs.ie, JobsIreland.ie and the commercial boards, and register with specialist agencies.
• While you apply: interview by video, travel for finals, and give a firm start date.
• After the offer: complete references, police certificates and any Garda vetting the employer requests, and give notice in the UK.
• First weeks in Ireland: secure an address, apply for your PPS number on MyWelfare and register your job with Revenue.

Which sectors have documented demand in Ireland?

The clearest official signal is the Critical Skills Occupations List, kept by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. It lists highly skilled roles in high demand where the skills are not always available in the resident labour force, including roles in medicine, ICT, sciences, finance and business.

The list exists to decide employment permits for non-EEA nationals, so British citizens do not need it. It is still useful evidence: an occupation is only added where there is a genuine shortage across that occupation, after review. If your work falls in one of these areas, say so early in your CV profile.