Work visa renewal - about to expire

southern oracle

I am just looking for advise, I am applying for my fifth year of irish working visa and just realised y employer has left it a bit late as my visa expires on the 31st August. Does anyone know if I can keep on working while I am waiting for my visa to process? At the moment when I check the Dept Trade and Justice they have a 2 month backlog.. therefore if I send in the paperwork this week I will not be able to work till October. This is not an option due to financial and work commitments. Is it possible the Garda immigration will stamp my visa and allow me to work, while I am waiting for this to be processed?? Has anyone been in a similar situation? I would like to hear from you.

Thanks in advance

the_syco

Don't know if it makes a difference, but what region are you from? The USA, Asia, Africa, etc?

southern oracle

I am from Australia. After speaking to a friend, it looks as though you can keep on working while your visa is being processed by the Dept. I just need to go down to Garda immigration and get a stamp to keep my passport up to date.

If anyone can confirm this, I would be most appreciative.

none

I think you either confuse working visas with work permits or never did a renewal before. If you do have a working visa (as opposed to a work permit which must be renewed by the employer), you just get a free-form work reference, P60, and Credit Card and go to Burgh Quay. You renew your GNIB registration first (paying EUR150 by Credit or Debit Card) and then you can renew your visa (which is not strictly required unless you plan crossing the border). Wait, you're Australia so you don't need visas. What was previously called working visa is now in fact just a GNIB recidency stamp 4 which allows you to work in Ireland. Visas as such are not needed for you.

southern oracle

Thanks for your reply. Every non European national needs a work visa to work in Ireland. So being aussie you need a visa to work here, there is no exception I have heard of.

My employer has been renewing my visas for the past 4.5 years, but never has it been left this late, where it is going to expire before I have been renewed by the Dept. So I think I am going to head to the Quays keep my stamps updated on my passport and I should be fine to keep on working. I am not planning to leave the country till the visa is sorted so will not need to renew the GNIB card and waste €150 for a card only valid for 2 months.

If anyone else has experienced a similiar issue I would like to hear from you.

universe777

After 5 years here you should be able to get a Stamp 4 visa, basically go to the GNIB as you had to do every year up until now. Ask for a stamp 4 as you have been here 5 years. It is free, so no more paying €150 a year, and it will last 5 years.

none

I think he is talking about the work permits rather than work visas. It's indeed employer's responsibility to renew them. After five year you are entitled to an unlimited work permit which is handier as you don't need to ask your employer to renew it every year but it doesn't entitle you to free GNIB cards. You'll have to fork out EUR150 the same as before. And I think even every year, however farcical this may sound. I think this is the case with my friends.

universe777

Yes, I am talking about Work Permits. I should not have used the word 'visa' when referring to the Stamp 4.
Your 5 years here should have all been legally here, on a work permit. Time studying doesn't count.
Go to GNIB, get your card renewed and ask for a stamp 4. It'll be on your new card.
That card will last for 5 years and you will not have to pay anything for it.
You are free to work for another employer, free to come and go from Ireland too.

universe777

none wrote: »

It's indeed employer's responsibility to renew them.

They changed it a couple of years ago, the employee or the employer can renew the work permit.
Obviously it's in the employees favour if the employer applies for and pays for it.

southern oracle

I have never heard of this stamp 4, very interesting. I will ask for it once I am down at the Quay immigration. Cheers for the replies guys, I am in the process of applying and signing off on my last work permit for 6 months tomorrow.
Not that is matters to much to this convo, but I am indeed a she.

Don_1234

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet, but try here:

www.entemp.ie

none

Yes, it's been a while since I was interested in Work Permits so I might have missed some recent changes. It does seem that either employer or employee can apply now. But it seems you do still need to apply for Work Permit, not just come to GNIB for a residence permit renewal.

Unlimited application (after 5 years)

An application for an unlimited Work Permit can be made by either the
employer or the employee. The following documentation must be
supplied.

* A fully completed renewal employment permit application form
including all relevant documentation.
* First application received before 1 June 2009: A labour market
needs test is not required for an unlimited application if the Work
Permit holder applied for their first Work Permit before 1 June 2009.
* First application received on or after 1 June 2009: A labour
market needs test is required for an unlimited application if the Work
Permit holder applied for their first Work Permit on or after 1 June
2009.
* The form must be signed by both the employer and the employee.
Note: The passport of the foreign national must be in date and valid
for at least 12 months.
* A copy of the P60s of the employee concerned, for each year of
employment in respect of which a Work Permit has previously been
granted and copies of three recent payslips dated within the last three
months.
* No processing fee required.
http://www.entemp.ie/publications/labour/2009/guidelines-workpermits-may2009.pdf
http://www.entemp.ie/labour/workpermits/elements/unlimited.htm

I also believe that Work Permit in itself will not automatically lead to Stamp 4. For this you have to apply for a long term residence. Or, maybe, change to Green Card but I know about Green Cards even less than about Work Permits.