Spouse Visa/Work Permit

BigPineapple

Hi All,

I'm curious as to how other people's spouse (Foreign, non european) find work when they are on spouse visa.

As it stands I'm on a work permit (Stamp 4) which my wife is on the spouse visa. For those who didn't know, permit first issue prior to 1st June 2009 have exemption where the spouse doesn't have to apply for permit in their own right (Ref Link - Citizen information)

While the spouse work permit have benefit such that the job doesn't have to be above 30K per annum (thank god, not a lot going these days with those kind of money), don't need to advertise on FAS (labour market test) and that application/subsequent renewal is free (If they apply in their own right, it'll cost 2250EUR for 36 months).

However here is the kicker, you can't work until you get an offer which then you have to apply to the department and it can take up to 12 weeks (That's 3 months!!! :eek:). I mean what prospective employer in their right mind will wait for 3 months to accommodate an employee??

Anyone out there feels the same, in the same situation or know other information that says otherwise??

RATM

BigPineapple wrote: »

However here is the kicker, you can't work until you get an offer which then you have to apply to the department and it can take up to 12 weeks (That's 3 months!!! :eek:). I mean what prospective employer in their right mind will wait for 3 months to accommodate an employee??

I think that is to prevent jobs being taken by non-nationals that otherwise would go to Irish people. The spouse visa rules are designed that way on purpose.

Some employers will wait 3 months for the right person- I have a candidate/client situation at the moment where they are doing exactly that. However this is for a high level IT role where the employer has found it difficult to recruit the type of person he requires so I headhunted him from Australia.
For lower paid work there isn't a chance in hell an employer will wait 3 months when they could have someone in 3 hours

BigPineapple

yeah they are designed to prevent non national to get jobs alright. I'm not contesting that. In a way it sort of is discrimination against foreign nationals, at the end of the day they are the government trying to protect their people (Even though some of these people don't even bother) and they can do what they like.

it amazes me that there are so many people on the dole complaining not being able to find work (I understand some are genuine and some definitely aren't). My wife got two job offer two weeks ago (There jobs are out there) yet she can't take them because they needed someone immediately and cannot wait 3 months.

BTW dole is not an option as foreign national spouse cannot go on dole. Luckily I'm capable of supporting her. Funny how it turn out the other way, if she were to work, she would have been paying taxes..

The government really need to review their policy regarding this. It's not that non national taking all the jobs, it's more to do with the mentality of the people that aren't willing to take up slightly lower pay jobs and would rather be on dole. That is the depressing part IMO

Jim M

Hi there,

I know this thread is three years old now, but does anyone have any GOOD, recent news for spouses of non-EEA (in this case American) work permit holders? Or is it just essentially impossible to get a work permit for such spouses?

We would really like to relocate to Ireland permanently, but that will be impossible if we both can't work... Open to suggestions. As far as I can tell the spousal visa is not possible, and we'll just both have to get work permits in our own rights. Not an easy task... Because of this situation, we've been apart for more than two years...

Thanks!
Jim

lau1247

Jim M wrote: »

Hi there,

I know this thread is three years old now, but does anyone have any GOOD, recent news for spouses of non-EEA (in this case American) work permit holders? Or is it just essentially impossible to get a work permit for such spouses?

Work permit for spouse is no longer available after June 2009. Your spouse will just to apply the normal working visa on an individual basis. (Linky)

Jim M wrote: »

We would really like to relocate to Ireland permanently, but that will be impossible if we both can't work... Open to suggestions. As far as I can tell the spousal visa is not possible, and we'll just both have to get work permits in our own rights. Not an easy task... Because of this situation, we've been apart for more than two years...

Thanks!
Jim

Not sure what you mean by "if we both can't work", can you explain a little more?? Spouse visa should be possible but spouse work permit is not possible. Assuming the job that you and your spouse will apply when relocating is above 30K a year each (If I recall correctly, unless it has changed recently) then you should have no problem getting a work permit on your own right

Additional information can be found from the main page of the link i mentioned above and try Inis also

Jim M

Thank you, lau1247. It's as I understand it.
My spouse will just have to apply independently as there is no spousal work permit possible since July 2009.
For us to stay in Ireland, my spouse needs to be able to work. Fortunately my spouse should be able to secure a work permit independently.
I guess for all the other non-EEA spouses of non-EEA work permit holders, that they all become homemakers? Bizarre...

lau1247

Jim M wrote: »

For us to stay in Ireland, my spouse needs to be able to work. Fortunately my spouse should be able to secure a work permit independently.
I guess for all the other non-EEA spouses of non-EEA work permit holders, that they all become homemakers? Bizarre...

Yeah that's pretty much the gist of it. Spouse will be Stamp 3.

Until the spouse find a company that will hire him/her which by then the said spouse will need to apply for the work permit independently before they can work. On successful application the permit type should be Stamp 1.

It's not that bizarre if you think about it. The way I see it is that it is designed to protect job for EEA citizens while extracting as much money from Non-EEA as possible.

This is done by preventing non-EEA person taking low pay jobs (As the person applying for visa typically need above 30K type job) so this limits competition for those who are willing to take a lower pay job. On the other hand when the spouse get a job offer, they will need to apply for the permit which also mean more money for the government. Remember also each time you change the GNIB stamp or get a renewal (This can be yearly for some people), it will cost 300Eur :eek:

Jim M

It's all true, and yes, it makes sense. I guess I'm just jealous of friends who had grandparents born in Ireland and were just handed Irish passports. All of my great-grandparents were born in Ireland, but that doesn't count. Oh, well...

lau1247

Jim M wrote: »

All of my great-grandparents were born in Ireland, but that doesn't count. Oh, well...

long shot, but by any chance your parents are irish citizen??

If not what if they (Your parent) apply for irish citizensip (See first aragraph below) then subsequently you apply as one after your parents receive their citizenship

If you were born outside Ireland to an Irish citizen who was himself or herself born outside Ireland, and any of your grandparents were born in Ireland, then you are entitled to become an Irish citizen, and can do so by having your birth registered in the Foreign Births Register maintained by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. You can do this by applying to your nearest Irish embassy or consular office. A list of these is available on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs at www.dfa.ie. If you are entitled to register, your Irish citizenship is effective from the date of registration.

If you are of the third or subsequent generation born abroad to an Irish citizen (in other words, one of your parents is an Irish citizen but none of your parents or grandparents were born in Ireland), you may be entitled to become an Irish citizen by having your birth registered in the Foreign Births Register; this depends on whether your parent through whom you derive Irish citizenship had himself or herself become an Irish citizen by being registered in the Foreign Births Register before you were born.

Linky

It is just something to ponder over.. alternatively staying in ireland and working for 5 years also allow you to apply

Jim M

Thank you for this. Unfortunately my grandparents weren't born in Ireland, and weren't registered in Ireland (never took Irish citizenship), and have all passed away. I had read somewhere if my father's birth had been registered in Ireland before I was born, I may have had a case. I'll just have to be patient for five years if we're going to make a life in Ireland and stick it out long enough to apply for citizenship.