On paper, this is the permit that lets family members of employment permit holders work in Ireland. In practice, 2026 has made it a niche product, and that is good news. Spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills permit holders have gone straight onto Stamp 1G since 6 March 2019. Spouses and partners of General Employment Permit and Intra-Company Transfer holders followed in May 2024, and since November 2025 dependent children of all three permit types receive Stamp 1G when they turn 16. Everyone in those groups works without any permit at all.
That leaves the Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit serving a smaller group: other dependants of Critical Skills holders and of researchers on Hosting Agreements, people the Department of Justice has admitted as dependants but who have no work rights of their own. For them, the terms are the most generous of any Irish work permit. It costs nothing, there is no advertising test, and almost any job qualifies. Our first task is always to check which side of that line you are on.
Made for people like you
Non-spouse dependants of Critical Skills holders
Family members the Department of Justice has admitted as dependants of a CSEP holder, who sit on Stamp 3 and want to work.
Dependants of Hosting Agreement researchers
The same route applies to dependants of researchers working in Ireland under a Hosting Agreement.
Families of former Critical Skills holders
The permit stays open where the primary holder has since moved onto a Department of Justice permission, for example Stamp 4.
Spouses and partners checking their options
If you are married to or partnered with a CSEP, GEP or ICT holder, you almost certainly qualify for Stamp 1G instead. We confirm before anyone applies for anything.
Do you qualify?
First question, always: do you need this permit at all? If you are a spouse or partner entitled to Stamp 1G, you do not. If you are a dependant on Stamp 3 of a Critical Skills holder or a Hosting Agreement researcher, read on.
You will need
- Residence in Ireland as the recognised dependant of a Critical Skills Employment Permit holder or a Hosting Agreement researcher, including former holders now on a Department of Justice permission
- Continuous residence in the State since you first landed, living with the primary permit holder
- A job offer in any occupation except domestic operative
- Basic pay at or above the National Minimum Wage, €14.15 an hour from 1 January 2026
- An employer registered with Revenue and the CRO and trading in Ireland, meeting the 50:50 EEA staff rule
- A letter from the primary holder's employer, dated within 3 months, confirming they are still employed
This route is not for you if
- You are the spouse or de facto partner of a Critical Skills or Hosting Agreement holder, you work permit-free on Stamp 1G, a rule in place since 6 March 2019
- You are the spouse or partner of a General Employment Permit or Intra-Company Transfer holder, Stamp 1G has applied since May 2024
- You are a dependent child of a CSEP, GEP or ICT holder aged 16 or over, since November 2025 you receive Stamp 1G at 16
- You are in full-time education, applying from outside Ireland, or the dependant of an Irish or EU national or of a Reactivation permit holder
Do you even need this permit?
You need the Dependant Permit
- You are
- A non-spouse dependant of a CSEP holder or Hosting Agreement researcher
- Current stamp
- Stamp 3, no work until the permit issues
- After grant
- Stamp 1, work in almost any job
- Cost
- €0, application and renewal
- Length
- Up to 2 years first, up to 3 on renewal
You already work without one
Stamp 1G- Spouses and partners of
- CSEP and Hosting Agreement holders, since 6 March 2019
- Also
- GEP and ICT holders, since May 2024
- Children
- Of CSEP, GEP and ICT holders, Stamp 1G at age 16 since November 2025
- Cost
- No permit, only the €300 IRP registration
- Work rights
- Any employer, no application to DETE
How the journey works
- 01
Check whether you need a permit at all
Day 1We look at your relationship, your current stamp and the primary holder's permit type. Most spouses and partners are already entitled to Stamp 1G and need the right registration, not a permit application.
- 02
Secure a job offer
Any occupation qualifies except domestic operative. The pay must be at least the National Minimum Wage, and the employer must be registered with Revenue and the CRO with a workforce that is at least half EEA nationals.
- 03
Gather documents on both sides
Week 1Alongside your own passport and IRP details, you need a copy of the primary holder's permit and a letter from their employer, dated within 3 months, confirming they are still in the job. We check everything against the DETE requirements before filing.
- 04
Apply through Employment Permits Online
Week 1-2The application is lodged on the EPOS portal. There is no fee and no labour market needs test, so there is no advertising period to wait out.
- 05
DETE decision
As of July 2026 the Department is deciding new dependant applications in about six weeks, in strict date order. You remain on Stamp 3 and cannot start work yet.
- 06
Register for Stamp 1
Once the permit issues, you update your registration with Immigration Service Delivery and move from Stamp 3 to Stamp 1. Registration costs €300, and then you can start work.
- 07
Renew free, in good time
Month 20Renewal applications open 4 months before expiry and are accepted up to 1 month after. File at the start of the window, renewals are currently the slowest queue, and you can keep working while a renewal filed in time is processed.
What to gather
Start collecting these early. Weak or missing documents are the most common avoidable cause of delays and refusals.
Your passport bio page
Valid for the full permit period
Your current IRP card
Typically showing Stamp 3 as a dependant
The primary holder's employment permit
Critical Skills permit or Hosting Agreement copy
Letter from the primary holder's employer
Dated within 3 months, confirming continued employment and job title
Your signed job offer or contract
Basic pay at or above €14.15 an hour
Job description
Any occupation except domestic operative
Employer company details
CRO number and Revenue registration, 50:50 EEA staff rule applies
Passport-standard photo
Recent, plain background
Evidence you live with the primary holder
You must reside together as one household
Evidence of the dependant relationship
As recognised by the Department of Justice when you were admitted
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New permit application | €0 | No DETE fee. The dependant permit is free to apply for. |
| Renewal | €0 | Free again, for a renewal of up to 3 years. |
| Review if refused | Free | Request a review within 28 days of the refusal letter. No fee applies. |
| IRP registration | €300 | Per adult, each time you register or renew your immigration permission. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
There is no DETE charge at any stage of this permit. Government fees elsewhere in the journey are set by DETE and ISD and can change; we confirm the current figures with you before anything is paid.
How long it takes
Guide figures from current official processing information. Individual cases vary.
DETE decision, new application
~6 weeks
As of July 2026 DETE is deciding dependant applications received in late May. Applications are processed in date order.
Stamp 1 registration
A few weeks
After the permit issues you update your registration with ISD; timing depends on current registration volumes, and the updated IRP card follows by post.
Renewal decision
~14 weeks
Currently the slowest DETE queue. Apply at the start of the 4-month window and keep working while it is processed.
Review, if refused
~6.5 months
The current internal review backlog, which is exactly why getting it right first time matters.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
You already have, or should have, Stamp 1G
Spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills and Hosting Agreement holders stopped needing this permit in March 2019, and GEP and ICT spouses followed in May 2024. An application filed anyway wastes about six weeks.
Avoid it: Check the stamp on your IRP card first. If you are entitled to Stamp 1G we help you fix the registration instead, no permit needed.
The primary holder has the wrong permit type
The dependant permit only attaches to Critical Skills holders and Hosting Agreement researchers, including former holders now on a Justice permission. Dependants of GEP, ICT and Reactivation permit holders are not eligible.
Avoid it: Spouses and children of GEP and ICT holders use the Stamp 1G route. Other dependants need a permit in their own right, and we map the realistic options.
Applying from outside Ireland
DETE does not accept dependant permit applications from abroad. You must already be resident in the State, continuously since you landed, and living with the primary holder.
Avoid it: Sort family residence first through the join family route, then apply once you are registered in Ireland.
The role is domestic operative work
Domestic operative is the single excluded occupation for this permit. Every other occupation is open.
Avoid it: If the offer is care or domestic work, talk to us about how the role is defined before anything is filed.
Pay below the National Minimum Wage
Applications must show basic pay at or above €14.15 an hour, the rate in force since 1 January 2026. Offers built on old rates get refused.
Avoid it: State the hourly rate and weekly hours clearly in the contract and check them against the current minimum wage the week you file.
Employer fails the 50:50 rule
Permits are refused where more than half of the employer's workforce is non-EEA. A sole-employee exception exists where you would be the only member of staff.
Avoid it: Ask about the workforce mix early, before you turn down other offers.
Common questions
I am the spouse of a Critical Skills permit holder. Do I need this permit?+
No. Since 6 March 2019 spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills holders and Hosting Agreement researchers register on Stamp 1G and work without any employment permit. If your IRP card still shows Stamp 3, the fix is your registration, not a permit application.
My partner holds a General Employment Permit. What about me?+
Since May 2024 eligible spouses and partners of General Employment Permit and Intra-Company Transfer holders who come through family reunification are registered on Stamp 1G and work permit-free. The dependant permit route is not open to GEP families, and it does not need to be.
How much does the permit cost?+
Nothing. There is no DETE fee for a new application or a renewal. The only government cost in the journey is the €300 IRP registration fee each time you register or renew your immigration permission.
Can I work while the application is being processed?+
Not on a first application. You hold Stamp 3, which does not permit work, until the permit issues and you register for Stamp 1. Renewal is different: file within the window, up to 4 months before or 1 month after expiry, and you keep working while DETE processes it.
What jobs can I take?+
Almost any. Every occupation is open except domestic operative, and there is no labour market needs test, so the employer does not have to advertise first. The only pay rule is the National Minimum Wage, €14.15 an hour from 1 January 2026.
How long does the permit last?+
A first permit issues for up to 2 years and a renewal for up to 3, but never beyond the primary holder's own permit or immigration permission. Your permission is tied to theirs, so keep both renewals in step.
Can I change employer?+
First-time holders are generally expected to stay with the initial employer for 9 months under the 2024 Regulations, with exceptions for redundancy or a fundamental change in the job. After that, a move means a fresh application, which costs nothing. If the job ends, the permit must be returned to DETE within 4 weeks.
What happens if we separate, or I want independence?+
The permit cannot be renewed after separation from the primary holder. If the Department of Justice grants you independent residence, you can apply for another permit type in your own right, and the Reactivation route helps in some cases. Longer term, after 5 consecutive years working lawfully on dependant permits you can apply to ISD for a temporary Stamp 4.
Grounded in official sources
Ready to talk through your next step?
Book a consultation with our team and leave with a clear, personal plan grounded in the official rules.
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