Moving to a new country can be a very stressful and intimidating experience in the beginning. At GKR, we’ve put together an overview of some of the practicalities and considerations when coming to work and live here in Ireland.

Eligibility: 
If you are an EEA or Swiss national coming to work in Ireland, you are entitled to be treated like any other applicant when you apply for work. You are free to apply for any job vacancy, including jobs in the public sector. Citizens of the EU/EEA are free to live and work in other member states without restriction.
In general non-EEA nationals (apart from some exceptions) must have an employment permit to work in Ireland. Non-EEA nationals who are carrying out scientific research for approved research organisations do not need an employment permit.
The arrangements for employment permit for non – EEA nationals include:

• Critical Skills Employment Permits which are available for all occupations with an annual salary above €60,000 and for a restricted range of occupations with an annual salary above €30,000
• General Employment Permits which are available mainly for occupations with salaries between €30,000 and €60,000 which are not eligible for a Critical Skills Employment Permit. The General Employment Permit application must meet a labour market test showing that the position could not be filled from within the EEA.

You’ll find lots more useful information on moving to Ireland on the Citizens Information website and check out the Department of Justice Website for everything you need to know about Visa Applications.

PPS Number:
Personal Public Service (PPS) number is a unique reference number that helps you access social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland.

• You need to provide evidence on why you need to get a PPS number, being in the country looking for a job will not be sufficient enough. You need to provide a written offer or contract from your future employer.
• Proof of address, that could be a  utility bill/reference letter/contract from your landlord stating your current postal address.
• You will also need to provide a valid passport/ driving licence or ID.
• You have to book an appointment for the whole procedure, so it might be a good idea to start searching in advance as well as they tend to have limited availability for the short term dates.
• Once you complete your appointment, you will receive your PPS number by mail usually within 5-7 days.

For more on how to apply for a PPS number, click here

Bank Account: 
The second step would be to open a bank account to receive your first salary in Ireland. Some banks require you to have the PPS number in advance but not necessarily all of them.

• You will need written proof of the reason why you need to open a bank account in ROI. That could be a reference letter from your future employer. A lot of companies may offer to open a bank account on behalf of their employees without the paperwork and procedure, but it really depends on the company.
• You will also need proof of your current address, which could be a utility bill, your contract with your landlord or even the statement from revenue that you will receive along with your PPS number. It is entirely your decision on which bank you choose to go with, unless stated otherwise by your employer.   
• Useful links:  Bank of Ireland  ,  AIB  ,  Ulster Bank  ,  KBC  ,  Permanent TSB

Accommodation: 
When it comes to accommodation, Dublin is considered to be a very competitive market for tenants. Again, do your research well in advance on house/apartment prices per area and check if it is easy to commute to and from other areas or the city centre, local amenities etc.
Sharing is very common in Dublin as the housing prices remain relatively high for an individual, so it is something that you might consider before making the big step. It is also worth considering temporary accommodation for the first 4-6 months when moving to Ireland until you settle down.
Useful sites for your accommodation searches:  daft.ie  ,  rent.ie  ,  myhome.ie  ,  homestay.com  ,  airbnb. ie  ,  vivaireland.com

Tax/Revenue: 
Register with the Revenue Commissioners from the first day with your new employer, if it is not already done by your company’s HR department, to avoid paying any emergency tax.  
You can estimate your tax and net salary click here

Commuting. 
Some Useful sites to help navigate your commute to and from work include:  dublinbus.ie  (for the Dublin area),  irishrail.ie  ,  luas.ie  ,  buseireann.ie  ,  journeyplanner.ie

At GKR we’ve also put together an overview of some  tips for finding a job in Ireland which you may also find helpful. And you can view all our current jobs right  here