Ireland maintains a highly skilled eligible occupations list – a desideratum of the types of workers that the country needs to continue to prosper. Critical Skills Employment Permits seek to attract people with these skills by offering preferential immigration and support to get set up once you’re here.
Benefits include immediate family reunification through the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service and employment permits for family members who choose to move. (Changes announced in 2019 mean that that spouses and partners of permit holders will themselves be granted immediate and full access to the Irish labour market without the need for a separate employment permit.) Applicants for the permit do not have to satisfy the Labour Market Needs Test.
Engineering professionals, ICT professionals, experts in healthcare, and teachers are particularly in demand at the moment. The list is reviewed periodically, so it’s a good idea to check regularly for changes.