Last updated: 23 October 2026 | Permit figures: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) statistics for 2025 and January to September 2026.
Chinese citizens can work in Ireland, but for most people that means finding an Irish employer, getting an employment permit and then applying for an Irish visa. DETE issued 1,922 employment permits to Chinese nationals in 2025 and 1,719 in January to September 2026. This guide explains the permit routes, salary thresholds, how to apply for an Irish visa from China, the limits of the British Irish Visa Scheme and how to avoid job scams.
These figures show permits already issued. They are not a count of current vacancies, and being a Chinese national does not by itself make you eligible for a permit. Each application is decided on the job, the salary and your qualifications.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Topic | What applies to Chinese citizens |
|---|---|
| Permits issued | 1,922 in 2025 (4th by nationality); 1,719 in January to September 2026 (4th) |
| Permits refused | 215 in 2025; 236 in January to September 2026 |
| Irish visa | Required: the People’s Republic of China is on Ireland’s list of visa required nationalities |
| British Irish Visa Scheme | Short-stay visits only; it does not cover work or study |
| Working holiday | Not available for mainland Chinese passports (Hong Kong and Taiwan take part) |
| Permit routes | Critical Skills Employment Permit; General Employment Permit |
| Critical Skills salary | €40,904 for listed occupations with a relevant degree (from 1 March 2026) |
| General Permit salary | €36,605, or €32,691 for healthcare assistants, home support workers and certain other roles |
| Permit fee | €1,000 for a new permit of up to 24 months; €500 for a General Employment Permit of six months or less |
| After arrival | Irish Residence Permit (IRP), €300 |
| Stamp 4 | After 21 months (Critical Skills) or 57 months (General Employment Permit) |
Chinese Nationals and Irish Employment Permits: The Official Numbers
DETE publishes the number of employment permits issued and refused by nationality. China ranked fourth in both 2025 and January to September 2026. DETE counts Hong Kong and Taiwan separately, so these figures refer to mainland Chinese nationals.
| Nationality | 2025 | Jan–Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 9,947 | 9,120 |
| Philippines | 3,398 | 4,402 |
| Brazil | 3,381 | 3,611 |
| China | 1,922 | 1,719 |
| Pakistan | 1,453 | 1,448 |
| South Africa | 1,240 | 1,117 |
| Total | 31,044 | 29,989 |
Source: DETE, employment permits by nationality 2025 and 2026 (the 2026 file covers January to September; DETE’s 2026 statistics page is dated 1 October 2026).
Chinese nationals received about 6% of all permits issued in both periods. DETE does not publish nationality figures by occupation or sector, so these numbers cannot tell you which jobs Chinese nationals were hired for, and they are not a guide to the vacancies open today.
Do Chinese Citizens Need a Visa for Ireland?
Yes. The People’s Republic of China is listed among the visa required nationalities on the Government of Ireland’s list (updated 12 May 2025). You need an Irish visa before you travel, whether you are coming to work, study or visit.
An employment permit and a visa are two separate permissions:
- The employment permit, issued by DETE, allows you to work for a specific employer in a specific job.
- The visa, issued by Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), allows you to travel to Ireland and ask for permission to enter. For work, this is a long-stay employment visa, and ISD’s document list for employment visas asks for your employment permit and a copy of your contract of employment.
Neither one guarantees the other. At the border, an immigration officer decides whether to let you in.
How to apply for an Irish visa from China
You complete the online visa application form in English and print the summary. The Embassy of Ireland in Beijing says you must then submit your application in person at a VFS Global visa application centre, where you provide biometrics and your supporting documents. VFS Global charges a service fee that is separate from the visa processing fee. Check the current fees on the Irish Immigration Service and VFS Global China websites before you book.
The British Irish Visa Scheme is for visits only
Under the British Irish Visa Scheme, Ireland and the UK recognise each other’s short-stay visit visas for Chinese citizens who apply in China. It covers short-term visits only. Work and student visas are excluded, so it is not a route to a job in Ireland.
Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan passports
Different rules apply to other passports. Holders of Hong Kong (SAR) and Macao (SAR) passports, and of Taiwan passports, are on Ireland’s list of non-visa required nationalities, although a Hong Kong Document of Identity is visa required. Hong Kong and Taiwan also take part in Ireland’s Working Holiday Authorisation, which is open only to citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA.
If you hold another passport
Citizens of the EEA (the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), Switzerland and the UK can live and work in Ireland without an employment permit. If you also hold one of those citizenships, you can work in Ireland as a citizen of that country.
The Two Main Employment Permit Routes
Meeting the criteria below means you can apply. It does not guarantee a job offer, a permit, a visa or permission to enter Ireland.
1. Critical Skills Employment Permit
This permit is for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, including many ICT, engineering, science, healthcare, finance and construction professional roles. From 1 March 2026 the minimum salary is €40,904 for listed occupations where you hold a relevant degree. There is no Labour Market Needs Test, your family can join you straight away, and you can apply for Stamp 4 after 21 months. Read the full Critical Skills Employment Permit guide.
2. General Employment Permit
This permit covers occupations that are not on the Ineligible Occupations List. The minimum salary is generally €36,605, or €32,691 for healthcare assistants, home support workers and certain other roles. In most cases the employer must first complete a Labour Market Needs Test. See the General Employment Permit guide and the Ireland occupation shortage list.
Permit fees
The fee for a new permit is €1,000 for up to 24 months. A General Employment Permit of six months or less costs €500. If an application is refused, 90% of the fee is refunded to the applicant. Under section 55 of the Employment Permits Act 2024, your employer must not deduct permit fees, recruitment costs or travel expenses they paid from your pay, or try to recover them from you, and must not keep your passport or other personal documents.
Jobs Worth Investigating
The occupation lists, not your nationality, decide which jobs can be sponsored. These areas are worth checking against the current lists:
- ICT and engineering: software developers, IT business analysts, IT project managers, civil, mechanical and electrical engineers and many related roles are on the Critical Skills list.
- Science and manufacturing: chemical, biological and physical scientists working in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food, and production and process engineers, are listed.
- Healthcare: registered nurses and midwives, doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiographers and medical scientists are on the Critical Skills list. See our guide to doctor jobs in Ireland.
- Finance and construction professions: chartered and certified accountants specialising in areas such as tax, compliance or financial management, quantity surveyors, architects and construction project managers are listed.
- International sales and marketing: some sales and marketing roles that need fluency in the official language of a country outside the EEA, such as Chinese, are on the Critical Skills list when the other conditions are met.
Lists change after each review, so always check the current Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists before you apply. To see which employers hold the most permits overall, read our guide to companies with the most employment permits in Ireland.
Qualifications, Registration and English
- Regulated professions need registration with the Irish regulator before you can practise. Nurses and midwives register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), and doctors with the Medical Council. NMBI requires applicants trained outside the EU to meet its English language requirements, which set out the accepted tests and any exemptions.
- Teachers can use the Teaching Council’s registration routes for teachers who qualified outside the Republic of Ireland.
- Other qualifications: QQI NARIC Ireland has a free online database where you can get a statement comparing your academic qualification to the Irish National Framework of Qualifications. It does not decide professional recognition, which is made by the Irish authority for your profession.
How to Find Legitimate Irish Employers
- Search JobsIreland.ie, the free recruitment service run by the Department of Social Protection as part of Intreo, the Irish public employment service.
- Apply directly through the careers pages of Irish employers, including technology, pharmaceutical, engineering and health service employers.
- Read our guide to jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship for how sponsorship works and what employers need to show.
Employers do not have to sponsor anyone, and many roles are open only to people who already have the right to work in Ireland. Check whether a job advert mentions sponsorship before you apply.
Live job searches
These links open live searches on official and established job sites, so the results are always current. A job appearing in these results does not mean the employer will support an employment permit. Check that the role is eligible and meets the salary threshold, and ask the employer about permit support before you apply.
- ICT and engineering: LinkedIn results for “software engineer visa sponsorship” and LinkedIn results for “engineer visa sponsorship”.
- Science and manufacturing: LinkedIn results for “pharmaceutical visa sponsorship”.
- Healthcare: HSE nursing vacancies and LinkedIn results for “nurse visa sponsorship”.
- Finance and construction: LinkedIn results for “accountant visa sponsorship” and LinkedIn results for “quantity surveyor visa sponsorship”.
Never pay anyone for an Irish job offer or for “sponsorship”; see how to avoid job scams.
How to Get a Job in Ireland From China: Step by Step
- Check your occupation. Look up whether your job is on the Critical Skills Occupations List or the Ineligible Occupations List, and check that the salary offered meets the minimum.
- Sort out registration if your profession is regulated. Start with the Irish regulator, such as NMBI or the Medical Council, as this can take time.
- Find an employer willing to sponsor you and get a written job offer stating the job title, duties, salary and hours.
- Apply for the employment permit. You or your employer apply to DETE online. Check current work permit processing times.
- Apply for your Irish visa online once you have your permit, then attend a VFS Global centre in China to give biometrics and submit your documents.
- Travel and register. You have up to 90 days from the date on your landing stamp to register for your IRP. The fee is €300. Then get a PPS number and register with Revenue.
- Work towards Stamp 4. You can apply after 21 months on a Critical Skills permit, or 57 months on a General Employment Permit. See Stamp 1 vs Stamp 4.
For the full visa process, see Ireland work visa requirements.
Studying in Ireland and Working Part-Time
Studying is another route, but as a Chinese citizen you will need a study visa first. Students from outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK with Stamp 2 permission can work up to 20 hours a week during term and up to 40 hours a week in the holidays (June to September inclusive and 15 December to 15 January). Students with Stamp 2A permission are not allowed to work. If you graduate from an Irish college, see our guide to jobs in Ireland after a master’s.
Bringing Your Family From China
Critical Skills holders: there is no waiting period, so your spouse or partner and children can apply to join you straight away.
General Employment Permit holders: you can apply to bring your spouse or partner and children after 12 months in Ireland on an eligible permission. The 2026 policy requires gross income above €30,000 in the previous year for a couple with no children, with higher thresholds when children are included. You must also provide documentary evidence of suitable accommodation.
Because China is a visa required country, each family member will also need an Irish visa to travel. See our guide to bringing family to Ireland on a work permit.
Avoid Job Scams
- A genuine Irish employer does not ask you to pay for a job offer or for a “guaranteed” employment permit or visa.
- Your employer cannot deduct permit fees or recruitment costs from your pay.
- No recruiter can promise that DETE will approve a permit or that ISD will approve a visa.
- Apply for your visa only through the official online form and VFS Global, and check that the company in your job offer is real before you send documents or money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chinese citizens work in Ireland?
Yes, but most Chinese citizens need an employment permit for a specific job and employer, followed by an Irish visa. Chinese citizens who also hold an EEA, Swiss or UK passport do not need an employment permit.
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Ireland?
Yes. The People’s Republic of China is on Ireland’s list of visa required nationalities, so you need an Irish visa before you travel. Applicants in mainland China submit their applications and biometrics at a VFS Global centre.
Can I use the British Irish Visa Scheme to work in Ireland?
No. The British Irish Visa Scheme covers short-term visit visas only. Work and student visas are excluded.
Can Chinese citizens get a working holiday visa for Ireland?
Not with a mainland Chinese passport. Hong Kong and Taiwan take part in Ireland’s Working Holiday Authorisation, but the People’s Republic of China does not.
What is the minimum salary for an Irish work permit?
From 1 March 2026 it is €40,904 for a Critical Skills Employment Permit and generally €36,605 for a General Employment Permit, or €32,691 for roles such as healthcare assistants and home support workers.
Related Guides
- Jobs in Ireland for Foreigners
- Jobs in Ireland for Indians
- Jobs in Ireland for Pakistanis
- Jobs in Ireland for Filipinos
- Jobs in Ireland for Brazilians
- Most Common Jobs in Ireland
- Critical Skills Employment Permit
- General Employment Permit
- Jobs in Ireland for South Africans
- Jobs in Ireland for Nigerians
Official Sources
- DETE: Employment permit statistics 2025
- DETE: Employment permit statistics 2026
- DETE: Roadmap for employment permit salary thresholds (2 December 2025)
- DETE: Critical Skills Employment Permit
- DETE: General Employment Permit (fees and refunds)
- S.I. No. 213 of 2026: Critical Skills and Ineligible Occupations Lists
- Employment Permits Act 2024, section 55
- Ireland: Visa required and non-visa required nationalities (updated 12 May 2025)
- Embassy of Ireland, China: How to apply for a visa
- Embassy of Ireland, China: Visa fees
- Embassy of Ireland, China: British Irish Visa Scheme
- ISD: Employment visa required and additional documents
- Government of Ireland: Working Holiday Authorisation
- NMBI: English language requirements (qualified outside the EU)
- Teaching Council: Teachers qualified outside Ireland
- QQI: NARIC Ireland, recognition of foreign qualifications
- Government of Ireland: JobsIreland
- ISD: Family Reunification Policy, 12 June 2026
- ISD: Update to eligibility requirements for Stamp 4 upgrades
- Citizens Information: Registering as a non-EEA national
- Citizens Information: Immigration rules for full-time non-EEA students
- Citizens Information: Coming to work in Ireland
Verification note: every rule and figure in this guide was checked against the official sources above on 22 and 23 October 2026. The visa required nationalities list was last updated on 12 May 2025, and the 2026 permit figures cover January to September. Rules and thresholds change, so always confirm current requirements on the official sites before you apply.
