Last updated: 1 November 2026 | Checked against Immigration Service Delivery’s immigration permission stamps page (updated 5 June 2026) and first-registration requirements (updated 22 October 2026), the Department of Enterprise’s change-of-employer rules and Citizens Information.
If you come to Ireland to work on an employment permit, the stamp on your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card will almost certainly say Stamp 1. It is the most common immigration permission for non-EU workers, and its conditions decide what work you can do, when you can change jobs and how quickly you can move to Stamp 4.
This guide explains exactly what Stamp 1 allows, how it differs from Stamp 1A, 1G and 1H, how to renew it and how long it takes to reach Stamp 4, using only what Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) and the Department of Enterprise say.
Quick answer
Stamp 1 is permission to work or run a business in Ireland, subject to conditions. Most people get it because they hold an employment permit; others hold a Working Holiday Authorisation or permission to run a business. On an employment permit it is usually granted for 12 months at a time and renewed online, with a €300 IRP fee. You can only work under the terms of your permit, and on your first permit you are expected to stay with your employer for nine months. Stamp 1 counts towards citizenship, and Critical Skills permit holders can move to Stamp 4 after 21 months.
Stamp 1 at a Glance
| Item | What ISD and DETE say |
|---|---|
| What it means | Permission to work or operate a business in Ireland, subject to conditions |
| Who gets it | Employment permit holders, people with ISD permission to run a business, and Working Holiday Authorisation holders |
| What you need | A valid employment permit, or a letter from ISD saying you can work without one |
| Usual length | 12 months at a time on an employment permit |
| IRP fee | €300 for each registration, by card |
| First registration | Within 90 days of arrival |
| Renewal | Online, from 12 weeks before your permission expires |
| Changing employer | After 9 months on your first permit, within the same occupation group, up to 3 times |
| Counts for citizenship? | Yes, Stamp 1 is reckonable residence |
| Route to Stamp 4 | After 21 months on a Critical Skills permit, or 57 months on a General Employment Permit |
What Stamp 1 Means
ISD’s definition is short: Stamp 1 indicates permission to work or operate a business in Ireland, subject to conditions. To get it you must hold a valid employment permit, or a letter from ISD stating that you can work without one.
ISD gives three examples of people who hold Stamp 1:
- Employment permit holders, on a Critical Skills Employment Permit, a General Employment Permit or another permit type. This is by far the largest group.
- People with permission to operate a business in Ireland.
- Working Holiday Authorisation holders. This Stamp 1 lasts 12 months (24 months for Canadian authorisations), cannot be renewed or changed, and you must leave when it ends.
Stamp 1 Conditions: What You Can and Cannot Do
- Work only with a permit. ISD says you must not start a job unless you or your employer has obtained an employment permit for you, or your permission letter says you do not need one.
- No business on the side. Without an employment permit you must not engage in any business, trade or profession unless an ISD letter allows it. An employment permit covers one specific job, so a second job or freelance work needs its own permission.
- Keep your permission current. If you want to stay past the expiry date, you must apply to renew before it expires.
Changing employer on Stamp 1
Since the Employment Permits Act 2024, the Department of Enterprise lets many permit holders change employer without a whole new permit application:
- On your first permit in Ireland, you are expected to stay with that employer for nine months, except in cases such as redundancy.
- General Employment Permit holders can move to another employer in the same type of job (the same 4-digit occupation code).
- Critical Skills holders can move across a broader category (the same 3-digit occupation code), for example between engineering roles.
- Your permit must be in force for at least two more months when you apply, and you can change employer this way up to three times.
- Do not start the new job until you have your updated permit. You must then start within one month.
- A move outside your occupation group needs a brand-new permit application.
Our guide to changing employer on an Irish work permit covers the documents and process.
Stamp 1 vs Stamp 1A, 1G and 1H
| Stamp | Who it is for | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp 1 | Employment permit holders, business owners with permission, working holiday makers | Work only under your permit or ISD letter |
| Stamp 1A | Trainee accountants in full-time, paid accountancy training | The course must be completed within 4 years |
| Stamp 1G | Graduates on the Third Level Graduate Programme, and spouses or partners of Critical Skills permit holders and researchers | Graduates can work full time but cannot be self-employed; spouses of Critical Skills holders can work without a permit |
| Stamp 1H | Doctors on a two-year Multi-Site General Employment Permit working as NCHDs | The employer must tell DETE before any change of location or contract |
For graduates, Stamp 1G lasts 12 months, with a further 12 months possible after a master’s degree. For spouses of Critical Skills holders it is renewed every year, and after five years on Stamp 1G a spouse may apply for Stamp 4. See jobs in Ireland after a master’s and bringing your family on a work permit.
Registering Stamp 1 for the First Time
Once ISD grants you permission to stay, you must register it within 90 days and get your IRP card. For a first registration on an employment permit, the registration is usually valid for 12 months. The IRP fee is €300, paid by credit or debit card only.
Alongside your IRP, apply for a PPS number so you are not paid on emergency tax. Our PPS number guide covers the documents and appointment.
Renewing Stamp 1
- When: you can use the online renewal system once you have less than 12 weeks left on your current permission. Apply before it expires.
- How: all renewals within Ireland are made online.
- Documents ISD lists for an employment permit renewal: the biometric page of your passport, the front and back of your current IRP card, your employment permit, and proof of current employment such as a payslip from the last three months.
- Fee: €300 for the IRP.
- If your card expires while you wait: Citizens Information says employees who applied before expiry can remain for 12 weeks from the date the old card expires.
Your employment permit has its own renewal with the Department of Enterprise, separate from your IRP. Renew the permit first if it is due, because ISD asks for it. Our guide to employment permit renewal explains that step, and Irish work permit processing times shows how long DETE is currently taking.
From Stamp 1 to Stamp 4
Stamp 4 lets you work for any employer without a permit. How soon you can apply depends on your permit:
| Your permit | When you may be eligible for Stamp 4 |
|---|---|
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | After 21 months of employment in Ireland on that permit |
| General Employment Permit | After 57 months of employment in Ireland |
| Spouse on Stamp 1G | After five years on Stamp 1G |
These timings come from ISD’s first-registration page. ISD’s stamps page rounds them to two years for Critical Skills and five years for other permits, so check the current requirements with ISD when you apply. Our Stamp 4 guide and our comparison of Stamp 1 vs Stamp 4 explain the application.
Does Stamp 1 Count Towards Irish Citizenship?
Yes. ISD says Stamp 1 is reckonable as residence when applying for citizenship by naturalisation, and so are Stamp 1H and time on Stamp 1G as a graduate or as the spouse of a Critical Skills holder. Student Stamps 2 and 2A do not count. See our guide to Irish citizenship for work permit holders.
Common Stamp 1 Mistakes
- Starting a second job or side business. Your permit covers one job. Anything else needs its own permission.
- Starting with a new employer too early. Wait for the updated permit before your first day.
- Letting the permission lapse. Renew online before expiry, within the 12-week window.
- Treating a Working Holiday Stamp 1 as renewable. It is not; you need an employment permit to stay on.
- Mixing up the permit and the stamp. DETE issues the permit; ISD grants the stamp. Each has its own renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Stamp 1 in Ireland?
Stamp 1 is an Irish immigration permission to work or operate a business, subject to conditions. Most holders have an employment permit; others have a Working Holiday Authorisation or ISD permission to run a business.
How long is Stamp 1 valid for?
On an employment permit, registration is usually valid for 12 months and can then be renewed. A working holiday Stamp 1 lasts 12 months (24 months for Canadians) and cannot be renewed.
Can I change jobs on Stamp 1?
Yes, within limits. On your first permit you are expected to stay with your employer for nine months. After that, you can change employer within your occupation group up to three times, but you must not start the new job until your updated permit is issued.
Can I do part-time work or freelance on Stamp 1?
Not unless you have permission for it. Your employment permit covers one specific job, and ISD says you must not engage in any other business, trade or profession unless a letter from ISD allows it.
How do I renew Stamp 1?
Renew online once you have less than 12 weeks left on your permission, with your passport, IRP card, employment permit and a recent payslip. The IRP fee is €300.
How long does it take to get from Stamp 1 to Stamp 4?
ISD says you may be eligible after 21 months of employment on a Critical Skills permit, or after 57 months on a General Employment Permit.
What is the difference between Stamp 1 and Stamp 1G?
Stamp 1 is tied to an employment permit, business permission or working holiday. Stamp 1G is for graduates looking for work under the Third Level Graduate Programme, and for spouses or partners of Critical Skills permit holders, who can work without a permit.
Does Stamp 1 count towards citizenship?
Yes. Stamp 1 is reckonable residence for citizenship by naturalisation.
Sources
- Immigration Service Delivery: immigration permission stamps and registration documents and fee
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: changing employer
- Citizens Information: registration of non-EEA nationals
This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. QuickHireAlert is an independent publisher. Immigration Service Delivery decides immigration permissions and the Department of Enterprise decides employment permits. Always check the current rules with them before you act.
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