Since 2025, Town Planners have been identified as an employment category of which there is a shortage in respect of qualifications, experience or skills.
As directed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment (DETE), the Irish Planning Institute is the nominated regulatory body for the purposes of recognising qualifications with a view to securing employment permits.
Subsequently, candidates seeking to secure IPI membership for the purposes of obtaining an Irish employment permit will need to qualify for one of the following membership categories:
When applying for membership, applicants must include all relevant information relating to their home qualification and professional work experience. Without this information, the Institute cannot process your application.
There is no provision in the IPI Constitution for a category of Overseas Member (members residing outside of Ireland). However, the Institute has followed a policy over many years of making available a reduced membership rate for Graduates, Qualifying and Registered Members that are residing outside of Ireland. This may be available to you if you join before you reside in Ireland.
Once you have received your offer of employment and have a signed contract of employment, you can now move to submit your employment permit application online with DETE. This can be done by your new employer or by yourself (with support from your employer).
The IPI is only responsible for the recognition of your planning qualifications and should have no further input regarding your permit application.
Further information on processing times and eligibility criteria can be found on the DETE’s website. The anticipated timeline for an employment permit is between four and eight weeks depending on permit category.
* Not all nationalities require an entry visa application, please refer to the ISD’s website for a full list of visa required nationals.
Once your employment permit has been issued by the DETE, you must then apply for a entry visa prior to travelling to Ireland. Information on the specific requirements for employment visas for Ireland can be found on the ISD’s website.
Some Irish consulates and embassies abroad have specific application requirements depending on their location. For applicants based in China, India and Pakistan, we would recommend reviewing the embassy’s dedicated visa pages for additional information.
Visa applications processing times vary quite substantially and can take anywhere from 2-24 weeks. Please refer to the ISD website for specific countries instructions.
Employment permit holders can begin working in Ireland once they have entered and their employment permit is in date. Please note, in person registration will be required once in the State to obtain your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card.
It is important to note that employment permits are tied to an individual’s employer. You cannot begin working for an employer that is not listed on your employment permit without taking additional steps. Guidance on this process can be found here.
Effective November 26, 2025, Ireland introduced multiple changes to its family reunification rules, including tougher financial thresholds, stricter eligibility thresholds for dependent adult children alongside other elements.
GEP sponsors must now demonstrate net pay of EUR 36,660 per year to sponsor a single child. This figure will increase with each subsequent child.
Dependent adult children seeking to reside in Ireland on the grounds of family reunification must now establish they are wholly dependent on the care of their parent or parents in Ireland due to a serious medical or psychological condition that makes independent life unsustainable. In addition, sponsor’s minimum annual gross salary requirements (which also apply to other adult dependents, e.g., elderly parents) have been introduced.
Suitable accommodation and proof of employment and income will need to be demonstrated for the purposes of GEP sponsored dependents.
Since 2025, Town Planners have been identified as an employment category of which there is a shortage in respect of qualifications, experience or skills. As directed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment (DETE), The Irish Planning Institute is the nominated regulatory body for the purposes of recognising qualifications with a view to securing employment permits.
Subsequently, candidates seeking to secure IPI membership for the purposes of obtaining an Irish employment permit will need to qualify for one of the following three memberships:
Are you a non-EEA national studying planning in Ireland? Student membership is available for those enrolled in IPI accredited programmes.
More information on IPI accredited programmes is available here: https://ipi.ie/ipi-memberships/accredited-courses/
Student membership is FREE on all IPI accredited courses (please see above).