Can the US spouse of Irish citizen work here?

From the Migrant Rights Centre (www.mrci.ie)

  • Stamp 1 indicates that the person is entitled to work if they have a valid work permit
  • Stamp 2 indicates that the person is a student and may be entitled to work up 20 hours part time
  • Stamp 2A indicates that the person is a student but is not allowed to enter employment
  • Stamp 3 is a limited stamp which indicates that the person cannot work or study full time in Ireland. This is usually given to visitors or spouse dependants
  • Stamp 4 indicates that the person is entitled to work without a work permit. It is issued to people on work visas/work authorisations, and also to, e.g., spouses of Irish and EU citizens, refugees, people with Irish Born Child residency, people with long term residency status.
  • Stamp A refers to medical practitioners who are entitled to work
  • Stamp 6 gives a person permission to remain without condition as to time
 
There is no automatic right to work but if you go to the Garda station first - immigration section - ensure you bring your partner with you and marraige cert and they will either give you the stamp 4 or state that you have to go through more proceedure. I know of couples who have gone and the spouse was given a stamp 4 straight away for 1 year. I know of another where a stamp was given for 5 years and I know of another case where they were told they had to go through a long drawn out process which took two years where they were interviewed and everything. So its like anything in Ireland it depends on the mood of the person you are dealing with on the day.........
 
Alias said:
And who qualifies for a 6?
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People who've lived here legally a long time. It used to be ten years, I think it's eight now. Although like all the rest of these, it's not set down in legislation, and in practice is probably subject to some degree to the discretion of the immigration officer.
 
I am American, married to an Irishman. Moved here in 2005 - we were married in the states. At the airport, I presented my marriage certificate (my husband was with me) and they gave me a 10 day stamp to get to the garda station (Shannon) to apply for my Garda card with a Stamp 4. My husband accompanied me to the Garda station (as far as I know, it just has to be a station that has immigration officers), we presented passports and marriage certificate and they stamped my passport and the card came shortly thereafter. With the card I could get a PPS number and start working. I've renewed it yearly until this year and was given a 5 year card. So far, no hassles. The process is generally very straightforward.

However, it is very difficult to be a non-EU national and get a work permit. It has to be in a field where there is a genuine need for workers. I have an American friend who received one for her Masters in Social Work. Education likely wouldn't apply as the education degrees here all require Irish and obviously American degrees don't. Other fields tend to be engineering, and medical-related.
 
Hi I think Im on the wright track but feel as though ive been wrongly dismissed...
I am an Irish citizen through decent..(My mother was born in Ireland) I was born in Canada, but lived in Ireland as an Irish citizen since 1998. I am married to an Irish man since 2009 and have two Irish Born children. I have been working since 2007 without any knowledge of needing a work permit.. I applied for maternity leave Oct 2012 and was denied. The reason being that i did not hold a work permit. I always understood that due to my irish citizenship, no.4 on my GNIB, and marriage to An Irish citizen, I didnt require a work permit at all... PLEASE send any information on my situation as i am appealing this decision..
 
MapleLeaf said:
Hi I think Im on the wright track but feel as though ive been wrongly dismissed...
I am an Irish citizen through decent..(My mother was born in Ireland) I was born in Canada, but lived in Ireland as an Irish citizen since 1998. I am married to an Irish man since 2009 and have two Irish Born children. I have been working since 2007 without any knowledge of needing a work permit.. I applied for maternity leave Oct 2012 and was denied. The reason being that i did not hold a work permit. I always understood that due to my irish citizenship, no.4 on my GNIB, and marriage to An Irish citizen, I didnt require a work permit at all... PLEASE send any information on my situation as i am appealing this decision..
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Assuming that your mother still held Irish citizenship at the time of your birth, then you are Irish by birth and as such there is absolutely no need to for a work permit or any other residency documents.
 
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