What to Know as Researchers
Everything you need to know about applying for the Hosting Agreement Scheme in Ireland.
- You are a non-EU/EEA national with the appropriate higher education qualification (e.g., a PhD or MSc) that entitles you to access doctoral programmes.
- You hold a research contract of employment with an accredited research active organisation or university/IoT in Ireland for a minimum of 3 months.
- Your salary is at least €23,181 per annum if you have no dependants in Ireland, or €30,000 if you have a spouse and/or children in Ireland.
- Nationals of certain countries require an entry visa to Ireland in addition to a Hosting Agreement. You do not need a visa to land in Ireland if you are a citizen of a country listed in this table
- Visa required Hosting Agreement holders need to apply for a long stay visa for Scientific Researchers. This requires applicants to complete an online application form and submit all relevant documents and letters to the Irish immigration authorities/your nearest Irish consulate or embassy.
- The online visa application form and further information about supporting documents is available here.
All incoming researchers arriving on Hosting Agreements must have their original Hosting Agreement issued before coming to Ireland whether they require a visa or not. Contact the HR department in your hosting institution for further information.
The Hosting Agreement allows researchers and their immediate families to move to Ireland and reside there together for the duration of the researcher’s contract. Dependants including de facto partners of Hosting Agreement holders are allowed to access the Irish job market without an Employment Permit. Before travelling to Ireland to join their De Facto partner on a Hosting Agreement, persons will need to apply for an approval letter from the Preclearance Section in Visa Division. Note that the preclearance scheme covers both non-visa required and visa required nationals.
Researchers arriving in Ireland under the Hosting Agreement scheme must bring an original copy of their Hosting Arrangement with them. The researcher is also required to register at their local immigration office/police station to work as a researcher (under stamp 1 immigration permission) after arrival to Ireland. When you receive a permission to live in Ireland and work as a researcher, you will need to renew your permission after a certain period of time. If you are based outside Dublin check this website for the renewal procedure.
After two years on a Hosting Agreement, researchers can apply for a Stamp 4 for a further two years, renewable after that point. This immigration status offers increased flexibility and makes it easier for researchers to move between sectors and employers without the need for any working permission or a new Hosting Agreement.
Once you have been issued a hosting agreement, ensure that you apply for Stamp 1 permission which means that you have permission to work in Ireland. Find more information about registering HERE
Contact magda@iua.ie or fernandos@iua.ie or call +353 1 6764948 in the EURAXESS Ireland office if you have any queries.
FAQs for Researchers on Hosting Agreements and their Family Members in Ireland
For Researchers
Yes, providing you have an employment contract with your university or research-active organisation in Ireland. Contact the Hosting Agreement office of EURAXESS Ireland by emailing magda@iua.ie or fernandos@iua.ie for more information.
Only immediate family members – that is a spouse, natural children and children over whom the researcher has official guardianship as well as de facto partners - can be included under the scheme. The duration of their stay in Ireland is tight to the permission to remain of their spouse/partner on a Hosting Agreement.
Please check INIS website for information on terms and conditions. Click here for more information.
Yes, the duration of your Hosting Agreement is linked to your employment contract. Please consult your HR department or manager for more information.
Yes, if your spouse/de facto partner has currently a permission to reside in Ireland on Stamp 3 conditions and want to work in Ireland - needs to attend a local immigration office with you (their de facto partner who is resident in Ireland on a Hosting Agreement). The local immigration officer will issue eligible person a new Irish Residence Permit (IRP) on stamp 1G conditions. This will allow the spouse/de facto partner to work in Ireland without an Employment Permit.
Yes, from April 2019 can access the Irish job market without an Employment Permit.
Yes, from April 2019 can access the Irish job market without an Employment Permit.
Yes, but your new institution must hold accreditation for the Hosting Agreement scheme.
No, you may only work for an institution which is accredited for the Hosting Agreement scheme in Ireland. If your prospective employer has no accreditation at present- please contact Ireland. You can see the full list of accredited institutions here
Yes, it is possible. Your employer will need to apply and be approved for Hosting Agreement-accreditation from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) in Ireland. Please contact magda@iua.ie of EURAXESS for any further info.
You should contact your PI/HR to find out if you can have your employment contract/Hosting Agreement extended. You must make sure your immigration permission (stamp 1) is up to date. Stamp renewal for researchers based in Dublin and outside Dublin.
No, you will not be required to leave the country immediately. It is important to keep your IRP card up to date. Please make sure you have your stamp renewed if you plan to extend your stay for a short term. The decision regarding the renewal of your stay will be taken by the immigration office. You may also contact Magda@iua.ie in EURAXESS Ireland if you need advice.
Yes, providing at least 70% of your role is research-based.
Note: Please contact Euraxess Ireland if you have any doubts or questions. We are happy to advice regarding your individual applications.
No, it is illegal to work under two different immigration permissions in Ireland at the same time.
Yes, but only if the job is directly linked to your research. Contact magda@iua.ie at EURAXESS Ireland for further information.
Yes, your dependants may be added and they can travel to Ireland with you or any time after you arrive in Ireland. Please contact your HR department and ensure your Hosting Agreement has been updated with details of all new dependants.
Yes, you will need to report to the GNIB with your Hosting Agreement in order to change your immigration permission from stamp 2 to stamp 1. Please note that you can also access the Third Level Graduate Programme in Ireland, which allows you to work without a specific permission for one year.
It depends, if your employment contract with an accredited institution is for at least 24 months you should contact your institution to include you under the Hosting Agreement scheme, change your stamp 1G to stamp 1, by contacting GNIB. Contact EURAXESS Ireland (magda@iua.ie or fernandos@iua.ie) for more information.
Your employer is responsible for issuing a hosting agreement to you, together with your employment contract. Contac HR of your new employer and make sure you have your Hosting Agreement issued to you (posted or emailed to you). A valid agreement must be signed by both your institution and you.
No, you can terminate your contract and your Hosting Agreement any time.
No. Your employer should advice EURAXESS about your redundancy/contract termination and consequently your agreement will have cancelled status in the Hosting Agreement system. EURAXESS would be in a position to advice any relevant authority such as ISD/DETE about your Hosting Agreement status.
Yes. Eligibility criteria (24 months of continues employment on HA/or a combination of HA and CSEP (stamp1 with no gaps in registration) must be met to qualify for the stamp 4.
You can start your application after 21 months under a Stamp 1 on the basis of a Hosting Agreement. For more information CLICK HERE
You may be given Stamp 4, after you have had a permission to work in Ireland as researcher with a valid Hosting Agreement for 2 years. You will be required to present all Hosting Agreements you have been issued by your employer. You might be asked to present your current employment contract, and if are not employed at the time of your application some evidence for actively searching for a job/study opportunity in Ireland. Stamp 4 can be granted to people who intend to stay in Ireland in near future (not to those who wish to leave the country to remain elsewhere).
A letter from DETE/DFHERIS or EURAXESS is not required.
Note: that you should be physically present in Ireland for the duration of your research post for which you received your hosting agreement. Make sure you are not creating any gaps in your stamp 1 registration qualifying you for your stamp 4 permission to remain.
More info regarding different immigration stamps can be found here: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/information-on-registering/immigration-permission-stamps/.
You can ONLY include eligible dependents on your Hosting Agreement form. Your spouse, de-fact partner, and your children can qualify. Your parents and siblings and other distant family members cannot qualify. For mor info visit:
ISD web: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/my-situation-has-changed-since-i-arrive…
No, you do not require any English test such as Duolingo or IELTS to be eligible for a hosting agreement.
Yes. While you may not be eligible to to get a new work permit before you complete your first year on the general skills employment permit. This rule does not apply to a hosting agreement. You will be eligible to get a hosting agreement even before completing your first year on a general skills employment permit when you get your new job in Research & Development and in ac accredited institution.
What else to know
If you plan to visit Ireland for academic/research-related purposes and do not qualify for the Hosting Agreement scheme please check the following options:
- If you are visiting Ireland for research or academic purposes for less than 14 days you do not need any work permissions. However, you may require a short term visa.
- If you are participating in a private, funded or unfunded research, sabbatical, or academic visit with an Irish institution for a period between 15 days and 90 days (or more under certain conditions) and do not qualify for a work permit and Hosting Agreement, you may be eligible for the Atypical Working Scheme.
- If you are on a Paid internships where the position is an integral component (i.e. required for graduation) of studies in an accredited institution you can qualify for the Atypical Working Scheme for a period greater than 90 days.
- If your internship is unpaid and short term (up to 90 days) check your visa option here.
For any additional information please visit the Irish Immigration Service website and/or the DFHERIS website