Ireland
Working in Ireland After a Degree: Stamp 1G Rules Summarised
A summary of Irish Immigration Service Delivery's Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G) and the 2026 employment permit salary thresholds, from official pages.
By the 47 Fellows team · Bachelor's · Master's · PhD · 4 min read ·
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In brief
This page summarises what Ireland's Immigration Service Delivery and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment published, as read on 20 October 2026, about working in Ireland after a degree. It is general information, not advice on any person's case.
| Option (as described on the official pages) | Who it is described for | Length | Job offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G) | Non-EEA graduates of an Irish award at Level 8 or above | 12 months; Level 9 or above can be renewed once for 12 more | Not required |
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | Workers with a qualifying job offer | Set by the permit | Required |
| General Employment Permit | Workers with a qualifying job offer | Set by the permit | Required |
Rules change, and the official pages are the final word.
Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G)
Immigration Service Delivery says (page last updated 28 March 2024):
- It is for non-EEA graduates educated in Ireland who hold a Level 8 or Level 9 (or above) award from a recognised Irish awarding body, notified on or after 1 January 2017.
- Applicants must hold a current Stamp 2 student permission and must apply within six months of being notified of the award.
- Level 8: one permission of 12 months, within an overall limit of seven years on student permissions.
- Level 9 or above: an initial 12 months, which may be renewed for 12 more months if the graduate shows they have taken steps to find graduate-level work. This is within an overall limit of eight years.
- The programme cannot be used on more than two separate occasions.
- The registration fee listed is €300.
The programme's rules document says that graduates on Stamp 1G may work full time and do not need an employment permit, but may not run a business or be self-employed. It describes the aim as finding graduate-level work and then moving to an employment permit or a research hosting agreement.
Employment permit salary thresholds for 2026
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment lists these minimum annual salaries for 2026:
| Permit | Minimum a year (gross) |
|---|---|
| Critical Skills Employment Permit, with a relevant degree | €40,909 |
| Critical Skills Employment Permit, without a relevant degree | €68,911 |
| Critical Skills, graduate rate | €36,849 |
| General Employment Permit | €36,605 |
| General Employment Permit, Irish graduate rate | €34,009 |
The department's pages explain which occupations and graduates each rate applies to.
Official sources
- Immigration Service Delivery, Third Level Graduate Programme: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/my-situation-has-changed-since-i-arrived-in-ireland/third-level-graduate-programme/
- Third Level Graduate Programme rules (PDF): https://www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/third-level-graduate-programme.pdf
- Department of Enterprise, minimum annual remuneration: https://www.enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/economic-migration-policy/minimum-annual-remuneration/
- Critical Skills Employment Permit: https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/permit-types/critical-skills-employment-permit/
Related pages on 47 Fellows
Summary last compared with the official pages on 20 October 2026.