Ireland launched a new employee scheme "Stamp 1G" to spouses / de-facto Partners of non-EEA Critical Skills Employment Permit Holders and Researchers on Hosting Agreements that will significantly increase talent pool in the country.
Did you know that on 6 th March 2019, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS announced a new scheme for Spouses / De-facto Partners of non-EEA Critical Skills Employment Permit Holders and Researchers on Hosting Agreements, called Stamp 1G?
This essentially means that:
1. They can work without the need of an Employment Permit
2. Unlike in the case of graduates who get Stamp 1G, spouses / partners don’t
have a 1 or 2 year limitation and can renew this visa for up to 5 years, after which they are eligible for Stamp 4 which also enables direct access to work
3. No more paperwork or extra cost for employers
4. The change is applicable with immediate effect
5. An estimated number of 5000+ existing residents are moving into this new
category and around 1000+ typically relocate to Ireland every year to join their family. This presents an enlarged talent pool to the employers in Ireland
6. They are eligible for ALL jobs – HR, recruitment, marketing, finance,
technology specialists, operations etc.
However, employers need to be educated about these changes. That would ensure
that while the government has introduced a reform for this neglected pool of talent
residing in Ireland, companies are able to reap the benefits.
The key advantages of hiring spouses / partners on Stamp 1G are:
a.) Enhancing Diversity: in parameters of race (non-EEA residents) and gender
(predominantly women)
b.) Saving Relocation cost: Stamp 1G holders are already living in Ireland as
they moved here to join their spouses / partners
c.) Long-term retention: Theoretically, anyone actively seeking jobs and facing
barriers for months or years is likely to be in for the long haul.
For more information on the changes, please refer to these FAQs published by INIS.
You can support Stamp3 Association on website here
Ankita Ahluwalia is a Co-founder of the Stamp 3 Association and an HR professional. She worked on a ‘Reform Stamp 3’ campaign run by a team of Stamp 3 holders (spouses of non-EEA residents in Ireland) for Stamp 3 holders. The campaign resulted in an immigration reform and gave direct access to work to spouses/partners of non-EEA critical skills permit holders in Ireland.