Employment
As an EU citizen you can come to Ireland to look for work, and you can take up employment or self-employment without needing an employment permit. This also applies to citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
The EEA is made up of the member states of the EU, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
UK citizens can live and work in Ireland as part of the Common Travel Area.
International protection applicants are eligible to apply for a work permit five months after applying for asylum and can work six months after applying for asylum – as long as your work permit is processed in time.
You must apply for Labour Market Access Permission.
Ukrainian Citizens have the right to work in Ireland if they have a permission letter confirming granted Temporary Protection under the EU Directive. You can also work for yourself (self-employment) and you can access vocational training in Ireland.
When you begin working, you must complete the LMA5 form with the help of your employer and return it to LMAUapplications@justice.ie.
Work permits can be renewed after 12 months (if you have not yet to receive a first instance decision from the IPO). To renew your work permit, you must use the same online application on the INIS website.
A list of employment supports for people from a refugee background can be found here: Irish Refugee Council
Looking for work
Some useful websites for those looking for work include:
Employment supports in Cavan
The SICAP programme, run by Cavan County Local Development (CCLD) provides supports to people who have been in long term unemployment by supporting them with:
- Training & Education Grants to cover course fees etc
- CV Preparation
- Interview Skills
- Job Application completion
- Confidence Building
- Support to gain work experience
They also provide access to employment specific training such as manual handling, occupational first aid and basic computer skills.
EmployAbility Cavan Monaghan is a service which supports people with an illness, injury, disability or mental health difficulty to enter the working world. They identify suitable job opportunities and provide support to maintain employment.
Local Enterprise Office - Cavan provides support to those looking to start, grow and develop a business in Cavan. They provide training and workshops in all areas of business.
There are hot desking facilities at Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre (H12 R6D6) and Cavan Digital Hub (H12 PD82).
Some important things to know while working in Ireland:
• Working rights and conditions
• Social insurance contributions (PRSI)
• Access to training
• Membership of trade unions
Opening a bank account
To open a bank account as a Ukrainian in Ireland, you need identification. Banks are now accepting alternative forms of identification and proof of address, if you do not have the standard forms.
For International Protection applicants, you will need identification and proof of address.
Your bank will accept alternative documents as proof of identity, if you do not have either a passport or a driving licence. These include, for example, Irish Residence Permit, Temporary Permit or Irish Government Travel Document.
View the Guide to Opening Bank Accounts for International Protection applicants: Final-BPFI-Guide-to-Opening-Bank-Accounts-in-Ireland-for-Protection-Applicants-Final.pdf (safeguardingireland.org)