How many months on a General Employment Permit before Stamp 4?

57 months of employment, against 21 months on a Critical Skills Employment Permit. That is why graduates who can qualify for a Critical Skills role, at €36,848 or more for a recent graduate, usually aim for one. Confirm the current periods on irishimmigration.ie.

Can I get Stamp 4 straight after Stamp 1G?

Not usually. Stamp 1G time on its own does not lead to Stamp 4. You first need an employment permit, then 21 months of employment on a Critical Skills permit or 57 on a General Employment Permit. Use Stamp 1G to find that permit-eligible job.

Ireland · Settlement Ireland · Europe

Stamp 4 Ireland: Who Qualifies and When (2027)

Updated on 30 September 2026Written by Amit SouravReviewed by Ashmita Agarwal

Applications for January 2027 are open. Popular courses can close once full, so apply early. Your AdmitVerse counsellor will confirm the current timeline for your course.

Plan your route to Stamp 4 WhatsApp a counsellor

How do I get Stamp 4 in Ireland?

Work in Ireland on an employment permit, then apply. After 21 months of employment on a Critical Skills Employment Permit, or 57 months on a General Employment Permit, you can apply for Stamp 4. It lets you live and work in Ireland without an employment permit, and it is the closest thing Ireland has to PR.

21 months

On a Critical Skills permit

57 months

On a General Employment Permit

3–4 years

Typical time from arrival as a student

No permit

Needed to work on Stamp 4

Informational, not legal advice. Immigration rules change. Every rule on this page links to its official source; check irishimmigration.ie before you act, and ask your AdmitVerse counsellor about your own case.

What changed

30 September 2026: Page published with the Stamp 4 qualifying periods from Part C4.

Part C4

Stamp 4 in one table

Stamp 4 in Ireland: what it is and how graduates qualify
Rule	Detail	Official source
What it is	Live and work in Ireland without an employment permit	Irish Immigration
From a Critical Skills permit	After 21 months of employment	Irish Immigration
From a General Employment Permit	After 57 months of employment	Irish Immigration
Typical student route	Master’s, Stamp 1G (up to 24 months), CSEP, then Stamp 4: about 3–4 years from arrival	Irish Immigration
Changing employer on a permit	Possible after 9 months without a new permit application (conditions apply)	DETE

Stamp 4 in Ireland: what it is and how graduates qualifyLast checked 30 September 2026Source: Irish Immigration: registration stamps

Which permit

Why the permit matters

Critical Skills Employment Permit

Stamp 4 after 21 months
Salary floor €36,848 for a recent graduate, €40,904 otherwise
No labour market needs test

General Employment Permit

Stamp 4 after 57 months, more than twice as long
Salary floor €36,605
More occupations, but a slower route to settlement

FAQ

Stamp 4: FAQs

What Indian students ask us most about this topic.

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Live in Ireland and work for any employer, or be self-employed, without needing an employment permit. That freedom is why it is treated as Ireland’s PR-equivalent. You still register and renew your IRP, and Stamp 4 time generally counts toward citizenship. Confirm the current conditions on irishimmigration.ie.

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