Critical Skills Occupations List
The Critical Skills Occupations List includes professions that require advanced qualifications and expertise in high-demand areas across Ireland. Employment in these roles may qualify you for a Critical Skills Employment Permit, provided all requirements are met. This list is detailed in Schedule 3 of the Employment Permits Regulations and has been effective since 14 June 2022, under the Employment Permits (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022.
Employment Categories and Roles:
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| SOC Code (Level 3) | Employment Category | SOC Code (Level 4) | Employments / Eligible Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 112 | Production Managers and Directors | 1122 | Site Manager |
| 113 | ICT Professionals | 1136 | Information Technology and Telecommunications Directors |
| 118 | Health and Social Services Managers and Directors | 1181 | Senior Health Services and Public Health Managers and Directors |
| 121 | Managers and Proprietors in Agriculture Related Services | 1213 | Professional Forester, Resource Modelling, Earth Observation and Data Analyst |
| 211 | Natural and Social Science Professionals | 2111 | Chemical Scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology, or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications, or experience |
| 2112 | Medical Laboratory Scientists, Biological Scientists and Biochemists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology, or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications, or experience | ||
| 2113 | Physical Scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology, or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications, or experience; Meteorologist; Operational Forecaster | ||
| 212 | Engineering Professionals | 2121 | Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Site Engineers |
| 2122 | Mechanical Engineers | ||
| 2123 | Electrical Engineers | ||
| 2124 | Electronics Engineers (Chip design, test engineering, process automation, power generation/distribution, or related and relevant skills) | ||
| 2126 | Design and Development Engineers (Quality control, validation/regulation engineering, chip design, process automation, or power generation/distribution) | ||
| 2127 | Production and Process Engineers (Quality control, validation/regulation engineering, chemical process engineering, process automation, or power generation/distribution); Chemical Engineer | ||
| 2129 | Material Scientists, Setting Out Engineer, Façade Designer, Project Engineer | ||
| 213 | Information Technology and Telecommunications Professionals | 2133 | IT Specialist Managers, BIM Manager |
| 2134 | IT Project and Programme Managers | ||
| 2135 | IT Business Analysts, Architects and Systems Designers | ||
| 2136 | Programmers and Software Development Professionals | ||
| 2137 | Web Design and Development Professionals | ||
| 2139 | Other ICT Professionals not elsewhere classified | ||
| 221 | Health Professionals | 2211 | Medical Practitioners |
| 2212 | Psychologists | ||
| 2213 | Industrial Pharmacists / Pharmacists | ||
| 2217 | Radiographers, Radiation Therapists, Vascular Technologists, Gastrointestinal Technologists/Physiologists | ||
| 2218 | Podiatrists / Chiropodists | ||
| 2219 | Audiologists, Perfusionists, Dieticians, Cardiac Physiologists, Medical Scientists | ||
| 222 | Therapy Professionals | 2221 | Physiotherapists |
| 2222 | Occupational Therapists | ||
| 2223 | Speech and Language Therapists | ||
| 2229 | Orthoptists | ||
| 223 | Nursing and Midwifery Professionals | 2231 | Registered Nurses |
| 2232 | Registered Midwives | ||
| 231 | Teaching and Educational Professionals | 2311 | Academics (PhD or Level 10 qualification, 1+ year teaching experience in Irish universities or ICT-related Level 8/9 programs) |
| 242 | Business, Research and Administrative Professionals | 2421 | Chartered & Certified Accountants, Taxation Experts (with global, US GAAP, or non-EEA tax expertise) |
| 2423 | Management Consultants & Business Analysts (specialising in Big Data Analytics, IT, Data Mining, or Advanced Maths) | ||
| 2424 | Business & Financial Project Management Professionals (specialising in finance & investment analytics, risk analytics, credit/fraud analytics) | ||
| 2425 | Actuaries, Economists & Statisticians (specialising in Big Data Analytics, IT, Data Mining, Modelling, Advanced Maths) | ||
| 243 | Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors | 2431 | Architect |
| 2432 | Town Planning Officer | ||
| 2433 | Quantity Surveyor | ||
| 2435 | Architectural Technologist | ||
| 2436 | Construction Project Manager, Commercial Manager | ||
| 244 | Welfare Professionals | 2442 | Social Worker |
| 246 | Quality and Regulatory Professionals | 2461 | Quality Control and Planning Engineers |
| 2462 | Quality Assurance and Regulatory Professionals | ||
| 2463 | Environmental Health Professionals | ||
| 247 | Media Professionals | 2473 | Art Director (2D/3D Animation, 1+ year experience) |
| 312 | Draughtspersons and Related Architectural Technicians | 3122 | BIM Coordinator / Technician |
| 321 | Health Associate Professionals | 3213 | PHECC Registered Paramedics, Advanced Paramedic Practitioners |
| 3218 | Prosthetists, Orthotists, Respiratory Physiologists | ||
| 341 | Artistic, Literary and Media Occupations | 3411 | Animation Background & Design Artist (2D/3D animation, 1+ year experience) |
| 342 | Design Occupations | 3421 | Location, Character, Prop Designers or Layout Artists (2D/3D animation, 1+ year experience) |
| 344 | Sports and Fitness Occupations | 3442 | High Performance Coaches and Directors (employed by national or high-profile sports organisations) |
| 353 | Business, Finance and Related Associate Professionals | 3531 | Estimator |
| 354 | Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals | 3542 | Business Sales Executives (International or IT B2B roles; fluency in a non-EEA language) |
| 3543 | International Marketing Experts (product strategy, technical knowledge in pharma, med devices, or SaaS) |
| SOC Code (Level 3) | Employment Category | SOC Code (Level 4) | Employments / Eligible Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 112 | Production Managers and Directors | 1122 | Site Manager |
| 113 | ICT Professionals | 1136 | Information Technology and Telecommunications Directors |
| 118 | Health and Social Services Managers and Directors | 1181 | Senior Health Services and Public Health Managers and Directors |
| 121 | Managers and Proprietors in Agriculture Related Services | 1213 | Professional Forester, Resource Modelling, Earth Observation and Data Analyst |
| 211 | Natural and Social Science Professionals | 2111 | Chemical Scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology, or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications, or experience |
| 2112 | Medical Laboratory Scientists, Biological Scientists and Biochemists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology, or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications, or experience | ||
| 2113 | Physical Scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology, or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications, or experience; Meteorologist; Operational Forecaster | ||
| 212 | Engineering Professionals | 2121 | Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Site Engineers |
| 2122 | Mechanical Engineers | ||
| 2123 | Electrical Engineers | ||
| 2124 | Electronics Engineers (Chip design, test engineering, process automation, power generation/distribution, or related and relevant skills) | ||
| 2126 | Design and Development Engineers (Quality control, validation/regulation engineering, chip design, process automation, or power generation/distribution) | ||
| 2127 | Production and Process Engineers (Quality control, validation/regulation engineering, chemical process engineering, process automation, or power generation/distribution); Chemical Engineer | ||
| 2129 | Material Scientists, Setting Out Engineer, Façade Designer, Project Engineer | ||
| 213 | Information Technology and Telecommunications Professionals | 2133 | IT Specialist Managers, BIM Manager |
| 2134 | IT Project and Programme Managers | ||
| 2135 | IT Business Analysts, Architects and Systems Designers | ||
| 2136 | Programmers and Software Development Professionals | ||
| 2137 | Web Design and Development Professionals | ||
| 2139 | Other ICT Professionals not elsewhere classified | ||
| 221 | Health Professionals | 2211 | Medical Practitioners |
| 2212 | Psychologists | ||
| 2213 | Industrial Pharmacists / Pharmacists | ||
| 2217 | Radiographers, Radiation Therapists, Vascular Technologists, Gastrointestinal Technologists/Physiologists | ||
| 2218 | Podiatrists / Chiropodists | ||
| 2219 | Audiologists, Perfusionists, Dieticians, Cardiac Physiologists, Medical Scientists | ||
| 222 | Therapy Professionals | 2221 | Physiotherapists |
| 2222 | Occupational Therapists | ||
| 2223 | Speech and Language Therapists | ||
| 2229 | Orthoptists | ||
| 223 | Nursing and Midwifery Professionals | 2231 | Registered Nurses |
| 2232 | Registered Midwives | ||
| 231 | Teaching and Educational Professionals | 2311 | Academics (PhD or Level 10 qualification, 1+ year teaching experience in Irish universities or ICT-related Level 8/9 programs) |
| 242 | Business, Research and Administrative Professionals | 2421 | Chartered & Certified Accountants, Taxation Experts (with global, US GAAP, or non-EEA tax expertise) |
| 2423 | Management Consultants & Business Analysts (specialising in Big Data Analytics, IT, Data Mining, or Advanced Maths) | ||
| 2424 | Business & Financial Project Management Professionals (specialising in finance & investment analytics, risk analytics, credit/fraud analytics) | ||
| 2425 | Actuaries, Economists & Statisticians (specialising in Big Data Analytics, IT, Data Mining, Modelling, Advanced Maths) | ||
| 243 | Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors | 2431 | Architect |
| 2432 | Town Planning Officer | ||
| 2433 | Quantity Surveyor | ||
| 2435 | Architectural Technologist | ||
| 2436 | Construction Project Manager, Commercial Manager | ||
| 244 | Welfare Professionals | 2442 | Social Worker |
| 246 | Quality and Regulatory Professionals | 2461 | Quality Control and Planning Engineers |
| 2462 | Quality Assurance and Regulatory Professionals | ||
| 2463 | Environmental Health Professionals | ||
| 247 | Media Professionals | 2473 | Art Director (2D/3D Animation, 1+ year experience) |
| 312 | Draughtspersons and Related Architectural Technicians | 3122 | BIM Coordinator / Technician |
| 321 | Health Associate Professionals | 3213 | PHECC Registered Paramedics, Advanced Paramedic Practitioners |
| 3218 | Prosthetists, Orthotists, Respiratory Physiologists | ||
| 341 | Artistic, Literary and Media Occupations | 3411 | Animation Background & Design Artist (2D/3D animation, 1+ year experience) |
| 342 | Design Occupations | 3421 | Location, Character, Prop Designers or Layout Artists (2D/3D animation, 1+ year experience) |
| 344 | Sports and Fitness Occupations | 3442 | High Performance Coaches and Directors (employed by national or high-profile sports organisations) |
| 353 | Business, Finance and Related Associate Professionals | 3531 | Estimator |
| 354 | Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals | 3542 | Business Sales Executives (International or IT B2B roles; fluency in a non-EEA language) |
| 3543 | International Marketing Experts (product strategy, technical knowledge in pharma, med devices, or SaaS) |
These occupations are considered critical for Ireland’s economic growth. Meeting the required education, skills, and experience can help foreign nationals secure a Critical Skills Employment Permit.
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