IrelandStudy and training
Ireland internship visa
Internship visas: unpaid internship (up to 90 days) and paid internship routes
In short
Students whose course requires work experience can do an unpaid internship in Ireland of up to 90 days on a short stay C internship visa. An internship longer than 90 days must be paid and needs either an Internship Employment Permit from DETE (for students of critical-skills disciplines enrolled abroad, up to 12 months) or permission under the Atypical Working Scheme for paid internships required for graduation.
Apply on AVATS – Automated Visa Application and Tracking System checked 23 October 2026
Key facts
- Maximum stay
- Unpaid: up to 90 days, with no extension. Paid via Internship Employment Permit: up to 12 months. Paid via AWS: up to 12 months.
- Fee
- €60Visa €60 single or €100 multiple. Internship Employment Permit: €500 up to 6 months, €1,000 up to 12 months. Atypical Working Scheme: €250 per application.
- Processing time
- Visa about 8 weeks; any work permission must be granted before the visa application.
- Work
- Only the approved internship; paid internships must meet Irish employment law, including minimum wage rules.
- Family
- Family members may not accompany interns on the Atypical Working Scheme; other family members need their own visas.
- Path to permanent residence
- No. AWS time does not count towards Stamp 4.
- Where to apply
- AVATS online from the country where you legally live, then documents to the Irish embassy, consulate or visa office named on your AVATS summary, or the visa application centre it uses, up to 3 months before travel.
Paid internships longer than 90 days
DETE’s Internship Employment Permit is for full-time students enrolled at a third-level institution outside Ireland, studying a discipline linked to the Critical Skills Occupations List, who want work experience. Its fee is €500 for up to 6 months and €1,000 for up to 12 months. Separately, the Atypical Working Scheme covers paid internships that are an integral, graduation-required part of studies at an accredited institution, for up to 12 months, with a €250 fee.
Unpaid internship visa
The unpaid internship visa is for work experience that is an essential part of your college or university studies. It is limited to 90 days and cannot be extended. In AVATS you answer ‘Unpaid’ to the question about an employment permit or Atypical Working Scheme approval number. The host must make sure the arrangement complies with Irish employment law, including the minimum wage legislation.
Letters needed
Two letters are central: one from the host organisation in Ireland describing the internship and its length, and who covers travel, accommodation and living costs; and one from your course director explaining the internship and how it relates to your course. If the internship involves children or vulnerable adults, the host must show that you have been Garda vetted.
Required documents
Identity
- Passport valid for at least 6 months after leaving Ireland and copies of previous passports
Money
- Bank statements for the last 6 months, or evidence that the host covers your costs
Work
- Letter from the Irish host describing the internship, its duration and who pays costs
Study
- Letter from your course director on how the internship relates to your studies
Other
- Signed AVATS summary sheets and two photos
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Travel
- If staying with a host, their letter confirming the accommodation
Work
- For paid internships: Internship Employment Permit or Atypical Working Scheme approval letter
Other
- Garda vetting evidence if the work involves children or vulnerable persons
Applying
Apply up to 3 months before the internship. For a paid route, the permit or AWS approval must be in hand first, then you apply for the visa on AVATS and submit your documents to the Irish embassy, consulate or visa office named on your AVATS summary, or the visa application centre it uses. Applications for interns under 18 are made by a parent or legal guardian, with consent and safeguarding documents.
- Confirm whether your internship is unpaid and required by your course (90-day visa) or paid (permit or AWS first).
- For paid internships, the host applies to DETE for an Internship Employment Permit or submits an AWS application online.
- Complete the AVATS visa application, entering the permit or AWS number, or ‘Unpaid’.
- Submit the letters and documents to the Irish embassy, consulate or visa office named on your AVATS summary, or the visa application centre it uses, and pay the visa fee.
- Leave Ireland at the end of the permitted period; internships cannot be extended.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a 6-month unpaid internship in Ireland?
No. Unpaid internships are limited to 90 days; anything longer must be paid and covered by a permit or AWS permission.
Who can get an Internship Employment Permit?
Full-time students at a third-level institution outside Ireland, in a discipline relevant to the Critical Skills Occupations List.
Can I extend my internship once in Ireland?
No. ISD will not extend permission to lengthen an internship.
Is a recent graduate eligible for the unpaid internship visa?
The unpaid visa is for internships that are an essential part of current studies, so you must still be enrolled.
Official sources
- Immigration Service Delivery – Unpaid internship visa
- Immigration Service Delivery – Atypical Working Scheme
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Types of employment permits
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Fees for employment permits
- Immigration Service Delivery – Preclearance and entry visa fees
Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.
Other visa types for Ireland
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
- Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
- Transit visa Maximum stay: No stay: a transit visa only allows passage through an Irish airport or seaport to another country.
- Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
- Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; the immigration officer at the border writes the permitted date on the landing stamp and may give less.
- Entrepreneur and start-up visa Maximum stay: 2 years at first, renewed for 3 years, then in 5-year instalments.
Study and training
- Student visa Maximum stay: Permission follows the course; the total time on student permission is capped at 7 years (8 years including the graduate stage for level 9 graduates).
- Language course visa Maximum stay: Up to 8 months of permission per course; at most three courses, two years in total, after which only a higher education programme can be continued.
- Researcher visa Maximum stay: As long as the hosting agreement and the registered permission run.
Work
- Work visa Maximum stay: Initial permit up to 2 years, renewable for up to 3 more years; after 5 years a permit is generally no longer needed.
- Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: Issued for 2 years; it is not renewed but replaced by Stamp 4 permission from the Department of Justice.
- Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 24 months initially, extendable to a maximum stay of 5 years; trainees up to 12 months.
- Job seeker visa Maximum stay: 12 months for level 8; up to 24 months (12 + 12) for level 9 and above, within the 7-year (level 8) or 8-year (level 9+) limit on student permission.
Family
- Family reunification visa Maximum stay: Permission follows the sponsor’s permission and must be renewed with it.
- Spouse and partner visa Maximum stay: Stamp 4 permission, renewed online while the relationship and residence continue.
Residence
- Retirement visa Maximum stay: Temporary permission renewed on a TPER renewal form while you remain financially independent.
- Residence permit Maximum stay: The IRP card is valid for the period of the permission granted (for example one academic year on Stamp 2, two years on Stamp 4).
- Permanent residence Maximum stay: Stamp 4 usually 2 years at a time; Long Term Residency 5 years; Stamp 5 valid until your passport expires.
Protection
- Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: While the application and any appeal are pending you may stay as an applicant; recognised refugees and subsidiary protection holders receive a residence permission.