Ireland Third Level Graduate Programme (Stamp 1G)

You must have been notified on or after 1 January 2017 that you achieved a level 8 or higher award from a recognised Irish awarding body, such as an Irish university, RCSI, an institute of technology or QQI. You must hold a current Stamp 2 permission and IRP card and apply within six months of being notified of your result.

You must not have exceeded the seven-year limit on student permission, must be of good character, and must show your parchment or an official letter from the awarding body confirming the award.

Apply online through the ISD renewals portal, as moving from Stamp 2 to Stamp 1G is treated as a renewal to a new stamp category. Upload your award, passport and medical insurance and pay €300. You must be in Ireland when you apply.

You or your employer are expected to obtain an employment permit before Stamp 1G expires; ISD does not generally extend the permission to cover a late permit application. With the permit you register on Stamp 1. Without a permit or another permission at the end of Stamp 1G, you are expected to leave Ireland.

The permission exists so that you can look for graduate-level work and apply for a General Employment Permit, a Critical Skills Employment Permit or a research hosting agreement. Meanwhile you may work up to 40 hours a week without a permit. Level 9 graduates renew for the second 12 months by showing they took real steps to find suitable work, such as interviews or registration with graduate recruitment agencies.