Stamp 4
An Irish immigration permission allowing the holder to live and work in Ireland without an employment permit.
For an employer, a candidate with Stamp 4 is effectively as straightforward to hire as an EEA national: no permit, no Labour Market Needs Test, no salary threshold. It is typically held by long-term residents, spouses of Irish citizens, and Critical Skills permit holders who have completed two years. Always verify the stamp on the person's IRP card and record the expiry date — Stamp 4 is not permanent and working rights end if the permission lapses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Stamp 4 is granted for a set period and must be renewed; it is not permanent residence or citizenship. Record the expiry date from the employee's IRP card at onboarding and diarise a check before it lapses — continuing to employ someone whose permission has expired is an offence even if your original check was flawless.
Common routes include completing two years on a Critical Skills Employment Permit, five years on a General Employment Permit, being the spouse of an Irish citizen, or long-term residence. For employers, the practical point is that many experienced hospitality and healthcare workers in Ireland hold Stamp 4 — a talent pool with full work rights that costs nothing to access.
Yes. Stamp 4 confers the right to work without an employment permit — no Labour Market Needs Test, no salary threshold, no permit fee. From a hiring-process perspective a Stamp 4 holder is as straightforward as an EEA national. Your only obligations are the standard right-to-work check and monitoring the permission's expiry date.