Ireland Stamp 4 in 2026: Work Without a Permit, Explained
Stamp 4 is the Irish immigration permission that lets you take up employment without an employment permit. People search for it as a "Stamp 4 work visa" or "Stamp 4 work permit", but it is neither: it is a residence permission recorded on your Irish Residence Permit. It is also not permanent. Immigration Service Delivery describes it as permission to stay for a specified period, and it has to be renewed. This guide explains who gets Stamp 4, how employment permit holders move onto it, and how it compares with Long Term Residency, Stamp 5 and citizenship, using official sources read on 14 October 2026.
Quick answer
On Stamp 4 you can take up employment without an employment permit, work in a profession and run a business. You may be given it after 2 years on a Critical Skills Employment Permit, or after 5 years on employment permits. Under the Long Term Residency scheme, 60 months of legal residence on employment permits can lead to a permission to work for a further 5 years, for a fee of €500. Stamp 4 counts as reckonable residence for citizenship.
What Stamp 4 allows
Immigration Service Delivery summarises the conditions of Stamp 4 as follows:
- You can take up employment and are not required to hold an employment permit.
- You can work in a profession, subject to the conditions of the relevant professional or other bodies.
- You can establish and operate a business.
- You may access state funds and services as determined by government departments or agencies.
- If you wish to stay past the expiry date of your permission, you must apply to renew your permission and registration before they expire.
Stamp 4 is reckonable as residence when applying for citizenship by naturalisation.
Stamp 1 and Stamp 4 compared
| Question | Stamp 1 | Stamp 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Do I need an employment permit? | Yes, or a letter from Immigration Service Delivery stating you can work without one | No |
| Can I change employer freely? | You must not start a job unless an employment permit has been obtained for it | You can take up employment without a permit |
| Can I run a business? | Only if specified in a letter of permission | Yes |
| Does it count for citizenship? | Yes, it is reckonable residence | Yes, it is reckonable residence |
Who can get Stamp 4
You may be given Stamp 4 after you have had permission to work in Ireland:
- with a valid Critical Skills Employment Permit for 2 years
- with a valid employment permit for 5 years
- as a researcher with a valid Hosting Agreement for 2 years.
You may also be given Stamp 4 if you are granted permission:
- to join and reside with your Irish spouse, civil partner or de facto partner
- to remain with your child who is an Irish citizen
- as a convention or programme refugee, or based on subsidiary protection
- under the Investor and Entrepreneur Programme
- for Long Term Residence.
Route 1: after a Critical Skills Employment Permit
The Critical Skills Employment Permit is the faster work route. The Department of Enterprise says permit holders may apply for permission to reside and work without an employment permit when the permit's duration is completed, and Immigration Service Delivery lists Stamp 4 after 2 years on a valid Critical Skills permit.
Immigration Service Delivery's page on changing permission says that if you have held a Critical Skills Employment Permit for at least two years, you may be able to apply for a different type of permission that offers greater benefits. Two cautions from that page:
- If your permission is out of date, you cannot apply to change it.
- Submitting an application does not extend your current permission, so apply in plenty of time.
In August 2026 the Department of Enterprise published a notice about a backlog in updating Irish Residence Permit cards. It said Critical Skills permit holders who had applied for Stamp 4 before their employment permit expired could continue to work on their original permit and stamp up to 31 August 2026. That date has passed, so check the Department's latest notices if you are waiting for a decision.
Route 2: after five years on employment permits
There are two options once you have five years of employment permits and matching residence stamps.
| Option | What you get | Where you apply |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp 4 at your local immigration office | A Stamp 4 for one year | Your local immigration office |
| Long Term Residency scheme | Permission to work in Ireland for a further 5 years without a further work permit | The Long Term Residence Section of Immigration Service Delivery |
The Department of Enterprise adds that if you do not satisfy the criteria for Stamp 4, you continue to need an employment permit. If you have been in continuous employment with your current employer for five years or more, you may be eligible for an employment permit of unlimited duration, which has no fee.
The Long Term Residency scheme in detail
You may be eligible if all of these apply:
- You have completed a minimum of 60 months of legal residence in Ireland, with qualifying stamps in your passport or valid Irish Residence Permit cards.
- You have held employment permits or Critical Skills permits issued by the Department of Enterprise.
- You have not been an undue burden on the State, and you are of good character.
- You have not broken the conditions of your previous permissions.
- You are legally resident in the State when you apply.
- You are in employment when you apply, and during and after the application process. Applications from self-employed people are not accepted.
How residence is counted
Residence is calculated from the stamps in your passport or the validity of your expired Irish Residence Permit cards. It is not calculated from the start and end dates on your employment permits. Any period for which you have no stamp or valid card is not counted.
| Counts towards Long Term Residency | Does not count |
|---|---|
| Stamp 1 held because of a work permit or Critical Skills permit | Student stamps: Stamp 2, Stamp 2A, or Stamp 1G on graduate conditions |
| Stamp 4 held because of a green card or Critical Skills Employment Permit | Intra Company Transfer on Stamp 1 |
| Working Holiday Authorisation on Stamp 1 | |
| Spouse of an Irish national on Stamp 4 | |
| Contract for Services Employment Permit holders on Stamp 1 |
Fee and outcome
- If your application is approved, you are asked to pay a fee of €500 within 28 days from the date of the approval letter.
- You then register the permission online and pay the registration fee, which is in addition to the €500. The standard registration fee is €300.
- If you are refused, there is no appeal process, but you can re-apply at any time.
- Your spouse and dependants may also apply if they were legally resident for the same 60-month period. They are granted Stamp 1G or Stamp 3, depending on the type of employment permit you held. Stamp 3 does not allow work.
What comes after Stamp 4
| Status | Requirement | What it gives |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp 5, "Without Condition As To Time" | 8 years (96 months) of legal residency under qualifying stamps, which include Stamp 1 and Stamp 4 | Permission valid until the expiry of your current passport |
| Citizenship by naturalisation | One route is 5 years of reckonable residence | The right to live and work freely in Ireland and to apply for an Irish passport |
Student time does not help with either: Stamp 2 and Stamp 2A cannot be counted towards Stamp 5, and Stamp 2 is not reckonable for citizenship. The Minister for Justice has full discretion to approve or refuse an application for naturalisation.
Keeping your Stamp 4
- Renew before it expires. You must apply to renew your permission and registration before they expire.
- Tell the authorities about changes. If your circumstances change while you live in Ireland, you must advise Immigration Service Delivery.
- Obey the general conditions. All stamps are granted on condition that you obey the laws of the State and are continuously resident for the duration of your permission, with allowance for reasonable periods of absence.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stamp 4 a work visa?
No. Stamp 4 is an immigration permission to stay in Ireland for a specified period. It lets you take up employment without an employment permit, but it is not a visa and not an employment permit.
Can I work for any employer on Stamp 4?
On Stamp 4 you can take up employment and are not required to hold an employment permit, so you are not tied to the named employer that an employment permit specifies. You can also establish and operate a business.
How long does it take to get Stamp 4 on a Critical Skills permit?
You may be given Stamp 4 after you have had permission to work with a valid Critical Skills Employment Permit for 2 years.
How do I get Stamp 4 on a General Employment Permit?
After 5 years on employment permits. You can apply to your local immigration office for a Stamp 4 for one year, or apply for Long Term Residency, which gives permission to work for a further 5 years.
Is Stamp 4 permanent residence?
No. Immigration Service Delivery describes Stamp 4 as permission to stay for a specified period, and it must be renewed. Stamp 5, available after 8 years of legal residency, is valid until the expiry of your current passport.
How much does Long Term Residency cost?
A fee of €500 is payable within 28 days of the approval letter. The registration fee is charged in addition.
Does Stamp 4 count towards Irish citizenship?
Yes. Stamp 4 is reckonable as residence when applying for citizenship by naturalisation, and one route to naturalisation is 5 years of reckonable residence.
Official sources
- Immigration Service Delivery — Immigration permission stamps
- Immigration Service Delivery — Changing your immigration permission
- Immigration Service Delivery — Long term residency
- Immigration Service Delivery — Without condition as to time
- Immigration Service Delivery — Become an Irish citizen by naturalisation
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Who needs an employment permit?
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Critical Skills Employment Permit
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Latest notices and developments
All rules and figures verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Information, not legal advice.