Ireland's Stamp 1G Third Level Graduate Programme: How Canadian Graduates Apply and What It Allows

What Stamp 1G is

Stamp 1G is the immigration permission behind Ireland's Third Level Graduate Programme. It lets a non-EU or non-EEA graduate of an Irish higher education institution stay in Ireland after finishing a qualifying award to look for work, then take a job without an employer first needing a separate employment permit for that period. Ireland's Immigration Service Delivery administers the permission.

Who qualifies

You need to have completed a qualifying award at an Irish institution, usually a bachelor's degree at honours level or above, a master's degree, or a PhD, studied on a valid student immigration permission (Stamp 2) throughout. Ordinary, non-honours degrees, diplomas below that level, and language courses don't qualify. Check your specific course's status with your university's international office before you rely on this route, since eligibility depends on the award type and level, not only on finishing a program.

How long you get

Ireland extended this permission for postgraduate students from January 2022: honours bachelor's degree (level 8) graduates get 12 months under Stamp 1G, while master's and PhD graduates get 24 months. Confirm the current duration on Immigration Service Delivery's site close to your graduation date, since graduate mobility rules change and this detail is worth checking against an up to date source rather than an older description.

This works differently from home. Canada's Post-Graduation Work Permit runs up to three years for longer programs and counts toward permanent residency pathways like Express Entry. Stamp 1G is shorter and doesn't by itself build toward permanent status in Ireland. It buys time to land a job and switch to an employment permit.

What Stamp 1G lets you do

• Work full time in Ireland without your employer needing a labour market needs test or separate employment permit during the permission period.

• Search for a job connected to your qualification, at any employer.

• Register your permission with your local immigration registration office and receive an Irish Residence Permit card for that period.

• Apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit or General Employment Permit once you secure a job offer, to convert to longer term work permission before Stamp 1G expires.

Stamp 1G on its own doesn't lead directly to permanent residency. It bridges the gap between finishing your degree and switching to an employment permit, which is the route that eventually counts toward longer term status in Ireland.

How a Canadian graduate applies

1. Finish your final examinations and confirm your results with your university, since you generally apply for Stamp 1G around the time you receive your final award, not before.

2. Apply online through Immigration Service Delivery's system before your current student permission (Stamp 2) expires.

3. Book an appointment to register in person once your application is approved, at your local immigration office or, in Dublin, at the Burgh Quay Registration Office.

4. Pay the immigration registration fee and receive your Irish Residence Permit card showing Stamp 1G.

5. Start job hunting immediately. Twelve or twenty four months moves fast once you account for the time needed to secure a job offer and process an employment permit application afterward.

Costs to plan for

Budget for the immigration registration fee charged when you register your Stamp 1G in person, on top of ordinary living costs while you job hunt. Ireland's cost of living, especially rent in Dublin, runs high, so build a financial cushion that covers several months of job searching rather than assuming you will find work immediately after graduation.

What happens if you don't find a job in time

If Stamp 1G expires before you secure a job offer and an employment permit, you need another basis to remain in Ireland, such as enrolling in a further qualifying course on a new student permission, or you leave Ireland. Ireland's immigration system doesn't automatically extend Stamp 1G beyond its set period, so track your expiry date and start your employer's permit application with enough lead time before it runs out.

Converting Stamp 1G into long term work permission

Once you have a job offer, your employer applies for a Critical Skills Employment Permit or General Employment Permit through Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Roles on the Critical Skills occupations list, generally higher skilled positions with a minimum salary threshold, process faster and lead more directly toward long term residency. A General Employment Permit works for a broader range of roles but comes with more conditions, including labour market testing your employer completes before hiring you.

Practical planning for Canadian students

Start researching your target sector and the Irish job market well before your final semester, since Stamp 1G's clock starts running the day you register, not the day you start looking. Keep your university confirmation of your final award on hand for the Stamp 1G application, and confirm with your specific university's international student office whether your exact program and grade classification qualifies before you count on this route to stay in Ireland after graduation.