Regulations

14-15 Year Olds

If you are a 14- or 15-year-old, you are allowed to work up to 7 hours per day, or 35 hours per week, during school holidays. If you are enrolled in a work experience programme, you are entitled to work up to 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. That is the limit by the law. Are you 15 years old or more? You can work up to 8 hours per week during school term if you are attending secondary school. Click here for more information about what kind of work you can do.

16-17 Year Olds

Are you a 16 or 17 year old? Then you are entitled to work as many hours as you want, and you are entitled to the the minimum wage(s) which vary depending on your experience. Click here for more information about the kind of work you can do.

Child labour is illegal, however, children over the age of 14 can work a limited amount of time during school holidays. It should be noted, if you are under the age of 16, you are not allowed to do any heavy work. This may include, but is not limited to, hard labour, for example, on a construction site, working in dangerous environments, for example, in coal mines, working at heights or on unstable platforms. For more information on this issue, you should speak with your parents/guardians, contact the local authorities and speak with the appropriate people working in your school. Find more information here.

If you are from an EU/EEA member state and studying in Ireland, you are permitted to work the same amount of hours as Irish citizens. As an EU/EEA citezen, you do not have to apply for a work permit to work in Ireland whether you are a student or not. You can find out more information here.

If you are from a non-EU/EEA country studying in Ireland, you are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week. In addition, you need to apply for a work permit. There are 9 different permits, which differ depending on the nature of your work. You need to make sure you apply for the right one. Click here for more information.

If you are attending college in Ireland, you are entitled to work up to 20 hours per week during term time. During the summer holidays and during the holiday in the run-up to Christmas, you can work up to 40 hours per week. These rules apply if you are 18 years old and over. The same rules apply for EU/EEA nationals. If you are not from an EU/EEA country, you must have an Irish Resident Permit Card.

You are required to obtain a visa to enter the US. You will need either an M or F Student Visa to study in the US. Find more information here. If you would just like to visit the US (e.g., for a holiday) you do not need a visa. You do however need an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) - which is a Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Find more information about ESTA here.

A PPS number is a unique code that that gives you access to social welfare benefits, services and subsidies in Ireland. You can find more information here.

There are several offices in Ireland where you may apply for a PPS. You can find your local Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

If you are from an EU/EEA nation, you are fortunate as you do not need a work visa or permit. However, if you are not from an EU/EEA nation, you will have to obtain a work visa and permit to work legally in Ireland. For more information, click here.

The IRP card is about the size of a credit card, which has your information displayed on it: name, card validity, permission to work and registration number. It also has your passport picture, a microchip and your fingerprints. See the sample below. You can click here for more information.

Because Irish immigration services are centralised, you have to go through the application process in the Dublin office. Click here to book an appointment at the Dublin office.

If you leave your employment, you should receive a P45, which is a document showing your salary, taxes and social security payments. You will need this if you change jobs or become unemployed.