Ireland
Living and Working
Labour Market Factors
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Young highly educated workforce
Immigration & Irish returnees
National wage agreements
English language
High female participation rate
Ireland’s Demography
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Total Population
Population Aged 15+
Employment
Employment rate
Unemployment rate
4.4 million
3,8 million
2,1 million
68 %
6.1 %
But the Irish economy is changing…
Employment Growth 1996-2009
Opportunities
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Financial & Business sector (High level)
Industry (engineers)
Pharmaceutical Sector
IT Managers & Senior Professionals
Health Services
Know before You Go
Essential Preparation
• Bring relevant personal documentation,
relevant ‘E’ forms and European Health
Insurance Card
• Speak at least basic English
• Have enough money to live for 1 month at
least
• Have somewhere to stay on arrival – Friend
www.hostelbookers.com
www.hosteldublin.com
Know before You Go
Essential Preparation
• Try to find a job before you arrive or
be prepared to look for it
• Discuss any queries relating to your
contract of employment directly with
your new employer
• Seek pre-departure advice on “L & W”
Looking for job in Ireland
FÁS – The Training & Employment
Authority
www.fas.ie
– Employment - 5,300 Jobs (September 2008)
– Training Courses
– CV on line
www.eures.europa.eu
– Living & Working in all the EU Countries
Looking for job in Ireland
Private Recruitment Agencies
• Irish Federation of Personnel Services
(IFPS www.ifps.htm)
• No Charge to Jobseekers
• Agencies generally charge employers 12%
to 20% of first year’s salary.
Some Useful Web Sites
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Irish Government
Citizens Information
Irish Times:
Irish Independent:
Sunday Business Post:
Irish Examiner:
www.irlgov.ie
www.citizensinformation.ie
www.irish-times.com
www.independent.ie
www.sbpost.ie
www.examiner.ie
On arrival what you need to do
1. Register for PPS Number – Social Security
2. Register for Tax – Tax free allowance Cert.
3. Open a Bank Account
 Introduction Letter from employer with exact
details as per Passport
or
The letter from PPS application received back from
Social Welfare Department
 Driving Licence or Passport
 Details of Irish Address – Utility Bill
PPS Number
A PPS (Personal Public Service) Number is your
unique reference number. This PPS Number will help
you to access benefits and information from public
service agencies more quickly and more easily. This
includes services such as Social Welfare, Revenue,
Public Healthcare and Education.
More information on: www.welfare.ie
PPS Number – How to apply?
In your local Welfare office you need to show:
• Current Valid Passport or National Identity Card
and
• Evidence of either birth /work /unemployment
/residency /tax liability /education
and
• Evidence of address in Ireland!!!
(Household Bill, Official letter/document, financial
statement, property lease or tenancy agreement,
verified employers letter. All documents must show
the applicants name and address)
Minimum Wage
€8.65 per hour
Please note:
The minimum rate of pay increases from time to
time. Details of current minimum rates are
always available from the Employment Rights
Information Unit or on the Department’s
website www.entemp.ie
Personal Taxation
• Tax system: PAYE = Pay As You Earn
• 2 rates of Tax
20% on the first €35,400.00 earned
41% on all earnings above €35,400.00
• Personal tax allowances granted to
individuals by a system of Tax Credits
More information on: www.revenue.ie
Income tax - example
Single Person - Tax Credit €1,830
Married Person - Tax Credit €3,660
Example: INCOME TAX – Single Person
Salary of €26,000 euro
A single person pays 20% tax on €26,000 = €5,200
Less €1,830 tax credit = €3370 taxable pay
Social Security
• PRSI = Pay related Social Security
• No payment on first €127.00 of earnings
• On a basic salary the social security
deduction is 4% on earnings over €127
• A health contribution of 2% is deducted from
all income
More information on: www.welfare.ie
Accommodation
Rough guide
Housing situation
• 45%
Owned outright
• 35%
Owned but with a mortgage
• 18%
Rented (private/local)
Average rents in Dublin
per month
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Fully furnished
1 bedroom apartment
2 bedroom apartment
3 Bedroom House
Bedsit/Studio
€
1000+
1200+
1400+
700+
Renting a house or apartment
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Landlords usually require:
1 month’s rent in advance
1 month’s rent as security
Generally require 1 year’s lease
Rental agreements are legal
Custom is for young people to share
accommodation.
Some approximate prices
from a typical shopping basket
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Eggs (6)
Chicken (medium)
Potatoes (2.5kg)
Milk (1 litre)
Bottle wine (average)
• Washing up liquid 500ml
€1.25
€7.70
€3.80
€0.90
€10.00
€1.50
IRELAND
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Head of State: Mary McAleese – President
The Dail (parliament) + Senate
Current Prime Minister – Brian Cowen
Coalition Government
Currency € - Euro
• Time = GMT -Irish time plus 1 hour
IRELAND
• Ireland offers a good quality of life
• Temperate climate – lots of rain!
• English speaking – the Irish
language is still spoken in some
areas but for work English is
essential.
• Many young people – a variety of
interests – football, gaelic games,
golf, fishing, rugby, music (U2),
theatre, cinema etc
Thank you
Kamila Weglicka
FÁS Training and Employment Authority
27-33 Upper Baggot Street
Dublin 4
e-mail: [email protected]
Tel. Office: 00 353 1 607 0778
FÁS activities are funded by the Irish Government and the National Training Fund