General Employment Permit (GEP)

Ireland · for applicants from Nigeria

Verified · 22 June 2026

Ireland's broad work permit for occupations not on the Critical Skills list (and not ineligible). Usually requires a Labour Market Needs Test (the job must be advertised first). Lower salary floor than CSEP. Leads to residence over a longer period than CSEP.

Rules last verified: 22 June 2026 · by Elizabeth O

At a glance

Embassy processing

Via EPOS; varies

Our turnaround

5–7 working days

Done-for-you Standard

Government fees

~£1,198

≈ ₦2,191,142

Why applications get refused

Labour Market Needs Test not done

Job not advertised as required before applying.

Fix: Complete the advertising/LMNT correctly before applying.

Salary below threshold

Pay under €36,605 (or €32,691 sector).

Fix: Meet the correct MAR threshold for the role.

Ineligible occupation

Role on the Ineligible Occupations List.

Fix: Confirm the occupation is eligible before applying.

Document checklist

Required

Valid passport

When: "all"

Signed employment contract / job offer

When: "all"

Labour Market Needs Test evidence (advertising)

When: "unless exempt"

Qualification / experience evidence

When: "all"

Long Stay D visa (Nigeria is visa-required)

When: "all"

Application timeline

1. Prepare your application

Gather documents, draft supporting letters, complete forms

1–3 weeks

2. Rekoja review (if Done-for-you)

Specialist checks your file before you submit

5–7 working days

3. Submit online or at visa centre

Biometrics appointment may be required

1 day

4. Embassy decision

Standard processing. Priority options may be available.

Via EPOS; varies

All-in government fees

These are the fees you pay to the government, not Rekoja's service fee. Shown at the indicative exchange rate.

Mandatory

General Employment Permit (24 mo)

£856

1,565,624

Long Stay D visa + IRP

£342

625,518

Total government fees

1,198

≈ ₦2,191,142

Indicative. 1 GBP = 1829 NGN · 2026-08-03. Government fees change. Confirm on the official website before paying.

What a free chatbot cannot do

A free AI can tell you the rules. Rekoja does the harder part: we verify them against the official government source, prepare the actual application file, catch what gets people refused, and a specialist checks everything before you submit. We stand behind our work.

  • Rules verified against the official source, with the date
  • Document checklist built for your specific profile
  • The inconsistency check that catches what gets people refused
  • A human reviews your complete file before submission

Know your real chances for this route

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The assessment pre-selects Ireland and the work route for you. You can adjust before you run it.

Common questions about the General Employment Permit (GEP)

Sourced answers to the most-searched questions about this corridor are being verified and will appear here. Start the free assessment or ask the desk directly.

Real outcomes

100% approved

Based on 12 reported outcomes across all Rekoja cases. This is a look back at past cases, not a prediction. The embassy decides; past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Prepare for the interview

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Preparation improves your readiness, not the decision. Practice, never a guarantee.

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Not a visa decision or legal advice. Rules shown are as of the last verification date above. Immigration rules change. Confirm before filing. The embassy decides, not Rekoja.