Last updated: 2 November 2026. Rupee figures use €1 = ₹106 (ECB reference rate, 30 October 2026) and are rounded.
Stamp 1G Ireland permission is the reason many Indian students pick Ireland over other study destinations.
It lets you stay on after graduation and work full-time without an employment permit.
But the clock starts ticking the day your results arrive.
Miss the six-month window, or let your Stamp 2 lapse, and you lose it for good.
Many graduates also don’t realise that 1G is a bridge to an employment permit, not a long-term visa.
In this guide, you’ll learn who qualifies, how long you get by NFQ level, how to apply and what it costs, your work rights, and how to move on to a Critical Skills or General Employment Permit.
In a Hurry? Read This Quick TL;DR Summary
- What it is: Stamp 1G under the Third Level Graduate Programme lets non-EU graduates of Irish courses stay to find graduate-level work.
- How long: 12 months for a Level 8 honours degree, and up to 24 months (two 12-month grants) for Level 9 or higher, such as a master’s.
- Time limits: total student time (Stamp 2 plus 1G) is capped at 7 years for Level 8 and 8 years for Level 9+.
- When to apply: within 6 months of official notice of your award, while your Stamp 2 and IRP are still valid.
- Cost: the IRP fee is €300 (₹31,800), paid through ISD’s online renewal portal.
- Work: full-time work is allowed, but you cannot run a business or be self-employed.
- Next step: land a job that qualifies for an employment permit, then move to Stamp 1 and, later, Stamp 4.
Still planning your move? Start with our complete guide to studying in Ireland from India.
What Is Stamp 1G in Ireland?
Stamp 1G is an immigration permission shown on your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card.
For graduates, it comes from the Third Level Graduate Programme run by Immigration Service Delivery (ISD).
Citizens Information calls the same thing the Third Level Graduate Scheme, so you’ll see both names.
ISD says the purpose is to let you seek graduate-level work and apply for an employment permit.
In ISD’s words, the student pathway uses 1G “to allow graduates to work full time without an employment permit”.
The same stamp is also given to spouses and partners of Critical Skills permit holders, but that’s a different route.
This guide covers the graduate version only.
Who Qualifies for Stamp 1G Ireland After Graduation?
ISD’s programme page sets out the conditions you must meet.
- Your award: you were told in writing on or after 1 January 2017 that you achieved the award you enrolled for.
- Your current status: you hold a valid Stamp 2 and an up-to-date IRP card when you apply.
- Your timing: you apply within six months of that written notice.
- Your time used: you haven’t already gone past the student time limit.
- Your record: you’re of good character and have kept to Irish law.
- Your awarding body: a recognised Irish body, such as an Irish university, RCSI, a technological university or institute, or QQI.
The programme policy document adds that your course must have been on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP).
It also excludes awards made by overseas bodies, even if you studied them in Ireland.
So check who actually awards your degree before you enrol, not after you graduate.
How Long Can You Stay: Level 8 vs Level 9 and Above?
Your stay depends on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) level of your award.
| Your award | Typical example | Stamp 1G length | Overall student limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFQ Level 8 | Honours bachelor’s or higher diploma | 12 months | 7 years (Stamp 2 + 1G) |
| NFQ Level 9 or above | Master’s or PhD | 12 months, then a further 12 months if approved | 8 years |
The second year for Level 9 graduates isn’t automatic.
ISD renews it only if you show “appropriate steps” to find graduate-level work, such as job interviews or signing up with graduate recruitment agencies.
So keep a record of every application, interview invite and agency sign-up from day one.
If you already used 1G after a Level 8 degree, you can return to it once more after a higher award, for an extra 12 months.
You can’t use the programme more than twice.
1. How the 7- and 8-Year Limits Cut Your Time
The policy document grants the shorter of two periods: the standard 12 months, or whatever time is left before you hit your overall limit.
For example, if you spent 7 years on Stamp 2 before a master’s, you have no 1G time left at all.
Most Indian students come for a one-year master’s, so the limits rarely bite on a first course.
They matter if you stack a diploma, a bachelor’s and a master’s, or repeat a year.
When and How Do You Apply for Stamp 1G?
You apply online, from inside Ireland, through ISD’s renewal system.
ISD’s registration FAQs confirm that switching from a Stamp 2 degree course to Stamp 1G can be done online.
1. Wait for Your Final Results
You can’t apply on provisional results.
ISD’s FAQs say you qualify only once your provider has issued final results and you can prove the award.
2. Get Proof of Your Award
Use your parchment, or an official letter from your university if graduation hasn’t happened yet.
3. Gather Your Documents
- A copy of your award or the official award letter
- Your passport
- Medical insurance
- Your current IRP card details
4. Apply on the Online Portal
Submit through the ISD online renewals portal before your Stamp 2 expires.
ISD’s renewal page says you must be in Ireland, and applications from abroad are not accepted.
The policy document is blunt: applications aren’t accepted once your permission has lapsed.
5. Pay the Fee and Wait
The fee is €300 (₹31,800) per person, and ISD refunds it if you’re refused.
In late October 2026, ISD’s page showed it working on Stamp 1G applications submitted from 3 September 2026.
After approval, your new IRP card can take up to 15 more business days to arrive by post.
Our IRP registration guide walks you through the portal, card and fee in more detail.
| Stage | Key date or rule |
|---|---|
| Final results issued | Your six-month window opens on written notice of the award |
| Before Stamp 2 expires | Apply online, from inside Ireland |
| Within 6 months of notice | Last date to apply |
| Processing | About two months behind in late October 2026, updated weekly |
| After approval | IRP card in up to 15 business days |
6. Plan Around Travel
Don’t book a trip home while your application is pending.
ISD issues re-entry visas only in genuine emergencies, so leaving can mean applying for a fresh entry visa to return.
Can You Work Full-Time on Stamp 1G, and Is It 40 Hours?
Yes, you can work full-time.
ISD’s immigration stamps page says you can “work full time in accordance with employment law requirements”.
You’ll often see “40 hours a week” online, but ISD doesn’t set an hours cap for 1G.
The 40-hour figure is actually the Stamp 2 holiday limit, alongside 20 hours a week in term time.
On 1G, your hours follow normal Irish working time law, like any other employee.
1. What Pay to Expect at Minimum
The national minimum wage rises to €14.94 (₹1,584) an hour from 1 January 2027, under S.I. No. 533 of 2026.
A 40-hour week at that rate comes to about €31,075 (₹32.9 lakh) a year.
That’s below every standard employment permit salary floor, which matters for your next step.
2. Can You Keep Working While Your 1G Application Is Pending?
ISD’s notice to employers says you can stay on your current card’s conditions for up to 12 weeks after expiry.
That applies only if you applied, with all documents, before your card expired.
Until 1G is approved, play it safe and stick to Stamp 2 hours.
What Can’t You Do on Stamp 1G?
The rules are short, but breaking them can cost you your permission.
- No business: you can’t operate a business or be self-employed, so no freelancing on your own account.
- No public funds: your other conditions stay the same as Stamp 2, so no State benefits or publicly funded services unless you’re otherwise entitled.
- No family sponsorship: graduate 1G holders can’t sponsor family members to join them.
- No lapses: don’t let your permission expire before you renew or switch.
The Department of Justice told the Dáil in May 2026 that 1G is temporary and “not intended for long term residence or long term employment”.
It can be revoked if you don’t keep to its conditions.
How Do You Move From Stamp 1G to an Employment Permit?
Once 1G ends, you need a job that qualifies for an employment permit to stay and work.
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) runs employment permits.
If your permit is granted, you register on Stamp 1.
The two permits most graduates use are the Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) and the General Employment Permit (GEP).
1. Critical Skills Employment Permit
- Who: roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List, usually with a relevant degree.
- Job offer: at least 2 years long.
- Labour market test: not required.
- Family: you can apply for immediate family reunification.
- Fee: €1,000 (₹1.06 lakh), with 90% refunded if refused.
- Afterwards: after 21 months on the permit, you can apply to ISD for Stamp 4 directly, with no DETE support letter needed since 30 November 2023.
See DETE’s CSEP page for the full rules.
2. General Employment Permit
- Who: most other roles not on the Ineligible List of Occupations.
- Labour market test: usually required, so your employer advertises the job first.
- Length: up to 2 years first, then renewals of up to 3 more years.
- Afterwards: after 5 years, you can apply to ISD for long-term residency.
- Fee: €500 (₹53,000) for a permit of 6 months or less, or €1,000 (₹1.06 lakh) for 6 to 24 months. Renewals cost €750 for 6 months or less, or €1,500 (₹1.59 lakh) for up to 36 months. 90% is refunded if refused (DETE).
See DETE’s GEP page for details.
3. The Nine-Month Rule
DETE expects you to stay with your first permit employer for at least 9 months.
A new permit for a different employer can’t normally be considered before then, with some exceptions such as redundancy.
What Salary Do You Need for a Permit in 2026?
Salary floors rose on 1 March 2026, under DETE’s new salary roadmap.
The good news for you is a new, lower threshold for recent graduates.
| Permit | Who it applies to | Minimum salary |
|---|---|---|
| CSEP graduate rate | Relevant Level 8+ degree from any recognised institution, gained in the last 12 months | €36,848 (₹39.1 lakh) |
| CSEP standard | Listed role with a relevant degree | €40,904 (₹43.4 lakh) |
| CSEP any eligible role | Not on the ineligible list | €68,911 (₹73.0 lakh) |
| GEP Irish graduate rate | Relevant Level 8+ degree from an Irish college, gained in the last 12 months | €34,009 (₹36.0 lakh) |
| GEP standard | Most other eligible roles | €36,605 (₹38.8 lakh) |
The figures come from S.I. No. 643 of 2025 and DETE’s salary threshold page.
Notice the 12-month window on the graduate rates.
If you spend your whole second year of 1G job hunting, you may need to clear the higher standard threshold instead.
DETE plans further gradual increases through to 2030, so check the current figure when your offer arrives.
Can Your Family Join You on Stamp 1G?
No, not as a graduate on 1G.
ISD’s family reunification policy (updated 12 June 2026) says students and Third Level Graduate Scheme holders can’t sponsor family.
Things change once you hold a permit.
- CSEP holders: can apply for nuclear family to join straight away, with no income threshold.
- GEP holders: must wait 12 months and earn over €30,000 (₹31.8 lakh) gross to sponsor a spouse or partner.
- Children: GEP holders need higher incomes, set out on ISD’s financial thresholds page.
Since June 2026, GEP sponsors must also show they can house their family, according to ISD’s policy amendments notice.
How Does Stamp 1G Compare With Other Stamps?
| Stamp | What it’s for | Work | Counts for citizenship? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamp 2 | Full-time study | 20 hrs in term, 40 hrs in holidays | No |
| Stamp 1G (graduate) | Job search after graduating | Full-time, no self-employment | Yes |
| Stamp 1 | Work on an employment permit | For the permit employer | Yes |
| Stamp 4 | Longer-term residence | Any work, no permit, can run a business | Yes |
That citizenship point is a hidden bonus.
ISD says time on Stamp 1G as a graduate counts as reckonable residence for naturalisation, while Stamp 2 does not.
For every stamp in one place, read our guide to Irish immigration stamps.
What Changed for Stamp 1G in 2025 and 2026?
The core 1G rules haven’t changed, and ISD’s programme page was last updated in March 2024.
The changes around it matter more.
- Salary floors: permit thresholds rose on 1 March 2026, with new lower graduate rates.
- Family rules: new housing and income checks for GEP sponsors from 12 June 2026.
- Course lists: ILEP is being replaced by the TrustEd Ireland quality mark for student immigration.
- Review under way: the Government told the Dáil in 2026 that student permissions are being reviewed under a planned National Migration and Integration Strategy.
No new Stamp 1G Ireland rules had been announced as of 2 November 2026, but check ISD before you apply.
If you’re still choosing a course, our Ireland student visa guide and cost of studying guide help you plan for the full journey.
How Can Indian Students Make the Most of Stamp 1G?
- Start the job hunt in your final semester, not after results. Compare job markets in our Dublin, Cork and Galway guides.
- Target permit-eligible roles on the Critical Skills list if your degree fits.
- Check salaries against the graduate thresholds before you accept an offer.
- Keep evidence of your job search in case you need a second year.
- Diarise your Stamp 2 expiry and your six-month deadline.
- Budget for a gap between graduating and your first salary.
That last point is where many students get caught, so keep some savings in reserve.
The Bottom Line: Is Stamp 1G Ireland Worth Planning Around?
Yes, because Stamp 1G Ireland rules give you up to two years to turn your degree into a career.
But it’s a short bridge, not a destination.
Apply on time, work full-time, and aim for a permit-eligible job early.
Why waste a year of 1G hoping something turns up, when you can plan it now?
Ready for the next step? Go back to our complete guide to studying in Ireland from India.
Disclaimer: IrelandStudyGuide.com is an independent guide. This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. We have no relationship with Immigration Service Delivery, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, or any university or employer. Immigration rules, fees, processing times and salary thresholds change, so always check the official ISD and DETE pages before you apply.