Starting from 1st November 2025, non-Irish, non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss, and non-UK circus artistes will be required to obtain employment permits to work in Ireland, unless they already have permission to work in the country.
Applications for Employment Permits
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) is responsible for managing employment permit applications. They are currently accepting applications for employment permits for circus artistes who will need them starting 1st November 2025. To ensure processing in time, applications should be submitted no later than 12 weeks before the proposed employment start date.
It is important to note that obtaining an employment permit is in addition to, not in place of, immigration permission. Once DETE issues an employment permit, circus artistes must apply for a visa if they are from a visa-required country. Regardless of visa requirements, all employment permit holders must also apply for residence permission from Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) once they are in Ireland.
Transitional arrangements until 31st October 2025
Circus artistes who receive residence permission during the winter 2024 season will generally be granted permission for 11 months, or until the end of their contract, whichever comes first. For instance, permissions issued in November 2024 will typically expire on or around 31st October 2025. These artistes may continue working during the spring/summer 2025 season up to the expiration of their permission without needing an employment permit.
If you plan to apply for residence permission for additional artistes for the spring/summer 2025 season, note that they will be granted a shorter permission, expiring on or before 31st October 2025 (or the end of the contract, if earlier), pending approval from ISD. These artistes will be allowed to work without an employment permit until the permission expires. A registration fee of €300 will apply.
It is expected that all permissions granted under the current system will expire before or on the 31st October 2025 cut-off date.
Employment Permits for Circus Artistes from 1st November 2025
Starting 1st November 2025, all circus artistes who are not citizens of Ireland, the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or the UK, and who do not already have immigration status that allows them to work in Ireland, must obtain a valid employment permit to work in the country.
Applications for employment permits can be submitted up to six months in advance, but should be made no later than 12 weeks before the employment start date. For artistes looking to secure an employment permit for the winter 2025 season, applications should be submitted during summer/autumn 2025, depending on the start date of the contract.
For visa-required employees, it is essential to factor in the additional time required for a visa application, as this will extend the overall processing timeline.
A key point to remember is that DETE will only issue an employment permit if, at the time of application, at least 50% of the circus staff are from Ireland, the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or the UK. This is in accordance with the 50:50 rule, as set out in Irish legislation and in alignment with the EU principle of Union Preference.
If you need guidance or assistance with immigration matters, including securing employment permits, visas, or residence permission, please feel free to contact us at info@mcgrathmullan.ie. Our team at McGrath Mullan LLP is here to help.
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