Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (www.entemp.ie) Micheál Martin will today unveil details of the new “Irish green card” system for migrant workers. This will be released under the provision of Employment Permits Act (here).
According to a government spokesman “The Act also allows the minister to introduce a ’green-card’ type system for highly skilled migrant workers and provides a number of new important protections for migrant employees.”
The government does need to start some official program, previously there was a system where people could get Irish Workpermits if they had a skill in an industry that was lacking workers (like nursing or tourism in the past). I wonder how this system will work, i.e. lenght of permit, details of what sector permits are available for and details of how many times a renewal is possible.
Well I guess we just have to be patient !
From workpermit.com
With effect from 1 January 2007, Irish embassies abroad and, where applicable the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform are not accepting new Work Visa/Work Authorisation applications and this scheme has been discontinued.
It is being replaced by the Green Card which will come into operation from 1 February. Any urgent Work Visa/Work Authorisations applications received before 1 February will be dealt with by issuing work permits (in respect of which applications may be made to convert them to Green Cards, if eligible, after 1 February).
Persons wishing a very general understanding of the new Irish “green card” should consider it to be more similar to the United Kingdoms HSMP visa.
Summary of New Rules for Green Cards
Green Cards:
Where the annual salary (excluding bonuses) on offer is €60,000 or more, the Green Card Permit is available for all occupations. The Department gives themselves an opt out clause - “…other than those which are contrary to the public interest.” So really well paid drug prostitutes or gang leaders need not apply. 
Those workers with high end skills – medical, financial, technical - are welcome, so long as they have a job offer from an Irish employer of between 30,000 and 60,000 Euro. After two years, green card holders may apply for permanent residency.
If you can get one, Green Cards are more desirable than standard Work Permits which have more restrictions.
Work Permits:
There are two categories of application based on salary level.
- Firstly, where the annual salary (excluding bonuses) on offer is €30,000 or more the Work Permit can be considered for occupations other than those which are contrary to the public interest.
- Secondly, Work Permits will only be considered for a very limited number of occupations below an annual salary of €30,000 [Qualifying Job List].
A very long list of jobs are excluded from applying at all. As an example, hotel staff of any kind except chefs are ineligible to apply. After five years, work permit holders may apply for an unlimited work permit.
So there you have it in a nutshell, good luck ! To read what jobs qualify for a green card, read [Irish Green Card Jobs List].
Kindly let me know how to obtain greeen card permit as i am an employee
John : at a guess I think you will need to contact Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Telephone: +353 1 631 2121
LoCall: 1890 220 222
E-Mail: info@entemp.ie
do we need a job offer letter
I am a Security officer in UK,,am i eligible for green card,,i am having Indian Nationality
You are eligible if you earn over a certin amount, i.e. €60k . Or if you will earn between €30k and €60k in certain work areas. Reread what I’ve posted.
regards,
paul
sir,i am a nurse and i got work permit from ireland.i applied for green card on 15 feb 2007.
kindly let me know, how many days will take for getting a green card ?
hi joji,
please use our forums for questions like this. http://forums.eirjobs.com/
If you are wondering how long it will take I would advise you to phone the telephone number cited above.
regards,
paul
I am currently working in Ireland in a permanent position, under a 12 month working visa. I wish to apply for a green card, however the Dept of Enterprise have told me that I cannot apply until my existing visa expires. It will then take 8 weeks to process my application and during that time I will be eneligible to work. Can you suggest a course of action?
What did the Dept. of Enterprise suggest ? Why do you have to wait until your visa has ended to apply for a green card ? I would seek professional advise, maybe see if there are any lawyers in your area who can advise you.
regards,
paul
could the students can get the green card,those are studying in ireland.
hai,
my name is vijay .i am working as a senior mri technologist.i applied for a green card lastweek.my visa is going to expiry on 13 april.how long duration this will take.
asim : there is a different system for students, it’s generally not a problem, but you will probably not be allowed to work, only study.
vijay : it’s best to contact the department and ask them for an estimated date when it will be ready. See phone number above.
dear sir/mad.
i have been study.in ireland about 4 and half years.if i will have anneul salary 30k any kind of job.could i apply for green card permit.
thank,s
tanim,
dear taim,
I suggest you reread the article. All the relevant info is in there. If you have any other questions call the Department of Enterprise & Employment on LoCall: 1890 220 222
I am a qualified teacher of physics and mathematics with 14 years of experience with UK curriculum. If i go to ireland as a visitor and find a job offer, is it possible to apply for a work permit either by being in ireland or in my home country.
As far as I know where you apply doesn’t matter. All that matters is if you can get a work permit for that job. And this depends on the sector and the wages level.
My registration as a secondary teacher of physics is under processing in the relevant authority in Ireland. Once i became a registered teacher, is it easy for me to find a job as a teacher of physics in ireland.
are there a good number of vacancies for a mathematics/physics subject teacher in ireland.
Sorry I don’t know about anything about trends in job availability, but I would say that Physics is a subject that is always in demand, but I guess it will depend on the area of Ireland you want to work. I’m sure there are more jobs in the bigger cities.
I am a graduate in commernce aged 40. I have nearly 10 years of experience working in Administration (office, general & personnel)departments in various companies including 4 years of service in Saudi Arabia. I am well versed in computer too. I am very much interested to work in Ireland (short term job or permanent)…Please let me know whether I am eligible for the same….If so could you please brief me the steps.
RAJIV : If you the job you apply for meets the requirements in the article above then you won’t have a problem.
Sadly I don’t think that many Administration jobs would qualify for a green card. See the condtions stated above.
regards,
palu
i need to know the demand of physics teachers who are registered in the teaching council or ireland qualified from overseas. pls give me the exact reply.
pavin : that is not something I know, I would suggest contacting one of teaching bodies for these answers.
regards,
paul
The situation for physics teachers in Ireland is fairly grim. Unlike the UK - where double science GCSE is the norm, Science at Junior Cert is only one subject, so a school needs fewer science teachers generally. Schools are also smaller here, and only 75% of secondary schools offer Physics at all. Of those schools that offer leaving cert Physics, many will try to make do with the staff that they have - often Chemists who can offer Physics as well. Add to this the decrease in the secondary population year on year and there is little demand for additional secondary teachers. If you do find a Physics position you will almost certainly be teaching Mathematics as well. Make sure that your qualifications to teach mathematics are recognised, since without that recognition you will not even be able to apply for Physics and Mathematics positions. I would line up the job first - in the last seven years I have had three interviews and have only taught one temporary contract.
Dear team!
Would you please, inform us about the deadline of Green Card of Ireland?
I am from UZBEKISTAN former USSR.
Thanks in advance
Zafarjon : Applications currently take 2 months, if that’s what you want to know. Granted there are certain criterion that you need to meet to insure you get one in the first place.
Frances : Thanks for the info, I almost became a Physics teacher myself !
Can anybody tell us, on which date submitted applications got green card now?I submitted on Mar 31st.
did any got green card recently?if so, on which date you submitted your applcaition
jaiby
John, a guy here on our message boards that says it took 8 weeks. All the best with your application !
my workpermit going to expire with in 1 month.i am a nurse can i apply 4 green card
jane , as far as I know no. Nurses are not in the special category for special green cards and I doubt that you earn more than €60k (not being nasty or anything). But when in doubt contact the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment (see above for details)
regards,
paul
Who told Nurses are not in the Specail Category? if you are a Irish Registered Nurse and your salary is more than 30000/year, you can apply for the Green card. read this- http://www.entemp.ie/labour/workpermits/currentauthorisation.htm
Also, we got Green card in 20 days. Thanks to Lord
John : You are right, sorry about that. Here is a list of Valid Jobs for Irish Green Cards
Sir my name is syed studying in united kingdom last 03 years, can i apply for green card scheme and wat best opportunity for united kingdom students.
( Continue ) and i hav student visa with pakistani nationality.
if you find a job that qualifies Syed you shouldn’t have a problem. Check the link to valid job titles and read the post about the level of salary you need.
I am a Nigerian by birth, i have previous relevnace experience in y field of study for 1 year , i am now in germany making master degree in Electronic sysytem,please , did u think i am 24 years old, am i eleigible for your green card permit? If yes can you give me the link for some enginerring jobs in ireland especially for fresh master graduate employeee
Hi, I am working in india in sales earning 35,000 in Indian Rupees. I will get married in 4 month to a registered Nurse(green Card) in Ireland. Will I get a job with this amount of salary in Euro and green Card in future
Vikas , if your wife qualifies for an Irish Green Card, then you will get a spousal green card. As for how much Euros is equal to Indian Rupees, I have no idea.
Hi paul, thanks for your prompt reply. One Euros is equal to approx 50 indian Ruppee. Please make me understand that on Spousal Green Card can i get a highly paid job OR there is a restriction of government to earn less or any maximum or minimum limits.
Hope you can help somehow as I am desparate. I am Canadian and work as a fraud investigator with social services (welfare). I lived and worked in Dublin in 2005 and have now made a commitment to make Ireland my home permanently. I was in Dublin on a “working holiday” and that is how I secured the work permit initially. It seems like doors are being closed all around me as you can’t secure a work permit without a job offer and you can’t secure a job offer without a work permit. Every job in my field that I apply for responds by telling me that I am very qualified for that position however, I require a work permit and the employer is not in a postion to offer that. I would be happy to pay for it. Hope you can offer some help as Dublin quickly became home and I miss it. Many, many thanks.
Jane
Hi, I am pakistani national living in Pakistan at the moment. But my wife is from Latvia. My uncle in Ireland would like to employ me in his hotel as a manager on a salary of €32000, what should I do?
Kamran : you qualify for EU citizenship via your wife, so you shouldn’t need a green card.
Jane Kelly : You can get a job without a work permit. See [here] for the jobs that qualify for a work permit.
Vikas Leonard : if your wife has a green card you too would qualify for one.
Thanks for your efforts for all of us like me.
thanks paul, but u never mentioned how im gonna get in there as im living in pakistan, holding no visa for ireland.
Vikas : you are welcome
Kamran : You can fly to Ireland ?? Your wife has EU citizenship, so you would have it too. Apply for a Lativan passport and then you can do what ever you want !
I have applied for the renewal of my spousal permit a month ago and my existing spousal permit will expiry in June. I have called a work permit section and they said that my renewal will not be on time, so my question will be can I work while I am waiting for renewal. Thanks
Sara, you cannot work legally in Ireland if you don’t have a valid work permit (green card, etc) or you are not an EU Citizen. (sorry). Next time try to renew your permit earlier. Did you tell the people in the office you are likely to loose your job if your permit runs out ? That might help to expedite your case.
But this is ridiculous why they need a three months to process it, last year it took a one week for renewal. This means that they want all high skilled people to leave Ireland.
Since they introduced the Green System this year, everything at their offices has been delayed a little due to the influx of applicants. I have heard that it can take up to 8 weeks !
If they need a three months for it, than is the best option to close the work permit section as they don’t know to work. Instead to have a better system they are doing everthing what they could to waste a money of us -taxpayers.
Hello, i would be greatful for any advise. I have tried to contact the department, but have not managed to get through. My girlfriend from argentina is on a work/study visa expiring at end of month, her present part time employer applied for her grren card, she meets the criteria. Does she have to leave the state at teh end o her work/study visa, can a temporary extension be granted for 1/2 weeks. Can she stay on a 90day holiday visa is she re-enters the country? We do not want to do anything to jeorardise the applocation.
Sincere thanks for any advice.
Micheal : To be honest I don’t know. But you say that your girlfriend will be working parttime, and she will be earning more than €30K ? Anyway you should look into a graduate scheme for her. Check [here] on the Dept’s webpage.
Thanks Paul.
She is at present working part time, as she is only allowed 20 hours on her present student visa, when she gets her green card she will be working full time in a sector recogised as a shortage and will be on over 30k per year. Her employers have applied for her green card. Its just her present visa may expire a week or two before the green card is approved/not approved.
Its during these few weeks, we are stuck.
Thanks again for you prompt reply. The information on the threads is really very helpful.
Micheal.
Micheal : As far as I know she would need to leave the country and re-enter to get a valid holiday visa until her green card came through. She can apply to the Dept. of Foreign Affairs for holiday visa. It’s better to be up front about all these things. Otherwise it could put her Green Card in jeopardy.
Hi, I have a work permit (which is going to expire at the end of this month) and my company has already applied for the green card in early april. I qualify for the green card but I have no news so far. In case my work permit expires before the arrival of my green card, what are my options? Do I have to ask for an extension till I get the green card or do I have to leave ireland and reapply for a visa (as I am a non EU national)? If I have to leave the country, that will be a problem because I am currently in a full time job!!!
Prav: the best thing you can do is to contact the dept. directly. We are not experts in the field. Maybe you can find more info on http://www.entemp.ie.
Regards,
p
Paul,
I am in the process of getting a green card. Came accross with this term - immediate family reunification. What does it means ?
Thanks.
Ramli
Immediate family means your spouse (husband or wife) and your children under 18.
Paul,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
Do I need to apply for any separate application for them (spouse & kids)?
Dear Friends,
Presently i am in Saudi Arabia. My employer submitted green card application for me on 28th of Febuary, now it is almost 2 months but i have not heared anything till now. Is there any other person on this forum who has recently recieved Irish Green card? Please help me and guide me.
Thanks \ Saim
Ramli : once you have your green card you can then apply for your family to The Immigration and Citizenship Bureau of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Saim : It can take up to 8 weeks. You can always try and phone/email/write them a letter to get the status of your application.
Dear all,
if any of you have applied for green card or gone through this process then please drop me a line drsaimaone@yhaoo.com
i realy want to know about the process though i have gone through the official site but that is just the official stuff. please frineds i am waiting for your response.
Thanks and good luck.
Thanks Paul.
I am here in Ireland as an accompanying Spouse with a Garda Immigration Stamp 3. (My husband works here and I am his dependant) I got a job and my company applied for a Green Card. I have been told that I do not qualify for the green card as I am resident in the country and need to have a visa which allows me to work as such I need the Stamp 1. Is this the norm that people on Spousal visas do not qualify for Green Cards??
I am a dependent in ireland. My husband is in work permit. I have got a permanent job as a nurse in a hospital. Could you please tell me whether is it possible for me to convert my dependent visa to work permit.
Hello Sandhya, you could apply for a Green Card if you earn at least €30,000 and your job contract is for at least 2 years.
I am writing from Turkey.I studied tourism and hotel management at university,worked long time in tourism sector,but last 7 years I have been working as a primary school teacher after having certificate to be teacher.I have been to Ireland two times before,for formal visits.I want to know that I can work in Ireland?for example,is there any Turkish course where I can give Turkish class?or whatever?
I am a dependent of a Green card holder. so to join with her, where she have to apply for us. to the The Immigration and Citizenship Bureau of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform OR to the VFS / Embassy in our country for the VISA.
i am getting around 25000 euro per annum. but i am working as permanent employee in a hospital. is this okay for applying for a green card
gunes: I don’t know how popular learning Turkish is in Ireland. But I don’t think it would be that high. German/French/Japanese/Chinese are the major languages that are thought.
John: You apply to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. They alone can give you the green card.
Sandhya: €25,000 is not enough wages to qualify. You need to be earning over €30k. Reread article and my other responses here.
regards,
paul
Dear Paul- i am in India and i am looking for the Visa to reach there 1st. Not for a Green card now. so advice what to do now?
i applied for green card in ireland;according to ireland gov i have to work in same country for 2 yrs. now i got an oppurtunity in a nursing home but i would like to work n a hospital.Is it possible for me to break the contract in that nursing home after 6 months.
hi ,
i am currently living in ireland on a stamp 3 visa. my husband is working and has stamp 4.I ahve been offered a job and i need to change to stamp4. is possible to change it in diblin GNIB.?
John: you will need a tourist visa. Except that will only be valid for a few weeks. Also you are not supposed to be looking for employment on a tourist visa.
julie:You will get a green card to work in a job that is for a contract for 2 years. Your new job will also have to be for at least two years, and you will need to reapply and start the process once again.
susi: I guess you could change it there. Maybe call their offices before hand to save yourself a trip !
regards,
paul
THATS all WRONG informations.. please read this…I am a dependent of a Green card holder. so to join with her, where she have to apply for us. to the The Immigration and Citizenship Bureau of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform OR to the VFS / Embassy in our country for the VISA.
John: well to be honest you didn’t give any of that information in your previous post. Either your spouse or her employer can apply for a “Spousal/Dependant Permit”. She should apply to the “Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment”. This is the only place that anything to do with Green Cards can be issued.
cheers,
paul
Dear Paul, Can you read 66 and 69. there i clearly mentioned my doubt. But still you saying about the Green card or Permit. But i am asking about the Visa only. I mean the Dependentent/Spousal Visa of a Green card holder. for that where to appy?
many thanks…….John
I must say that the employers and recruiters in Ireland are not very aware of the green card system. whenever i go in for an interview, at first its fine but when they re told that i need an employment permit of some sort . Ridiculous . I am a qualified Telecom engineer with 3 years work ex , an MBA and pursuing CCNA, but they think that i still dont match their requirements . Does the employer have to pay anything or what?
Hi Paul,
I have a query regarding work permit.
I am a dependent visa holder and would like to work in Ireland. I am an Indian, MCA graduate and have 6 years of work experiance in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. However, I am facing difficulty to get job as I am not having work permit. As per the details available in http://www.entemp.ie, I am eligible to get the work permit. Kindly advice me on the following:
1. Can I apply myself for the work permit, directly to the concerned office?
or
Do I need to find an employer to apply for the work permit?
2. Am I eligible to work in Ireland without work permit as my wife is working as a permanent staff nurse?
Thanks in advance.
kanav : the processing fee for the green card is 1,000 Euro. And for a renewal it’s 1,500 Euro.
Dijo : 1) Yes you can. You need a job offer first, which is for at least a length of 2 years. Either you or your employer can apply for an Irish Green card.
2) If your wife has a green card, you can get a spousal agreement permit. See post #73.
paul
Thanks Paul, thanks for the details. Also, please make me clear, whether the spousal agreement permit allows me to work, without work permit.
G’Day Paul,
I am a software profeesional working for past 4 years in INDIA and i am an indian Citizen.
To work in ireland through green card do i need to find an Employer first or can i get green card first and come over there and then search for a job or employer.
Appreciate If you can give more details or procedure for proffesionals who are not ireland citizens and want to come over there.
Please help me with Email Id’s of any consulting firms who would help me in this regard.
Thanks in advance,
Rahul
Hi,
I have been offered employment from an Irish Company & obtained my Green card today. Do i need to apply for an entry VISA after this or i could travel only with the help of Green Card. I am an Indian national.
Hi Sir/Madam
I am working as a staff nurse, now I have “working visa” it is valid up to December 2007, so which is best for “working visa” holders for applying green card? or renewal working visa? Please suggest me
Thank you
Hi Paul, I want to know about green card and work permit in ireland. A student who has finished Masters in international business from irish institution is offered a job as a store manager in a jewellery company…salary offered is above 30000. the duties would include recruiting training and al other retail store management. what are her options to get a work permit or green card. Is store manager position considered for green card. please specify her options to get work permit or green card or any other way.
Anand: that job is not on the list Irish Green Card Jobs.
Rao: I would start to apply for the Green Card as it can give you permanent permit to work in the country after 5 years.
Manosank: I’m not sure but you should check with your local Irish Embassy.
Rahul: I think your answers are in the posts above.
I have been reading some of your comments regarding spousal/dependant permit and some of the information written here is misleading. For clarity a foreign national of an employment permit holder is entitled to be in Ireland (unless it is a work permit and then the family cannot cannot come for 12 months). Once the spouse is legally resident in Ireland then the spouse can look for work. This can be any job he/she likes. Once the spouse finds work then they must make a spousal work permit application. These permits are specific to the job and employer. The spouse cannot start working in that job until the permit has been issued. The current turn around time for spousal work permits is around 6 weeks. The trick is to find an employer who is prepared to offer you a job and then wait at least 6 weeks (maybe more) before you actually start work. Readers should remember that residency and a right to work are two very separate issues. I hope that clarifies the issue for some of the readers!
Has anyone obtained a Green Card doing the paper work in order? How long did it take? Also are there any refusals? what are the reasons for the refusals? As long as the salary is above 30k, and the job is in the allowed group like software engineers, and the rest of paper work is in order, is it guarantee that green card will be issued? Any answer is appreciated!
Hi,Katrina,
I am confused about your comment. I just need to know….. My wife is shifting to Ireland as Registered Nurse with green Card (as she says). Do you think I can shift and get a job. pl revert asap. I am in Sales & Marketing.
hi everyone,
i just want to share my experience on getting this green card…
i sent my application on 1 june 2007 and obtained a green card permit on 7 july 2007. very fast - less than 5 weeks. it was really surprised me..
I am a health professional and studying in Ireland. Got a fulltime job and employer-applied for greend card.As I am under student visa is there any difficulty to get green card?How to overcome that? Thanks
Hi everyone,
Im french, working in Ireland, my girlfriend is brazilian and working here part time because student. She has a degree in Marketing and 7 years experience, I was thinking about the green card, and we plan to get married in France next year, will it give her the right to work in Ireland? We really want to keep working in Ireland, and I start to be confused with all the process.. If you could give me some clues, I would be very grateful. Thanks
Dear Bill
Your girlfriend might be able to stay with you in Ireland as an EU family member. This will depend upon how long you have lived together and were you lived prior to coming to Ireland.
Thanks katrina for your answer;
We are together for 8 months, we are both in Ireland for 1 year now. Before I was in France and she in Brazil. How long do we need to be together? where can i find these informations? Thanks for answers!
Hi,
a) I’m a Malaysian, planning to visit a family member in Dublin soon. I plan to stay in Dublin less than 3 months but still unsure on the exact date to go back. For this reason, i have not purchased any return ticket to my home country but plan to buy one when i’m already in Dublin and the date is confirmed. Will there be any problem when entering Ireland at the airport’s passport counter without this return ticket?
b) In relation to the above, i plan to visit other countries during my stay in Dublin; i.e. Amsterdam, Uk and etc. As a Malaysian, i do not require any visa to enter Ireland. However, is multiple entries allowed in my case?
c) Say during my stay in Dublin as a visitor; i received a Green Card permit that allows me to work. Can i extend my stay to more than 3 months and change my status from a visitor to an employee? can i still be in Ireland while doing these and start work immediately?
Appreciate your advise.
Thanks
nazar,
my advise on question 1, i would suggest you to buy a return ticket instead of 1 way ticket. nevertheless as a malaysian, you’ll be granted for a maximum of 3 months stay but the immigration officer will normally ask you this frequent question - how long you will stay here ? can i see your ticket ? so, be prepared to answer these..
dear Mr Fixer,
your advise on question one - mny thanks!
How long it will take for applying green card and work permit?
jingjing : See here Green Card details for a summary and details about the waiting time.
Hi, paul, I would be very grateful if you could help me on this. My wife is currently working in Ireland and I’m holding a Stamp 3 spousal visa. I have got a job offer from IT company as a computer programmer which salary is Euro30K per annum and the company is in the progress of applying the green card permit for me. However, this morning I have got a letter from Dept of Ent,Trade and Employement regarding a refusal of my application giving a reason : Incorrect Status(student,visitor, etc)..It appears that Mr.Yee (that’s me) is here on a Stamp 3 Spousal Visa, this immigration status precludes Mr.Yee from obtaining a Green Card. I wonder how could this happen as I don’t find anywhere else saying that a person which is holding a Stamp 3 Visa is not eligle to apply for a Green Card permit. Thanks
Hi Henry
I had a simirlar problem to yours. Then, I was here on a stamp 3; a dependant to my spouse. The company applied for a spousal work permit but was denied coz my spouse was then a temporarily registered doctor. (Please note for spouses of doctors you are only eligilble for spousal workpermit if yo spouse is fully registered and has a WORKPERMIT). The company then appealed by making a new green card application. We got a call from the department informing us that because I had a stamp 3(a visitors stamp) I did not qualify for a green card. It was only after the company explained that a spousal workpermit had been turned down that they granted me the green card. I have presumed from this that spouses cannot directly apply for a green card, you only are eligble for your own workpermit when you dont qualify for spousal workpermit. A note on the conditions for eligebility for green card on the department website states that if you are resident in the country you need to have a visa that authourises you to work, and that means only stamp 1, and stamp4. You can appeal; by re-applying for a sposal workpermit and they say the appeal takes 1-3weeks (mine did). Not the best news, but hopefully it helps you make a decision.
With 100 comments I think I will close this post, as it’s getting too long to read. If people want to continue the discussion you should go to the forum part of the site at http://forums.eirjobs.com/ and discuss the topic in the relevant area. So if people want to discuss Green Cards in Ireland then you should continue over there.
You can also visit GreenCard.ie and ask your questions there.
Thanks to everyone for their comments.