How long can I stay and work in Ireland after completing a Level 8 qualification, and what are the duration extensions for higher levels?

The second 12 months for master's and PhD graduates is not automatic; Stamp 1G is granted as 12 plus 12 months, and the extension into the second year requires evidence you have genuinely been taking steps to find suitable graduate level employment, so treating the full 24 months as guaranteed from day one is a mistake.

Duration by Qualification Level

• NFQ Level 8, Honours Bachelor's: 12 months on Stamp 1G, subject to the overall student permission limit.
• NFQ Level 9, Master's or Postgraduate Diploma: up to 24 months, granted as an initial 12 months plus a further 12 months.
• NFQ Level 10, PhD or Doctorate: also up to 24 months, following the same 12 plus 12 structure.

What You Can and Cannot Do on Stamp 1G

You can work full time, up to 40 hours a week, without needing a separate employment permit while on Stamp 1G, and the purpose of the permission is explicitly to give you time to secure graduate level employment and transition into a Critical Skills or General Employment Permit. You cannot operate a business or be self employed on Stamp 1G, and your qualification must come from a recognised Irish awarding body, with applications generally required within 6 months of being notified of your award. Before Stamp 1G expires, you need an appropriate employment permit or other immigration permission in place to keep working legally in Ireland.

This Information Is Also Available On

Ireland's Immigration Service Delivery Third Level Graduate Programme guidance, and its Immigration Permission Stamps page.

My Advice

If you are choosing between a Level 8 and Level 9 qualification partly on this basis, the extra 12 months a master's provides is a meaningful advantage for actually landing a graduate role rather than rushing a job search in a single year. Start gathering evidence of your job search, such as applications and interview records, well before the first 12 months on Stamp 1G ends, since that documentation is what supports the extension into the second year.