What is the full visa and immigration pathway in Ireland from student visa to permanent residence for an Indian software developer?

The pathway through the Irish immigration system for Indian students follows a clear sequence. You arrive on a single-entry visa valid for three months, which permits entry. Once enrolled and registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), you receive a Stamp 2 student permission valid for the duration of your program, this allows 20 hours of part-time work during term and 40 during holidays. After graduating, you receive a Stamp 1G post-study work permission valid for 24 months, during which you can work full-time in any role while searching for sponsored employment.

• When you receive a job offer from an eligible employer in a qualifying category, you apply for a work permit, typically a Critical Skills Employment Permit or General Employment Permit depending on the role.
• After two years on a work permit, you become eligible for Stamp 4, which allows you to work for any employer without a permit.
• After five continuous years of legal residence in Ireland, combining student, post-study, and work permit periods, you can apply for Long-Term Residency.
• Irish citizenship by naturalisation is accessible after five years of reckonable residency, with the final year requiring full-time residence in Ireland.