Employees who applied before their residence permits expired may continue working under their existing immigration conditions until 31 August 2026.
Ireland has introduced a temporary immigration measure to protect foreign workers whose Irish Residence Permit cards have expired while their renewal applications remain caught in a processing backlog.
The Immigration Services Registration Office at Burgh Quay in Dublin introduced the measure after waiting times exceeded 17 weeks for some renewal categories. Even after an application has been approved, applicants may have to wait a further two weeks for their new IRP card to arrive.
Under the interim arrangement, qualifying employees may remain in Ireland and continue working under the conditions attached to their previous IRP card until 31 August 2026. The protection applies regardless of how many weeks have passed since the card expired, provided the applicant meets all the stated requirements.
Main figures and dates
| Matter | Current position |
| Renewal delays when the measure was announced | More than 17 weeks for some categories |
| IRP card delivery after approval | Up to a further two weeks |
| Temporary protection valid until | 31 August 2026 |
| Standard protection under the existing employer notice | Maximum of 12 weeks |
| Application-status information | Updated every Monday by stamp category |
Who is covered by the temporary measure?
An employee may continue to reside and work in Ireland under the conditions of the expired IRP card if the renewal application was submitted before that card expired.
The employee must also:
- Hold a valid employment permit, where one is required;
- Hold an immigration permission that allows employment without a permit; or
- Be eligible for the specific Stamp 1-to-Stamp 4 provision outlined in the notice.
Applicants must have uploaded all necessary supporting documents with their online renewal application. This includes a valid employment permit where the person’s right to work depends on it.
The protection is not limited to a particular number of weeks after the card’s expiry. This is important for applicants who have already waited longer than the standard 12-week period covered by the existing Notice to Employers.
The measure does not grant new immigration conditions. Employees must continue to observe the conditions attached to their previous residence permission while their applications are being processed.
Stamp 4 applicants also protected
The notice provides specific protection for employees moving from Stamp 1 to Stamp 4.
A worker who was eligible for a Stamp 4 upgrade when submitting the renewal application may continue working without an employment permit if:
- The person held a recently expired Stamp 1 permission;
- The renewal application was submitted before the Stamp 1 permission expired; and
- The application requested renewal under Stamp 4 conditions.
This provision is intended to prevent eligible workers from losing access to employment simply because their Stamp 4 applications are waiting to be processed.
Late applications are excluded
The date on which the renewal application was submitted is decisive. If an individual allowed their existing immigration permission to expire before applying for renewal, the temporary protection does not apply. Such applicants should not assume that an expired IRP card automatically allows them to remain in employment.
Employers may therefore ask employees to produce evidence showing that the renewal application was lodged before the expiry date printed on the previous card.
What documents can be used as evidence?
IRP renewals throughout the Republic of Ireland are processed online. After submitting an application, the applicant receives a confirmation containing:
- The date of application; and
- A unique OREG application number.
This receipt can be shown to an employer as evidence that the application was submitted on time.
Once the renewal has been approved, Immigration Service Delivery sends an application-completed email. That email may be used as proof of renewed registration while the applicant waits for the physical IRP card to be delivered.
Applicants should retain copies of both confirmations, particularly if their previous IRP card expires before the renewal process is completed.
What happens after 31 August 2026?
The temporary measure is scheduled to end on 31 August 2026. However, Ireland’s existing Notice to Employers will continue to operate after that date.
Under the standard notice, qualifying employees who applied before their IRP cards expired may continue under their existing conditions for a maximum of 12 weeks while awaiting renewal. The broader interim measure temporarily removes that 12-week limit for eligible applicants affected by the backlog.