Third Level Graduate Programme — NFQ level 9 or 10 award

This programme allows legally resident Irish educated non-EEA graduates who hold a level 8 or level 9 award from a recognised Irish awarding body to remain in Ireland after their studies for a period of twelve months.

This should be for the purpose of seeking graduate level employment and applying for a general employment permit, a critical skills employment permit or research hosting agreement.

Irish universities: Trinity College, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin City University (DCU), Technological University Dublin (TU), Maynooth University, Munster Technological University (MTU), University College Cork (UCC), National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) and the University of Limerick (UL) Royal College of Surgeons Ireland Institutes of Technology Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)

Must hold a current Stamp 2 student immigration permission and an up-to-date immigration registration card, and must apply within six months of being notified by the relevant awarding body or institution that they have achieved the award

Medical insurance You must pay a fee of €300 per person to register.

re-enter the Third Level Graduate Programme for an additional period of 12 months, subject to the overall limit of eight years

You can work full time in accordance with employment law requirements, but you are not permitted to operate a business or be self-employed.

This time is given to allow graduates to work 40 hours a week without an employment permit and seek an employment permit based job.

Graduates with an award at Level 9 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications who qualify for the Programme will be granted permission for 12 months initially.

This will be renewed for a further period of twelve months (subject to the overall eight year limit on student conditions not being exceeded) where the graduate satisfies the immigration authorities that he or she has taken appropriate steps to access suitable graduate level employment

When graduates get an Employment Permit issued by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment they can then register on Stamp 1 conditions.