Part 2 – Should You Move to Ireland?

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To help you navigate this guide on Moving to Ireland it has been divided into six parts. Click on a link below to read that part of the guide on Moving to Ireland.
Part 1 – Important Disclaimer – Please Read This First If You’re New To This Guide
Part 2 – Should You Move to Ireland?
Part 3 – Before You Arrive
Part 4 – Getting Settled and Paperwork
Part 5 – Finding a Place to Live
Part 6 – Getting a Job

Why Did I Move to Ireland?

Many people have askd me why I chose to move to Ireland. On the practical side, there were three big reasons.

1. I found a cheap flight from Edmonton to London and then onto Dublin.
2. English is the primary language, so I wouldn’t have the stress of learning a new language. Irish (sometimes known as Irish-Gaelic, but usually just known as Irish or within the Irish language) is an official language in Ireland. If you want to learn Irish you can, but for the most part, it’s not necessary if you’re living/working in Ireland on a working holiday visa. You’d really only need to know Irish if you move to a small Irish-speaking town (Gaeltacht) or want a job with the government. Honestly, I don’t even know if it’s possible to get a job working for the Irish government if you’re a foreigner
3. I met the age requirements for the Working Holiday Visa. Many countries have their working holiday programs end at the age of 30, but with Ireland, you can go until you’re 35. Since I’m 32 (31 when I applied for the visa), Ireland seemed like a good choice.

Plus there’s history, art, culture, theatre, literature, music, food, drink, friendly people, beautiful scenery, and all sorts of other stuff I wanted to explore in Ireland. It’s small enough that I can head to the other side of the country in a few hours. Not to mention cheap flights to other places in Europe if I want to travel.

The Working Holiday Visa for Canadians Coming to Ireland

• The Working Holiday Visa is available for Canadian citizens who are 18-35. If you are from another country and looking to do a Working Holiday Visa in Ireland, there may be different age restrictions.
• The visa is valid for up to two consecutive years. You cannot extend or renew the visa when it expires. You also cannot apply for another working holiday visa in Ireland. You may be able to apply for a working holiday visa in another country after your time in Ireland, but this would depend on that country’s working holiday visa rules and regulations.
• For Canadians, there are no restrictions on where you can work or how long you can work. You just can’t overstay your visa.
• The visa is a Stamp 1 visa. Employers may ask what type of visa you have. I made sure to tell employers my visa has no work restrictions, aside from it only being valid for a maximum of two years.
• The visa is only valid for the Republic of Ireland. It is not valid for Northern Ireland (you’d need the UK working holiday visa for there).
• You can choose to apply for the visa on your own. This will cost less, but you’re on your own. The other option is to apply for the visa through the SWAP program. This is pricier than applying for the visa on your own, but you get support before you arrive in Ireland and once you’re there. More information on that below.
• When you send out your passport to the Irish Embassy in Canada, you won’t get the visa itself. What you get is a laminated letter from the embassy. It provides authorization to get your working holiday visa on arrival. When you land in Ireland, you should get a visa stamp from immigration. Then you will need to do some paperwork and other steps before you can start working. I cover this information in Part 4.
• There are no guarantees your visa will be approved or that you’ll be allowed entry into Ireland. Immigration can deny your entry even with your authorization letter.

SWAP or Not?

SWAP is the program in Canada where you can get your Working Holiday Visa for Ireland. You can apply for an individual visa through the Ireland website, but I went through SWAP. It’ll cost you around $560 CAD (at least when I did it). That gets you the laminated letter from the Irish Embassy to get the visa on your arrival in Ireland. It includes extras like two nights at a hostel, an orientation session, free use of computers/printers/internet in Dublin (handy for printing off CVs for jobs), an information booklet, and support while you’re in Ireland. They can provide resources, but they won’t give you a job or a place to live. You’ve got to do that part yourself. There are also regular events with other work-abroad people, which is nice to have.

If you choose to do the visa on your own, you’ll want to visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website. You’ll need to apply for the visa either at the Irish Embassy in Ottawa or by mailing the required documents to the embassy. It will only cost about $200 CAD, but you’re on your own with the application and the rest of the process (including once you arrive in Ireland).

Since this was my first time moving to another country (hell, moving outside the 30 km radius of where I’d lived all my life), I went with SWAP. It costs more, but having that support system here in Dublin has been worth it. I think I’ve gotten my money’s worth in the number of CVs I’ve had to print out.

One More Thing to Consider

Money. Yes, I could tell you that you can travel with little money, but moving abroad is different. If you’re planning to move to Ireland, you’ll need to show you have at least $2500 CAD (about €1700) in your bank account. This cost does not include your visa, flights, accommodations, general travel expenses, travel insurance, and spending money.

I would suggest having at least €2500 (about $3500CAD). Actually, since I went in 2016 you’ll probably want more in your bank account before you come to Ireland. Why? You might not get a job right away. The rental market is very competitive (at least where I was ni in Dublin). Staying in a hostel room for several weeks (even if you’re in a shared dorm) will add up quickly. I can’t speak for other areas of the country, but Dublin can be expensive. Also, the Canadian Dollar to Euro is pretty weak, and some of your money could be lost to foreign transaction fees, at least until you get a job and an Irish bank account. Obviously, foreign exchange rates can fluctuate and vary with different countries, so if you’re coming from another country (like the US), it might not be as bad.

Still, it’s best to bring extra funds before moving to Ireland. The worst-case scenario is you’ll have to rely on your backup funds when money is tight. The best-case scenario is you’ll have some extra money for a future trip or some fun nights out at the pub.

In the next part I’ll talk about the things you need to do before coming to Ireland, including what to bring.