Image Copyright: Brett Barry
Eligibility to become a Teacher in Ireland
Sharing the information on Teaching in Ireland will fall squarely on what passports (you and your spouse) have.
Where a person themselves holds an EU/ Irish or British passport holder, or their spouse holds one of these passports, they will need to do the registration process and then seek work either from South Africa or once they are in Ireland. As these people do not need to apply for a visa to be resident in Ireland as such, their right to be in Ireland does not form part of the discussion of how to teach in Ireland.
The spouse of a Critical skills work permit holder will be similar to the above where their residency rights are not based on their need to apply for a work permit in their own right. The spouse of a CSEP work permit can attain a Stamp1G and therefore can work in Ireland without restriction, so for them registration is the only aspect to look at.
Where teaching in Ireland is problematic is if you need a work permit in order to teach in Ireland.
Where you are looking for a work permit yourself to work as a teacher in Ireland
If you require a work permit to be in Ireland, teaching here as your work permit requires will have many obstacles to overcome:
- Many teaching job offers in Ireland are part-time (so many hours per day) or fixed term (8-10 months of a year not a year contract). This is an issue because for a work permit your job offer needs to be a full-time and permanent post. That’s not to say it’s impossible to find these jobs, it’s just to say that after paying the money for the registration, you may find yourself unable to find work in order to apply for a work permit.
- If you are at primary level, learning Gaeilge is part of the process, at a cost of €1400, registration costs €300 over 3 years.
- Your degree or diploma and having that recognised in Ireland. Not all teaching institutions in SA produce degrees or diplomas that are recognised in Ireland.
- The restrictions of a General Work Permit not allowing family members to join for 12 months often puts applicants off this route.
- SOC code (coding for work permits)
- 2311, “Teacher, university” would be Critical skills. So these are at University/ Tertiary education level, with a QQI 10 (see NARIC) be teaching specific skills and level: Involves delivering a programme largely or wholly concerned with information and communications technology, which leads to a major award at QQI level 8 and/or level 9 as validated by Quality & Qualifications Ireland. So you are teaching people at QQI level 8 or 9 in specific skills. (CSEP work permits) So this is where you have a PHD, teaching at Uni level, in IT skills to post grad students
- 2314, “Teacher, secondary” and 2315, “Teacher, primary” would be General Work permit holders, subject to the permit constraints of the GWP (General work permits)
General Work Permit:
As a result of all the above, we have not seen a successful application on the basis of a General Work permit for South Africans moving to Ireland as yet.
That is not to say it will be impossible, but it may be highly unlikely.
Critical skills:
As such, a Person holding a PHD in teaching, with a job offer in a Tertiary Irish education, Teaching "information and communications technology" to post-grad students, could get a Critical Skills work permit in Ireland.
Getting your qualifications recognised and registering:
At Primary and Secondary level is done with the teaching council to get your qualifications verified. Teaching council
- For teachers with qualifications from outside Ireland FAQ: Teaching Council
- Primary and Secondary School - Done through the Teaching Council. The application forms are online. Assessment fee of €200, and registration fee of €90.
For a South African's perspective on recognition of your qualifications and how to register (NOT how to immigrate, NOT work permit side of things) and on what teaching is like in Ireland, join South Africans Teachers in Ireland facebook group
Creche/Pre-school work - Done through the DCYA (Department of Children and Youth Affairs). The application form is online available to download, there is no fee. (This will be for Eu/Irish/British and their spouses)
My experience of being a creche teacher in Ireland
There is no point us re-hashing in full how to do this process when it is on the website, so below are some hints and tips and how-to's
The DCYA and TC are 2 seperate entities and neither has anything to do with the other, so if you chose to start off in a creche and move onto formal schooling, your qualifications would be assessed twice.
It would be recommended to get these applications filled in in SA, as you will need a module breakdown and original transcripts from your place of study (not the ones you could simply download) - The form also needs to be signed by a Dean and stamped. Trying to do this from RoI is quite a task, so do try get this done while you are still in South Africa. If you are a work permit applicant then this can ONLY be done from South Africa.
PRIMARY SCHOOL:
Here are the link for the Irish language training breakdown, you have to be fluent in Irish (this is assessed on going and several exams - oral and written as well as class observation), The reason for this is because you have to be able to teach any year from Junior Infants up to 6th class, not like in SA where you would be Foundation or Intermediate Phase.
You have to spend 3 weeks living in an all Irish area too.
Irish Language Requirement - modules and timetables
For people on EU/Irish/British or their spouses, there is another option:
For this would apply for a job as a Special Needs Teacher. You need a degree in Education and an Honours / Post grad in Inclusive Education/Special Needs. Irish is not needed or this route. You can also work as a SNA (special needs assistant) without any formal training in special needs- a leaving cert suffices, but be advised it is NOT a teaching position at all - you are simply there to assist the class teacher.
POST PRIMARY/SECONDARY SCHOOL:
You have fulfil the Irish History and Education - this is an exam you will have to study for.
For both Primary and Post Primary, if your registration is successful, you'll be provisionally registered until you have fulfilled the shortfalls.
To find jobs in Teaching see:
Make sure you use the Filters on these job searches to Mainstream class teacher and permanent if you are seeking a work permit
Some past comments from people who have attempted/ started or
done the registration process in full or in part from our Facebook group below:
- For primary school teaching you need to do an Irish course, you have 3 years to do this and will have continuous assessment throughout and an exam at the end of the 3 years. You can only do the course approved by the Teaching Council, at a cost of €1400. Registration costs €300. You would be registered provisionally if you pass the Irish exam.
- download the form, there is a lot of paperwork to gather from the university where you studied as well as the Dean needs to sign the form.
- if you have studied at Pretoria or Natal your degree will be automatically recognized as they are on the approved list. If you studied at any other university, you would have to make an application with the Department of children and youth affairs to have your degree verified and approved.
- You cannot get a work permit to work in a creche (it's ineligible). But if you or spouse has EU/Irish/British passports you can work at a pre-school level. The pay could be anything from minimum wage up to €14 an hour - depending on qualifications etc, hours are terrible - 42.5 a week (excl lunch) so I got to work at 8:30 and left at 6 (an hour lunch) It is a long day with 2 teachers and 22 kids the whole day. But we have never in all the years of this group seen a work permit approved for teaching.
- For secondary level teaching, you would then have to complete shortfalls in your own education in certain subjects and possibly exams to get qualified to teach these subjects in Ireland. For example, Irish history is vastly different to SA history.
- QUESTION: I am busy getting my papers together to apply with The Teaching Council. I read posts from 2019 that said they needed a letter from SACE to confirm membership. They also said to get that letter costs money and you need a Police Clearance also to go get that letter. Is my current payslip (with my SACE deductions listed), my school police clearance done in 2017 and my SACE certificate not enough? REPLY: the letter from SACE is a letter of good standing / good conduct. The letter is show you've never been suspended off the teachers roll and such. SACE charges R400 for the letter.
- A Police clearance certificates expire after 6 months, so you may need to apply for a police clearance for the application and then do it again when you move over.
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They are hard to come by, especially permanent positions. I've been told by a lecturer at the Teacher's Collage in Dublin, that when a teacher gets a post, 95% of the time, that teacher will stay in that post for the next 30+ years.
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There are lots of maternity / fixed term / substitute posts - which is problematic as already mentioned for a work permit.
- A list of what is included in the Primary and Secondary school curriculum: Curriculum
- For Irish/Eu/British passport holder and their spouses:
"We suggest you download the Teaching Council form and start gathering the paperwork needed to have qualifications assessed before leaving SA. The uni where you studied needs to sign and stamp the form, you need module descriptors from the uni, you need a letter of good standing from SACE (which people have struggled to get) etc. Join our South African Teachers in Ireland group too - we've pinned a lot of posts and people have posted updates on how and who they've contacted for certain things"
* If you or someone you know is a Teacher in Ireland, and you have something to add to this article please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ALL THE SOC CODES FOR TEACHING RELATED WORK PERMITS
2311: HIGHER EDUCATION TEACHING PROFESSIONALS – general work permit eligible
Job description:
Higher education teaching professionals deliver lectures and teach students to at least first-degree level, undertake research and write journal articles and books in their chosen field of study.
Tasks required by this job include:
prepares, delivers, and directs lectures, seminars, and tutorials.
prepares, administers, and marks examinations, essays, and other assignments.
advises students on academic matters and encourages independent research.
provides pastoral care or guidance to students.
participates in decision making processes regarding curricula, budgetary, departmental, and other matters.
directs the work of postgraduate students.
undertakes research, writes articles and books and attends conferences and other.
Jobs related to this code:
Fellow (university)
Lecturer (higher education, university)
Professor (higher education, university)
Tutor (higher education, university)
University lecturer
EXCEPT: This is the critical skill exception
These are at University/ Tertiary education level, with a QQI 10 (see NARIC) be teaching specific skills and level: Involves delivering a programme largely or wholly concerned with information and communications technology, which leads to a major award at QQI level 8 and/or level 9 as validated by Quality & Qualifications Ireland. So, you are teaching people at QQI level 8 or 9 in specific skills. (CSEP work permits) In summary, this is where you have a PHD, teaching at university level, in IT skills to post grad students.
2312: FURTHER EDUCATION TEACHING PROFESSIONALS – general work permits eligible
Job description:
Further education teaching professionals supervise and teach trade, technical, commercial, adult education, secondary and post-secondary courses to students beyond minimum school leaving age.
Tasks required by this job include:
prepares, delivers, and directs lectures, seminars, and tutorials.
prepares, administers, and marks examinations, essays, and other assignments.
arranges instructional visits and periods of employment experience for students.
assists with the administration of teaching and the arranging of timetables.
liaises with other professional and commercial organisations to review course content.
Jobs related to this code:
FE College lecturer
Lecturer (further education)
Teacher (further education)
Tutor (further education)
2315: PRIMARY AND NURSERY EDUCATION TEACHING PROFESSIONALS – general work permits eligible
Job description:
Primary (and middle school deemed primary) and nursery education teaching professionals plan, organise and provide instruction to children at all levels up to the age of entry into secondary education.
Tasks required by this job include:
prepares and delivers courses and lessons in accordance with curriculum requirements and teaches a range of subjects.
prepares, assigns, and corrects exercises and examinations to record and evaluate students’ progress.
prepares students for external examinations and administers and invigilates these examinations.
maintains records of students’ progress and development.
supervises students and maintains classroom discipline.
teaches simple songs and rhymes, reads stories, and organises various activities to promote language, social and physical development.
undertakes pastoral duties.
supervises teaching assistants and trainees.
discusses progress with student, parents and/or other education professionals.
assists with or plans and develops curriculum and rota of teaching duties.
Jobs related to this code:
Deputy head teacher (primary school)
Infant teacher
Nursery schoolteacher
Primary school teacher
2314: SECONDARY EDUCATION TEACHING PROFESSIONALS – general work permits eligible
Job description:
Secondary (and middle school deemed secondary) education teaching professionals plan, organise and provide instruction in one or more subjects, including physical education and diversionary activities, within a prescribed curriculum in a secondary or secondary/ middle school.
Tasks required by this job include:
prepares and delivers courses and lessons in accordance with curriculum requirements and teaches one or more subjects.
prepares, assigns, and corrects exercises and examinations to record and evaluate students’ progress.
prepares students for external examinations and administers and invigilates these examinations.
maintains records of students’ progress and development.
supervises any practical work and maintains classroom discipline.
undertakes pastoral duties.
supervises teaching assistants and trainees.
discusses progress with student, parents and/or other education professionals.
assists with or plans and develops curriculum and rota of teaching duties.
Jobs related to this code:
Deputy head teacher (secondary school)
Secondary school teacher
Sixth form teacher
Teacher (secondary school)
2316: SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION TEACHING PROFESSIONALS – general work permits eligible
Job description:
Job description:
Special needs education teaching professionals organise and provide instruction at a variety of different levels to children who have emotional, behavioural, or learning difficulties or physical disabilities. These professionals may also work with exceptionally gifted pupils.
Tasks required by this job include:
creates a safe, stimulating, and supportive learning environment for students.
assesses student’s abilities, identifies students’ needs and devises curriculum and rota of teaching duties accordingly.
gives instruction, using techniques appropriate to the student’s handicap.
develops and adapts conventional teaching methods to meet the individual student’s needs.
encourages the student to develop self-help skills to circumvent the limitations imposed by their disability.
prepares, assigns and corrects exercises to record and evaluate students’ progress.
supervises students in classroom and maintains discipline.
liaises with other professionals, such as social workers, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists.
updates and maintains students records to monitor development and progress.
discusses students’ progress with parents and other teaching professionals.
Jobs related to this code:
Deputy head teacher (special school)
Learning support teacher
Special needs coordinator
Special needs teacher
2317: SENIOR PROFESSIONALS OF EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS – general work permits eligible
Job description:
Job description:
Job holders in this unit group plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the administration, support systems and activities that facilitate the effective running of a university, college, or other educational establishment.
Tasks required by this job include:
considers staffing, financial, material, and other short- and long-term needs.
arranges for evaluation of management, accounting, information storage and retrieval and other facilities.
provides administrative support to the academic team.
leads or contributes to decision making processes regarding curricula, budgetary, disciplinary, and other matters.
controls administrative aspects of student admission, registration, and graduation.
acts as secretary to statutory and other bodies/committees associated with the educational establishment.
drafts and interprets regulations and deals with queries and complaints procedures.
organises examinations, necessary invigilation and any security procedures required.
arranges for the preparation and publication of syllabuses and other official documents.
assists with recruitment, public relations, and marketing activities.
coordinates and maintains quality assurance procedures.
Jobs related to this code:
Administrator (higher education, university)
Bursar
Head teacher (primary school)
Principal (further education)
Registrar (educational establishments)
2318: EDUCATION ADVISERS AND SCHOOL INSPECTORS – general work permits eligible
Job description:
Job description:
Education advisers and school inspectors plan, organise and direct the educational activities and resources in a local authority education area, and undertake inspections of schools and other training establishments excluding universities.
Tasks required by this job include:
advises on all aspects of education and ensures that all statutory educational requirements are being met.
plans and advises on the provision of special schools for children with physical or learning disabilities.
appoints and controls teaching staff.
verifies that school buildings are adequately maintained.
arranges for the provision of school medical and meals services.
observes teaching, assesses learning level, and discusses any apparent faults with teachers, heads of department and head teachers.
prepares reports on schools concerning teaching standards, educational standards being achieved, the spiritual, moral, and social development of pupils, resource management etc.
Jobs related to this code:
Curriculum adviser
Education adviser
Education officer
School inspector
2319: TEACHING AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS – general work permits eligible
Job description:
Job description:
Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of other education and teaching occupations not elsewhere classified in MINOR GROUP 231: Teaching and Educational Professionals.
Tasks required by this job include:
designs and implements methods of assessing the performance of students, co-ordinates and undertakes the evaluation of assessments and awards grades of merit based upon performance.
co-ordinates the activities of private music and dancing schools, training centres and similar establishments.
provides private academic, vocational, and other instruction to individuals or groups.
teaches English as a foreign language and assists in the tuition of foreign languages.
Jobs related to this code:
Adult education tutor
Education consultant
Music teacher
Nursery manager (day nursery)
Owner (nursery: children)
Private tutor
TEFL
6122: CHILDMINDERS AND RELATED OCCUPATIONS – Ineligible for a work permit
Job description:
Childminders and related occupations provide day-to-day care of children within a domestic setting, and supervise and participate in their play, educational and other activities.
Tasks required by this job include:
assists children to wash and dress.
changes babies’ nappies and clothes as necessary and makes up bottles for feeds.
plans, prepares, and serves children’s meals and supervises children during meals.
mends, washes, and irons children clothe and tidies their rooms.
provides, supervises, and participates in children’s indoor and outdoor play activities to promote their development.
takes children to participate in play groups or on appropriate outings.
takes older children to and from school.
maintains appropriate records of children’s development.
Jobs related to this code:
Au pair
Childcare assistant
Child minder
Nanny
6125: TEACHING ASSISTANTS – Ineligible for a work permit
Job description:
Teaching assistants assist teachers with their day-to-day classroom work and with routine administrative tasks.
Tasks required by this job include:
assists teacher with preparation or clearing up of classroom.
looks after lesson materials such as paper, pencils, and crayons.
listens to children read, reads to them, or tells stories.
assists children with washing or dressing for outdoor and similar activities.
makes simple teaching aids and constructs thematic displays of educational material or children’s work.
helps with outings and other out-of-classroom activities.
Jobs related to this code:
Classroom assistant
School assistant
Teaching assistant
6126: EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT ASSISTANTS – Ineligible for a work permit
Job description:
Educational support assistants work with teachers to provide one-to-one support for children with particular learning needs.
Tasks required by this job include:
supports schoolwork under teacher’s supervision.
helps child understand instruction through a variety of means and encourages self-confidence and independence.
identifies signs of distress and offers reassurance.
implements care programmes, as appropriate.
helps and encourages child to communicate.
attends to child’s physical needs.
provides feedback to teachers and completes and maintains records.
Jobs related to this code:
Education support assistant
Learning support assistant
Non-teaching assistant (schools)
Special needs assistant (educational establishments)
Support assistant (educational establishments)
3563: VOCATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINERS AND INSTRUCTORS – Ineligible for a work permit
Job description:
Vocational and industrial trainers provide instruction in manual, manipulative and other vocational skills and advise on, plan, and organise vocational instruction within industrial, commercial, and other establishments.
Tasks required by this job include:
assesses training requirements and prepares lectures, demonstrations, and study aids.
supervises trainee development, assists trainees with difficulties and prepares regular progress reports on each trainee for management.
arranges work experience and instructional visits for trainees.
plans curriculum and rota of staff duties and updates or amends them in light of developments.
advises on training programmes and discusses progress or problems with staff and trainees.
devises general and specialised training courses in response to particular needs.
Jobs related to this code:
IT trainer
NVQ assessor
Technical instructor
Training consultant
Training manager
EXCEPT: These would be general work permit eligible
with the exception of mobility instructors for the visually impaired
*Please note: Our blogs are written by our members and is based on their own experience. Experiences may differ as personalities, qualifications and people in general are not the same
Important links:
#MapMyMove- Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration
Third-level Education (Tertiary)
Educate Together Schools (Blog)
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