Page 31 - ELG2301 Jan Issue 483

FEATURES

The region has hundreds of attractions The city centre is buzzing with culture and
and covers over 5,000 years of Irish history. has a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Working terms and
You’ll find extraordinary repaired and restored Unusually for a capital city, Dublin is small conditions
castles built between the 11th and 15th enough to get around on foot or by bike, and As an employee in Ireland, you’re entitled
centuries, including Kilkenny Castle, Leap is surrounded by parks, mountains and coastal to sick leave, public holidays, maternity
Castle in Offaly and Trim Castle in County seaside villages, all of which are easy to access leave and parental leave, and four weeks of
Meath. Newgrange, in County Meath, is not with public transport. There are 42 MEI paid holiday a year. The national minimum
to be missed – a passage tomb built in 3200BC, member schools here. wage for those aged over 20 is €11.30 , as of
predating the ancient pyramids by 400 years There are many beautiful public parks 1 January 2023.
and Stonehenge by 1,000 years. Irish culture in Dublin, such as St Anne’s Park and Your working week should not be greater
is steeped in Celtic mythology and tradition, Marlay Park, both of which host fantastic than 48 hours. You cannot opt out of this
which you can discover first-hand at the Hill family events and concerts. There’s even a right. More information can be found at
of Tara, a place that was once the seat of National Leprechaun Museum in the city, citizensinformation.ie.
the High King of Ireland. which provides great Instagram opportunities Most EFL teaching work in Ireland
Within the Ancient East are lovely picnic as you ‘experience the world through the eyes is offered part-time (usually 15 hours a
and hiking spots, including the green valley of of a leprechaun’, with its rooms filled with week) or full time (usually 30 hours). The
Glendalough, in the garden of Ireland, County giant furniture. hourly rate varies depending on location,
Wicklow, and the Irish National Heritage Park While you’re there, stroll down Temple Bar, but recent job ads suggest that hourly rates
in County Wexford. one of Ireland’s tourist hotspots, famous for its range from €18-€23 per hour.
cobblestone streets, trad music, classic Irish There are a handful of residential
Dublin pubs, vintage clothing shops and a general EFL summer schools Ireland. If you’re
Dublin City, the capital of Ireland, has a craic (fun) atmosphere. interested in working for one, remember
population of 1.5 million and has the largest For more information on English language they should not expect you to work more
international airport, so it’s an easy jumping-off schools and the opportunity to teach in Ireland than 48 hours a week and if you have to
point to visit other countries as well. head to mei.ie work on Sundays, under Irish law, you must
receive extra benefit for doing so, which is
normally extra pay.
Visa requirements By EL Gazette

EU citizens
Ireland is open to foreign teachers from all member states, and of all different ages and Accommodation
experience, as long as they fulfil the qualification requirements It is also worth noting that Larger cities, as in most countries, will
Ireland is now the only native English-speaking country in the European Union. always cost more to live in than smaller
If you are an EU or UK citizen, you do not need a visa to enter Ireland. The UK, EU, towns. Dublin, Limerick and Cork have
European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals are entitled to work in Ireland and be the highest rental prices, with monthly
treated the same as an Irish citizen when applying for a job, without an employment permit. rent for a one-bedroom apartment in
NB: Although the UK is no longer a member of the EU, all British citizens have the right Dublin costing approximately €1,700.
to work in the Republic. In the suburbs it is marginally cheaper at
approximately €1,419 per month. Public
Non-EU citizens transport from the suburbs is a good option
If you are a non-EU citizen, you may need a visa to travel to Ireland, but there is a list of if you need to commute.
countries outside the EU that are exempt. The full list can be found at irishimmigration.ie In some countryside areas, you can pay
If you’re looking to come for a short-term working holiday, Ireland has working holiday as little as €450 a month on rent. However,
agreements with a number of countries which allows young people to travel there for longer you might need to commute by car, and
and to work while there to support travel expenses. The length of time that these agreements petrol cost approximately €1.80 a litre as of
cover depends on the country. All countries listed can be found at citizensinformation.ie November 2022.
If you want to come to Ireland for more than three months to study or work, you should According to Ian Brangan, director of
apply for a long stay ‘D’ visa, in which case you must also apply for an Irish Residence education at the Linguaviva Centre in
Permit (IRP). You can apply for these online via the Irish Nationalisation and Immigration Dublin, schools may have to be innovative
Service (INIS). Even those on working visas will need to apply for an IRP. about ways to help teachers with
accommodation options.
Employment permit for non-EU citizens Websites such Daft.ie or MyHome.ie
Most non-EEA nationals must have an employment permit to work in Ireland and a visa contain a large portfolio of rental properties
sponsor. Usually, you apply for the employment permit when you have been offered a job. to check out.
In most cases, you must get your employment permit before you come to Ireland. You can
apply for the employment permit yourself or your employer can apply for you. If you are not
sure which permit to apply for, you can use DETE’s application guide, which can be found Alannah Kenny is a
at enterprise.gov.ie communications officer for
Marketing English in Ireland
Qualification requirements (MEI), the leading and
Teaching in Ireland requires an ordinary bachelor’s degree along with a basic teaching longest-serving association of
credential. For ESL teaching positions, this means a standard TEFL (Teaching English English language schools in
as a Foreign Language) certificate, which requires 120 hours of training. Prior teaching Ireland. With a background in media, she has
experience can be an advantage, but isn’t necessary. held various roles, including working in print
All applications from teachers who qualified abroad are processed in the same manner, and digital journalism, and as a television
regardless of whether they qualified within or outside the EU. researcher on Ireland’s national breakfast
There is no legal requirement for English language qualifications to work in Ireland, but show, Ireland AM, for three years. She enjoys
most language schools would require at least a C1 level of English. travelling, writing and studying languages.

editorial@elgazette.com 31