Hi there,
Unfortunately, it appears to be becoming harder and harder for non-EU come over here. I sympathize with your situation, but all is not lost yet.
If you try and contact the Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment directly
www.entemp.ie and ask them exactly what the actual, written requirements are for a work visa/authorization, you may be able to find out why you were turned down & if you can appeal the decision. They have a few contact numbers and email addresses, so you may be able to find out from them.
You say that your degree was from an Irish university/college? Are you here on a student visa basis then? Are you still living in the country legally? Hmmm, I'm not sure what the rules are for students here, maybe there is a process by which you can apply for a permit of some sort to stay here, based on the fact that you area & have been living & studying here for an amount of time?
Do you have any family ties such as an Irish parent or grandparent that you could use for naturalization? (Always the easier option, easier by paperwork, not by time, not taking 18 months to process an application for naturalization)
What I can tell you is about the Work Permit Scheme, speaking from personal experience, it ain't simple!
The work permit system is becoming more and more difficult to get approved. Right now, the rules are that (1) first you must find an employer who is willing to hire you as work permits are issued to the Employer not the employee.
(2) The job in question must not be considered by the Irish goverment to be of 'ineligiable work permit status.' The Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment issue a list on a quarterly basis of specific job categories that they consider to be not eligible for a permit (bar work, hotel, restaurants, certain construction jobs, nanny etc)
(3) The employer must register the job vacancy on the Irish employment service FAS for 4 weeks to any and all available Irish & EU people who could sucessfully work the position.
(4) It no suitable Irish or EU person can be found, then FAS will notify the employer in writing that they may then go ahead and try and find a non-EU employee. Only then can you apply (Yipee!)
(5) The application itself is straight forward, normal application details but the employer must show the FAS proof that they looked in vain for an Irish or EU person before going through the Work Permit option.
(6) The employer pays for the permit, not you (right now it's 500 Euro for one year permit).
(7) The permit can not be transferred to another job. If you decide that you want to change employers, you must start from scratch. However, procedures are in place if you become unemployed through no fault of your own, like if you get laid off because they ran out of work for you. Apparently you can submit these details to the Dept of Enterprise and they will work something out for you (I'm not sure of the details as I don't know anyone who this has happened to) Check with the department to make sure.
(8) Your permit is renewable on a yearly basis, give them 12 weeks before your old one is due to run out when applying for a renewal. If you let your work permit expire before you get it renewed, you're out, back to square one.
The Irish employer is legally obliged to pay you the same and have the same working conditions as any other Irish/EU employee.
Hope this is of some help? Def look at
www.entemp.ie for the rules of applying for work permits and work authorizations/visas.
Good luck to you.
Regards,
Maria
Government regulations and red tape can drive a person over the edge