Tech Jobs in Ireland: Complete Guide to Ireland's Tech Industry (2025)

Ireland has become one of Europe’s leading tech hubs, home to the European headquarters of Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and hundreds of other tech companies. For software engineers, developers, and tech professionals, Ireland offers excellent career opportunities, competitive salaries, and a clear path to work permits and permanent residence.

This guide explains why tech companies choose Ireland, which companies are hiring, what roles are in demand, salary expectations, and exactly how to land a tech job in Ireland as a foreign worker. Whether you’re a software engineer, data scientist, product manager, or in any other tech role, you’ll find actionable information to help you make the move.

Why Ireland became a tech hub

Major factors attracting tech companies:

1. EU headquarters location:

• English-speaking gateway to EU
• Access to 450 million EU consumers
• EU regulatory environment
• Brexit made Ireland more attractive (vs UK)

2. Tax benefits:

• 12.5% corporate tax rate (among lowest in Europe)
• R&D tax credits
• IP-friendly tax regime
• Attractive for international companies

3. Skilled workforce:

• Strong education system
• Tech-focused universities
• High English proficiency
• Young, educated population
• Government invests in tech education

4. EU membership:

• Free movement of EU workers
• EU data protection framework
• Eurozone currency stability
• Access to EU funding and programs

5. Business-friendly environment:

• Easy company setup
• Strong legal framework
• IP protection
• Government support for tech sector

Result: Over 1,000 international tech companies operate in Ireland, employing 100,000+ people directly.

Major tech companies in Ireland

The big tech companies (FAANG+)

Google (Dublin):

• European headquarters
• 8,000+ employees
• Roles: Software engineering, sales, operations, marketing
• Products: Search, Ads, Cloud, YouTube
• Salary range: €50,000-€150,000+
• Website: careers.google.com

Meta/Facebook (Dublin):

• International headquarters
• 5,000+ employees
• Roles: Engineering, product, operations, content review
• Products: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp
• Salary range: €55,000-€160,000+
• Website: metacareers.com

Apple (Cork):

• European headquarters
• 6,000+ employees
• Roles: Operations, finance, customer support, AppleCare
• Major operations center
• Salary range: €40,000-€120,000+
• Website: jobs.apple.com

Microsoft (Dublin):

• European operations center
• 2,500+ employees
• Roles: Engineering, sales, operations, support
• Products: Azure, Office 365, Dynamics
• Salary range: €50,000-€140,000+
• Website: careers.microsoft.com

Amazon (Dublin & Cork):

• European headquarters
• 5,000+ employees
• Roles: Engineering, operations, AWS, logistics
• Products: Retail, AWS, Alexa
• Salary range: €45,000-€130,000+
• Website: amazon.jobs

Other major tech employers

LinkedIn (Dublin):

• European headquarters
• 1,200+ employees
• Strong engineering presence
• Salary range: €50,000-€140,000+

Salesforce (Dublin):

• European HQ
• 1,500+ employees
• Sales, engineering, support
• Salary range: €45,000-€130,000+

Adobe (Dublin):

• 1,000+ employees
• Product development
• Salary range: €50,000-€120,000+

Twitter/X (Dublin):

• European operations
• Smaller team post-restructuring
• Salary range: €50,000-€120,000+

TikTok/ByteDance (Dublin):

• European headquarters
• Growing rapidly
• Salary range: €50,000-€140,000+

Airbnb (Dublin):

• European operations
• Customer experience center
• Salary range: €45,000-€120,000+

Stripe (Dublin):

• Second headquarters (after San Francisco)
• 1,000+ employees
• Strong engineering team
• Salary range: €55,000-€150,000+

Irish tech companies

Intercom (Dublin):

• Customer messaging platform
• 500+ employees
• One of Ireland’s tech success stories
• Salary range: €45,000-€120,000+

Workvivo (Cork, acquired by Zoom):

• Employee engagement platform
• Growing team
• Salary range: €40,000-€100,000+

Teamwork (Cork):

• Project management software
• 250+ employees
• Salary range: €35,000-€90,000+

Flipdish (Dublin):

• Hospitality tech
• Growing startup
• Salary range: €40,000-€100,000+

Cert (Dublin & Cork):

• Many smaller Irish tech startups
• 100-500 employees typical
• Good opportunities for growth

Enterprise software companies

Workday (Dublin):

• HR and finance software
• 2,000+ employees in Ireland
• Strong product development
• Salary range: €50,000-€130,000+

SAP (Dublin & Galway):

• 2,500+ employees
• Enterprise software
• Salary range: €45,000-€120,000+

Oracle (Dublin):

• 2,000+ employees
• Cloud and database
• Salary range: €45,000-€120,000+

IBM (Dublin):

• Long history in Ireland
• 3,000+ employees
• Consulting and cloud
• Salary range: €40,000-€110,000+

Fintech

Fidelity Investments (Dublin):

• 1,500+ employees
• Investment operations
• Salary range: €40,000-€110,000+

State Street (Dublin):

• 2,000+ employees
• Financial services
• Salary range: €40,000-€110,000+

Mastercard (Dublin):

• Payment technology
• Growing tech team
• Salary range: €45,000-€120,000+

Visa (Dublin):

• Payment technology
• European operations
• Salary range: €45,000-€120,000+

Most in-demand tech roles

Software engineering

Roles:

• Software Engineer (all levels)
• Senior Software Engineer
• Staff Engineer
• Principal Engineer
• Engineering Manager

Tech stacks in demand:

• JavaScript/TypeScript (React, Node.js, Vue)
• Python (Django, Flask, data science)
• Java (Spring, enterprise)
• Go (infrastructure, microservices)
• C#/.NET (enterprise)
• Ruby (Rails, some companies)

Salary ranges:

• Junior (0-2 years): €35,000-€50,000
• Mid-level (2-5 years): €50,000-€75,000
• Senior (5-10 years): €75,000-€110,000
• Staff/Principal (10+ years): €110,000-€150,000+
• Engineering Manager: €90,000-€140,000+

Most jobs require:

• Computer Science degree (or equivalent experience)
• 2-5 years experience for most roles
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Portfolio or GitHub presence helpful

Work permit: Highly eligible for Critical Skills Employment Permit (€32,000+ salary threshold easily met)

Frontend development

Specific demand:

• React developers (highest demand)
• Vue.js developers (growing)
• Angular developers (enterprise)
• TypeScript specialists
• CSS/UI specialists

Salary: €40,000-€90,000 depending on experience

Skills valued:

• Modern JavaScript frameworks
• Responsive design
• Performance optimization
• Accessibility
• Testing (Jest, Cypress)

Backend development

Specific demand:

• API development
• Microservices architecture
• Database design (PostgreSQL, MongoDB)
• Cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• System design

Languages in demand:

• Python (data-heavy applications)
• Node.js (JavaScript everywhere)
• Java (enterprise, fintech)
• Go (performance-critical systems)

Salary: €45,000-€100,000 depending on experience

DevOps and infrastructure

Roles:

• DevOps Engineer
• Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
• Cloud Engineer
• Infrastructure Engineer
• Platform Engineer

Skills:

• Kubernetes, Docker
• CI/CD (Jenkins, GitLab, CircleCI)
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation)
• AWS/Azure/GCP
• Monitoring (Datadog, Prometheus, Grafana)
• Scripting (Python, Bash)

Salary: €50,000-€110,000

High demand: Good DevOps engineers always needed

Data science and ML

Roles:

• Data Scientist
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Data Engineer
• ML Platform Engineer
• Research Scientist

Skills:

• Python (NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn)
• ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• SQL and data warehousing
• Statistical analysis
• Big Data (Spark, Hadoop)

Salary: €50,000-€120,000

Requirements:

• Usually need Master’s or PhD for research roles
• Strong math/statistics background
• Portfolio of projects

Product management

Roles:

• Product Manager
• Senior Product Manager
• Product Owner
• Technical Product Manager

Skills:

• Product strategy
• User research
• Roadmap planning
• Stakeholder management
• Technical understanding
• Data-driven decision making

Salary: €50,000-€120,000

Background:

• Often requires technical background
• Engineering → PM common path
• MBA helpful but not required

UX/UI design

Roles:

• UX Designer
• UI Designer
• Product Designer
• UX Researcher
• Design Lead

Skills:

• Figma/Sketch
• User research
• Prototyping
• Design systems
• Accessibility
• HTML/CSS knowledge (bonus)

Salary: €40,000-€95,000

Portfolio essential: Must demonstrate design work

Security

Roles:

• Security Engineer
• Application Security Engineer
• Cloud Security Engineer
• Security Architect

Skills:

• Penetration testing
• Security protocols
• Cloud security
• Compliance (GDPR, ISO 27001)
• Security tools (SIEM, IDS/IPS)

Salary: €55,000-€120,000

High demand, limited supply: Security specialists in short supply

Other tech roles

Project/Program Management:

• Technical Project Manager: €45,000-€85,000
• Program Manager: €60,000-€100,000
• Scrum Master: €40,000-€75,000

QA/Testing:

• QA Engineer: €35,000-€65,000
• Test Automation Engineer: €45,000-€80,000

Support/Operations:

• Technical Support Engineer: €30,000-€55,000
• Customer Success Engineer: €35,000-€65,000

Salary expectations in detail

Entry-level (0-2 years experience)

Graduate/Junior roles:

• Software Engineer: €35,000-€45,000
• Data Analyst: €32,000-€42,000
• Junior DevOps: €35,000-€45,000
• Junior Designer: €30,000-€40,000

Reality:

• Lower than US equivalent
• But cost of living lower too (outside Dublin)
• Good starting point for career
• Rapid progression possible

Mid-level (3-6 years experience)

Experienced roles:

• Software Engineer: €55,000-€75,000
• Senior Engineer: €70,000-€90,000
• Data Scientist: €60,000-€85,000
• Product Manager: €60,000-€85,000

Sweet spot:

• Most hiring at this level
• Good value for companies
• Work permit threshold easily met
• Comfortable living in Ireland

Senior level (7-12 years experience)

Senior specialist roles:

• Staff Engineer: €90,000-€120,000
• Principal Engineer: €110,000-€150,000
• Senior Product Manager: €85,000-€115,000
• Engineering Manager: €90,000-€130,000

Leadership:

• Director of Engineering: €120,000-€180,000
• VP Engineering: €150,000-€250,000+

Company size differences

Big tech (FAANG):

• Pay highest
• Total comp includes stock (RSUs)
• €70,000-€150,000+ typical
• Stock can add 30-50% on top

Mid-size (100-1000 employees):

• Competitive but below FAANG
• €50,000-€110,000 typical
• Some stock options
• Good work-life balance often

Startups (<100 employees):

• Lower cash, more equity
• €40,000-€90,000 typical
• Stock options (potentially valuable)
• Higher risk, potentially higher reward

Total compensation

Components:

• Base salary
• Bonus (10-20% typical)
• Stock/RSUs (big tech)
• Pension contribution (employer matches)
• Health insurance (usually provided)
• Life insurance

FAANG total comp example:

• Base: €90,000
• Bonus: €15,000
• Stock (RSUs): €30,000/year vesting
• Total: €135,000

Compare to take-home:

• €90,000 gross = ~€61,000 net (after tax)
• Tax rates: 20% up to €42,000, 40% above
• Plus USC (0.5-8%) and PRSI (4%)

For complete tax and cost information, see our cost of living guide.

How to get hired

Qualifications needed

Typical requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (or related)
• Or equivalent work experience
• Demonstrable skills (portfolio, GitHub)
• Relevant experience (2-5 years for most roles)

Without CS degree:

• Self-taught engineers can succeed
• Bootcamp graduates getting hired
• Portfolio/projects crucial
• May need to start at junior level
• Prove skills through work

Certifications:

• AWS/Azure/GCP certifications (cloud roles)
• Scrum certifications (project management)
• Security certifications (security roles)
• Help but not essential

Building your profile

Essential:

• GitHub: Active contributions, good projects
• LinkedIn: Complete profile, tech stack listed
• Portfolio: Personal website showing work
• Side projects: Demonstrate passion and skills

Strong portfolio includes:

• 3-5 solid projects
• Variety of skills demonstrated
• Clean, documented code
• Deployed applications (not just code)
• Explanation of technical decisions

Open source:

• Contributing to open source projects
• Shows collaboration skills
• Demonstrates code quality
• Respected by employers

Application process

1. Find roles:

• Company career pages (apply directly)
• LinkedIn (recruiters very active)
• Jobs.ie / IrishJobs.ie
• Tech recruiters (Reperio, FRS, CPL)
• Referrals (best way)

2. Apply:

• Tailor CV to role
• Highlight relevant tech stack
• Mention work permit eligibility if needed
• Cover letter showing company knowledge
• Link to GitHub/portfolio

3. Interview process typical:

• Recruiter screen (30 mins)
• Technical screen (60 mins, coding)
• Technical interview (90 mins, architecture/system design)
• Behavioral interview (60 mins, cultural fit)
• Final round (meeting team/senior stakeholders)

Technical interviews in Ireland

Coding interviews:

• LeetCode-style problems (medium difficulty mostly)
• Focus on problem-solving approach
• Communication important
• Not as algorithm-heavy as US FAANG

System design:

• Design scalable systems
• Trade-offs and decisions
• Communication of ideas
• Whiteboard or collaborative tool

Take-home assignments:

• Small project (4-6 hours)
• Real-world problem
• Code quality matters
• Testing and documentation expected

Preparation:

• LeetCode practice (focus on medium)
• System design study (Grokking the System Design Interview)
• Review fundamentals (data structures, algorithms)
• Practice explaining technical decisions

Work permit sponsorship

Good news for tech workers:

• Most tech jobs qualify for Critical Skills permit
• Salary thresholds easily met (€32,000+)
• Tech companies sponsor regularly
• Process familiar to employers

Companies known to sponsor:

• All major tech companies (Google, Meta, Microsoft, etc.)
• Most medium/large tech companies
• Some well-funded startups
• Healthcare IT companies
• Fintech companies

Application mentions:

• State permit eligibility clearly
• “Eligible for Critical Skills Employment Permit”
• Shows you understand requirements
• Removes employer concern

For complete work permit information, see our work permits guide and Critical Skills permit guide.

Networking

Tech meetups (Dublin especially):

• Dublin Tech Summit
• Web Summit (November, huge event)
• Countless smaller meetups (Meetup.com)
• Language-specific groups (Python Ireland, etc.)

Online communities:

• Tech Éireann Slack
• Irish Tech Community (various platforms)
• Company-specific Slack channels
• LinkedIn groups

Conferences:

• Web Summit (largest tech conference in Europe)
• FunConf (functional programming)
• Node.js events
• React Dublin meetups

Benefits:

• Meet hiring managers
• Learn about companies
• Referrals
• Market insights

Dublin vs Cork vs Galway

Dublin

Pros:

• Most tech jobs (70% of Irish tech)
• All major companies
• Best networking
• Most opportunities for growth
• International community

Cons:

• Expensive rent (€1,800-€2,500 for 1-bed)
• Competitive housing market
• More crowded
• Longer commutes

Best for:

• Career growth priority
• Want variety of options
• Ambitious networking goals
• Don’t mind higher costs

Salaries: Highest in Ireland, but rent offsets this

Cork

Pros:

• Second largest tech hub
• Apple (6,000 employees)
• Amazon, VMware, others
• Cheaper than Dublin (€1,200-€1,800 rent)
• Better quality of life
• Shorter commutes
• Near coast

Cons:

• Fewer companies than Dublin
• Smaller tech community
• Less job variety
• Fewer startups

Best for:

• Quality of life priority
• Want tech job without Dublin costs
• Prefer smaller city feel
• Apple/specific companies there

Salaries: 5-10% lower than Dublin, but 30% cheaper living costs

Galway

Pros:

• Growing tech scene
• SAP, Boston Scientific (medical devices)
• Beautiful location (west coast)
• University city (young population)
• Cheaper rent (€1,000-€1,600)
• Great culture and arts

Cons:

• Smaller job market
• Fewer companies
• Limited growth paths
• May need to relocate eventually

Best for:

• Lifestyle over career
• Specific company there
• Prefer smaller city
• Love Irish culture

Salaries: 10-15% lower than Dublin

Limerick

Pros:

• Growing tech sector
• Shannon airport nearby
• Very affordable (€900-€1,400 rent)
• Dell, Analog Devices, others
• Short commutes

Cons:

• Smaller job market
• Less diverse opportunities
• Smaller expat community

Best for:

• Budget-conscious
• Specific company there
• Prefer small city life

Remote work options

Hybrid becoming standard

Current trend:

• Most companies: 2-3 days office
• Fully remote: Rare for new hires
• Some companies: 1 day per week
• Varies by company and role

Location matters:

• Must live in Ireland
• Commutable to office
• Some allow anywhere in Ireland
• Tax residency considerations

Fully remote Irish companies

Some companies hiring remotely:

• Certain startups
• Consultancies
• Some multinationals (established employees)

Reality:

• Fully remote harder to get as new hire
• Companies prefer hybrid
• May go remote after time in office
• Depends on team and role

Digital nomad considerations

Challenges:

• Work permit ties you to Ireland
• Must be tax resident
• Company may require physical presence
• Immigration registration required

Not recommended:

• Working in Ireland, living elsewhere long-term
• Violates visa conditions
• Tax complications
• Employment issues

Career growth and progression

Typical progression

Engineer track:

• Junior Engineer (€35-45k) → 2 years
• Software Engineer (€50-70k) → 3 years
• Senior Engineer (€70-95k) → 3-5 years
• Staff Engineer (€95-120k) → 4+ years
• Principal Engineer (€120-150k+)

Management track:

• Senior Engineer →
• Engineering Manager (€85-115k) → 3-5 years
• Senior Engineering Manager (€100-130k) → 3-5 years
• Director (€120-180k) → 5+ years
• VP Engineering (€150-250k+)

Timeline: 10-15 years to senior leadership typical

Changing companies

Job hopping accepted:

• 2-3 years per company normal
• Fastest salary growth
• Build diverse experience
• Irish market accepts this

Salary increases:

• Internal promotions: 5-10%
• Changing companies: 15-30%
• Changing companies best for salary growth

Working toward Stamp 4

Immigration benefit:

• Critical Skills permit → Stamp 4 after 2 years
• Stamp 4 → work for anyone
• Not tied to employer
• Major freedom
• Path to citizenship after 5 years total

Career implications:

• First 2 years: Build experience, prove yourself
• After Stamp 4: Negotiate aggressively, change jobs freely
• Long-term residents have strong negotiating position

For immigration information, see our immigration stamps guide.

Startup vs corporate

Big tech (Google, Meta, Microsoft)

Pros:

• Highest compensation
• Best benefits
• Prestigious on CV
• Work on large scale systems
• Career growth clear
• Excellent training

Cons:

• Can feel corporate
• Slower pace sometimes
• More process/bureaucracy
• Harder to see impact
• Interview process intense

Best for:

• Maximizing compensation
• Learning from best
• Building strong CV
• Stability

Medium companies (100-1000 employees)

Pros:

• Good balance
• Reasonable compensation
• Career growth opportunities
• Less bureaucracy than giants
• More responsibility
• Closer to product

Cons:

• Less prestigious
• Lower compensation than FAANG
• Fewer resources
• Less established processes

Best for:

• Balance of stability and impact
• Learning business side
• Growing with company

Startups (<100 employees)

Pros:

• High impact potential
• Wear many hats
• Learn rapidly
• Equity upside potential
• Faster decision making
• Close-knit team

Cons:

• Lower salary
• Less stability
• Longer hours sometimes
• Equity may be worthless
• Fewer resources
• Less established processes

Best for:

• Risk tolerant
• Want ownership
• Learning over compensation
• Entrepreneurial mindset

Work permit consideration:

• Funded startups sponsor
• Very early stage harder
• Check company stability

Culture and work-life balance

Irish tech culture

Work-life balance:

• Generally respected
• 39-40 hour weeks typical
• Overtime less expected than US
• 20-25 days annual leave standard
• Public holidays (9-10 per year)

Office culture:

• Friendly and informal
• Team lunch common
• Pub culture exists (optional)
• Collaborative
• Less hierarchical than traditional Irish companies

Meeting culture:

• More casual than formal
• Small talk at start normal
• Relationships matter
• Direct communication appreciated

Benefits typical

Standard:

• Health insurance (company pays)
• Pension (employer matches 5-8%)
• Life insurance (4x salary)
• 20-25 days annual leave
• Public holidays
• Sick pay (varies)

Tech company extras:

• Gym membership
• Learning budget
• Conference attendance
• Stock options/RSUs
• Parental leave (beyond legal minimum)
• Flexible hours
• Remote days
• Free lunch/snacks
• Commuter benefits

Challenges to be aware of

Housing crisis

Reality:

• Finding accommodation difficult
• Especially Dublin
• Expensive rents
• Viewings competitive
• May need temporary housing initially

Solution:

• Start search early
• Consider corporate accommodation first month
• Be prepared to compromise on location
• Budget higher than expected

For housing advice, see our renting in Ireland guide and rental websites guide.

Cost of living

Ireland is expensive:

• Rent is largest expense
• Eating out costly (€15-20+ per meal)
• Groceries reasonable
• Transport moderate

Salary reflection:

• Irish salaries reflect this
• Lower than US, higher than most EU
• Quality of life focus over wealth accumulation

Tax rates

High compared to US:

• 20% up to €42,000
• 40% on income above €42,000
• Plus USC (0.5-8%) and PRSI (4%)
• Effective rate: ~35-42% for most tech workers

But you get:

• Public healthcare (not US quality but serviceable)
• Good social services
• Maternity/paternity leave
• Job protection
• Pension system

Career ceiling

Dublin not Silicon Valley:

• Fewer very senior roles
• Principal/Staff Engineer roles less common
• VP+ positions rare
• May need to relocate for C-level

Solution:

• Ireland excellent for early-to-mid career
• Senior engineers well compensated
• Can always move to US/elsewhere later
• Or start your own company

Common questions

Do I need a CS degree?

No, but it helps. Many Irish tech companies hire self-taught developers or bootcamp graduates, especially if you have a strong portfolio and demonstrable skills. However, work permits require either a degree OR significant equivalent experience, so the visa process is easier with a degree.

Can I get hired from abroad?

Yes, especially in tech. Many companies conduct remote interviews and hire foreign workers regularly. Big tech companies (Google, Meta, Microsoft) have established processes. Smaller companies may prefer local candidates. Apply 3-6 months before you want to start to allow for interview process and work permit (6-12 weeks).

Is Irish tech scene only big companies?

No, there’s a growing startup ecosystem. Dublin has hundreds of startups, though the big companies dominate employment numbers. Cork and Galway have smaller but active startup scenes. However, job opportunities and funding are more limited than San Francisco or London.

How much do tech workers actually take home?

On €70,000 salary, you’ll take home approximately €47,000 after income tax, USC, and PRSI. That’s €3,900/month. Rent in Dublin for 1-bedroom: €1,800-€2,200. You’ll have ~€2,000/month for everything else, which is comfortable but not lavish. Outside Dublin, rent is €1,200-€1,600, giving you €2,500-€2,800/month after rent.

Is the interview process as hard as US tech?

Generally slightly easier than US FAANG, but still rigorous. Expect LeetCode-style questions (mostly medium difficulty), system design discussions, and behavioral interviews. The process is professional and thorough but perhaps less algorithmically intense than US equivalents. Communication skills and cultural fit are weighted heavily.

Can I negotiate salary?

Yes, but there’s less room than in the US. Larger companies have salary bands and less flexibility. Startups and smaller companies more negotiable. Reasonable to negotiate 5-10% above initial offer if you have justification. Focus on total compensation (base + bonus + stock + benefits) rather than just base salary.

What about visa sponsorship?

Most established tech companies sponsor Critical Skills Employment Permits routinely. Process takes 6-12 weeks and costs €1,000 (employer pays). As long as the role pays €32,000+ (all tech roles do) and you have appropriate qualifications, sponsorship is straightforward. The employer applies, not you. See our work permits guide for complete details.

Are there jobs outside Dublin?

Yes, particularly in Cork (Apple, Amazon) and Galway (SAP, medical device companies). However, 60-70% of tech jobs are in Dublin. For maximum choice and career growth, Dublin is best. For work-life balance and lower costs, Cork or Galway are excellent options with good tech jobs available.

Summary

Ireland offers excellent opportunities for tech workers:

Reasons to choose Ireland:

• Strong tech industry (1,000+ companies)
• Major employers (Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon)
• Good salaries (€45,000-€150,000+ depending on experience)
• Critical Skills work permit (easy for tech roles)
• 2-year path to permanent residence
• English-speaking
• Gateway to Europe
• Good work-life balance

Realistic expectations:

• Lower salaries than US (but lower cost of living)
• Higher taxes than US (but social benefits)
• Housing difficult/expensive (especially Dublin)
• Smaller market than SF/NYC (fewer very senior roles)
• Weather is rainy (seriously)

Best for:

• Software engineers at all levels
• Data scientists and ML engineers
• DevOps/SRE engineers
• Product managers
• UX/UI designers
• Early-to-mid career growth
• Work-life balance priority
• Want EU residency path

Getting started:

1. Build strong portfolio (GitHub, personal projects)
2. Optimize LinkedIn (critical in Ireland)
3. Target appropriate roles (match experience level)
4. Apply directly (company career pages)
5. Connect with recruiters (very active in Ireland)
6. Network (LinkedIn, meetups, conferences)
7. Prepare interview skills (LeetCode, system design)
8. Understand work permits (mention eligibility)

Ireland’s tech sector continues growing, creating opportunities for skilled workers worldwide. With the right preparation and realistic expectations, you can build a successful tech career in one of Europe’s most dynamic tech hubs.

For complete information about moving to Ireland for tech work, see our guides on finding jobs in Ireland, work permits, cost of living, and renting accommodation. If you’re planning your move, check our guides for Americans, British citizens, or EU nationals.