Information Note

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Information Note

Requirements for recruitment of HGV Drivers who are non-EEA citizens

This information note is intended to provide guidance to the Irish road haulage industry

on the requirements that must be satisfied when recruiting HGV drivers from non-EEA

countries (other than UK citizens who are covered by the Common Travel Area). The

EEA (European Economic Area) consists of the European Union (EU) Member States

and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

The HGV driver profession in Ireland is subject to a wide range of EU and national

regulations. In order to qualify to work as a HGV driver in Ireland a non-EEA national

must go through a number of different stages, involving a range of different State

bodies. An Irish employer of a HGV driver who is a non-EEA national must also ensure

all relevant regulations are complied with. Website links to the relevant information

available from these State bodies are provided below. The most up-to-date

information will be available directly from those State bodies.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Employment

Permit

Department of

Enterprise, Trade

and Employment

(DETE)

Visa (if required)

Department of

Justice

IRP (Irish

Residence Permit)

Card

Department of

Justice

HGV Driving

Licence, Driver

CPC Card, Driver

Card and Driver

Attestation

Road Safety

Authority

(Department of

Transport)

HGV drivers applying for an Irish Employment Permit must have a HGV driving licence

that can be exchanged for an Irish HGV driving licence (i.e., licences deemed equivalent

to Irish CE or C1E category licences for articulated HGVs). HGV driving licences issued

in a non-EEA country can only be exchanged for an Irish HGV licence if the licence is

issued by a country with which Ireland has a driving licence exchange agreement that

covers the relevant HGV licences.

…..

Ireland currently has driving licence exchange agreements that cover HGV licences

with South Africa, Australia, Republic of Korea, and Japan. Agreements with a number

of other non-EEA countries are currently being considered.

Stage 1: Employment Permit

To work as a HGV driver in Ireland, non-EEA nationals will need an Employment Permit.

There had been a quota of 320 such permits, but it was announced on 28 October

2021 that this quota is being removed and there is now no quota in place. Applications

can be submitted online along with supporting documentation and the

relevant fees on the Employment Permits Online Portal:

https://epos.djei.ie/EPOSOnlineportal#/app/welcome.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) requires that a foreign

national seeking employment as a HGV driver in the State (1) holds a driving licence

that is deemed equivalent to an Irish CE or C1E driving licence, through a driving licence

exchange agreement between the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the appropriate

regulatory authority in another jurisdiction; and (2) provides a copy of that driving

licence in its entirety with his/her application for an Employment Permit.

If an applicant meets all the criteria for an Employment Permit, the permit may be

granted for a period of up to 2 years. A permit can be renewed for up to a further 3

years. Further information on Employment Permits is available on DETE’s website

here:https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-

Permits/.

The User Guide for the Employment Permits Online System is available here:

https://epos.djei.ie/EPOSOnlinePortal/UserGuide_v2.pdf.

When DETE receives an Employment Permit application for this category of

employment, DETE contacts the RSA to request that the RSA contact authorities in the

relevant jurisdiction, e.g., South Africa, to confirm driving licence details and issue a

letter of verification to the RSA. DETE forwards copies of both the front and back of

the appropriate licence to the RSA with the application, as the back of the licence may,

in specific cases, contain data relevant to the licence issued. Thus, prior to the granting

of Employment Permits, the RSA carries out this validation process with the relevant

jurisdiction. The RSA then issues a letter of verification (i.e. noting that the RSA has

checked/verified the licence) to DETE.

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Note: The most recent driving licence details must be used in applications to avoid

any undue delays.

Stage 2: Visa

Some non-EEA citizens require a visa to enter Ireland, while others do not. A person

can find out if they are a visa required national here:

http://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-visit-ireland/visit-ireland-travel-path/.

As listed at the previous link, nationals from South Africa, Australia, South Korea, and

Japan do not currently require visas to enter Ireland.

If the person is not a visa required national, they can move to Stage 3.

If they are a visa required national, only after an applicant has successfully been granted

an Employment Permit should they apply for an Employment Entry Visa. The

Employment Permit should be submitted alongside all other requested documentation

with the application. The full list of required documentation can be found here:

https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-work-in-ireland/what-are-my-work-visa-

options/applying-for-a-long-stay-employment-visa/employment-visa/#guide.

Applications are made via AVATS, and applicants are advised to apply at least 8 weeks

in advance of their intended travel dates. Applicants will be advised at the end of their

online application where to submit their application and supporting documentation –

this will usually be to their local Irish Embassy or to Visa Division in Dublin.

If a HGV driver is granted an Employment Entry Visa and has moved to Ireland, they

must then obtain an Irish Residence Permit card (IRP card) from the Department of

Justice (see Stage 3 below).

Stage 3: IRP (Irish Residence Permit) card

If a HGV driver is granted an Employment Permit and has moved to Ireland, they must

then register their permission to be in the State within 90 days to obtain an Irish

Residence Permit from Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) at the Department of

Justice.

Registration allows the immigration authorities to record people’s permission to live in

the State and the conditions attached. Once someone successfully registers, they are

granted an Irish Residence Permit, which proves they are legally in the State.

 
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4 
People living in Dublin city or county must register with ISD in Dublin and can find 
details  here:  https://www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-
permission/how-to-register-your-immigration-permission-for-the-first-
time/information-on-registering-if-living-in-dublin/. 
 
People  living  outside  Dublin  must  register  at  their  local  office  through  the  Garda 
National  Immigration  Bureau:  https://www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-
immigration-permission/how-to-register-your-immigration-permission-for-the-first-
time/information-on-registering-if-living-outside-of-dublin/. 
 
It is only when a driver has their IRP card that they can apply to the NDLS (National 
Driver  Licence  Service)  to  exchange  their  driving  licence  for  an  Irish  one.    They 
surrender their foreign licence to the NDLS at this point.  See below and information 
here: https://www.ndls.ie/licensed-driver/exchange-my-foreign-driving-licence.html. 
 
Stage 4: HGV Driving Licence, Driver CPC card, Driver card and Driver Attestation 
 
Holders of licences issued by countries with which Ireland has a HGV driving licence 
exchange agreement (at present South Africa, Australia, South Korea, and Japan) and 
which  are  deemed  equivalent  to  Irish  CE  and  C1E  licences  may  undertake  a  direct 
‘swap’ for Irish licences if they choose to take up residence and work in Ireland as HGV 
drivers. 
 
i)  HGV driving licence 
Following  the  above  stages,  the  driver  applies  to  the  NDLS  in  Ireland  to 
exchange his/her HGV driving licence for an Irish licence.  It is important that 
the driver presents his/her most recent driving licence to the NDLS. Licence 
exchange may require further checking by the RSA and follow-up with the 
relevant jurisdiction’s authorities. 
 
Details  are  available  at  this  link:  https://www.ndls.ie/licensed-
driver/exchange-my-foreign-driving-licence.html. 
 
A list of all the documentation required to exchange a non-EEA licence is 
available  at  this  link:  https://www.ndls.ie/licensed-driver/exchange-my-
foreign-driving-licence.html#to-apply-online-to-exchange-a-foreign-
driving-licence-issued-by-a-recognised-state. 
 

…..

Note: The most recent driving licence details must be used in applications to

avoid any undue delays. In some cases, the NDLS will need to contact the

country that issued your licence, and this may cause a delay in issuing you

an Irish licence.

ii) Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) card

In order to drive a HGV professionally in Ireland, the driver must hold a valid

Irish Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) card. The

following RSA webpage has detailed information regarding what is required

for a non-EEA HGV driver who has an Irish Employment Permit in order to

attain an Irish CPC: https://www.rsa.ie/services/professional-

drivers/cpc/foreign-cpc-drivers.

iii) Driver card (also known as digital tachograph card or Digi card)

The applicant’s Irish HGV driving licence is required to apply for a digital

tachograph card. Drivers can apply online for an Irish tachograph driver

card (digi card) from the RSA at the following link:

https://www.rsa.ie/services/professional-drivers/tachographs-information.

iv) Driver Attestation

Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 provides that “International

carriage shall be carried out subject to possession of a Community licence

and, if the driver is a national of a third country, in conjunction with a driver

attestation”. Article 5 of the same Regulation deals with driver attestation.

Non-EEA nationals who are not long-term residents in the Union, within the

meaning of Council Directive 2003/109/EC11, and who work for a Union

haulier holding a Community licence require a driver attestation.

The Road Transport Operator Licensing Unit of the Department of Transport

issues Driver Attestations to operators who employ third country drivers.

The application form is available on www.rtol.ie.

Road Transport and Freight Policy Division

February 2022