Meridian · Freshness tracker

What's changed.

Dated updates to visa, tax, residency, citizenship, housing, and labour policy across every country tracked. Every entry cites its primary source and the date we last verified it.

Subscribe via RSS ↗ · 4 entries shown

Country All countriesAQAntarcticaAUAustraliaBRBrazilCACanadaCNChina (Mainland)EGEgyptFRFranceDEGermanyHKHong KongIEIrelandITItalyJPJapanMXMexicoMAMoroccoNLNetherlandsNZNew ZealandPTPortugalSGSingaporeZASouth AfricaKRSouth KoreaESSpainAEUnited Arab EmiratesGBUnited KingdomUSUnited States
Category All categoriesVisa & immigrationResidencyCitizenshipTaxationLabourHousingHealthcareOther
In force 2 Sept 2024
In force Residency

Stamp 4 after 2 years on CSEP — retained under the 2024 reforms

The 2024 Employment Permits Act retained the existing fast-track to Stamp 4 (indefinite residence, unrestricted labour-market access, no further permit renewal required) for Critical Skills Employment Permit holders after two years on the permit. This remains a material advantage of CSEP over the General Employment Permit (which requires five years).

Who it affects: Critical Skills Employment Permit holders approaching the two-year anniversary of their first permit.

Irish Immigration Service ↗ · Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 May 2024
In force Residency

Stamp 0 (financially independent residents) criteria updated

ISD updated the eligibility criteria for Stamp 0 — the residence permission for financially independent non-EEA nationals — in May 2024. The required minimum guaranteed annual income rose to €50,000 per applicant, private health insurance must be continuous, and renewals require proof of maintained financial resources.

Who it affects: Retirees and financially independent non-EEA residents of Ireland.

Irish Immigration Service Delivery ↗ · Department of Foreign Affairs ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 1 Mar 2024
In force Residency

Path from Critical Skills to Stamp 4 simplified

ISD simplified the transition from a Critical Skills Employment Permit to a Stamp 4 (full residence without employer tie) from March 2024. After 21 months on a Critical Skills permit, holders can apply for a Stamp 4 letter of support without renewing the permit. The change materially shortened the practical path to free labour-market access.

Who it affects: Critical Skills permit holders approaching 21 months of work in Ireland.

Irish Immigration Service Delivery ↗ · Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 15 Feb 2023
In force Residency

Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) Closed — February 2023

Ireland's Immigrant Investor Programme (Irish "golden visa"), which offered residence in exchange for qualifying investments from €500,000 upwards, was closed to new applications on 15 February 2023. Existing applications in the pipeline continued to be processed. Part of a broader European trend following Portugal and Spain moves against investor-residence schemes.

Who it affects: High-net-worth non-EEA applicants considering the Irish investor-residence route.

Irish Immigration Service ↗ · Government of Ireland ↗ · verified 2026-04-19