Master prompt
Re-scoring strategy — salary, occupation, permit upgrade (Ireland)
When the candidate falls short: target salary increases to hit CSEP thresholds, occupation upgrades to CSOL, and transitions between permit types.
IrelandCSEPGEPRe-scoringSalary thresholdOccupation upgrade
You are advising [CLIENT_NAME] on a re-scoring strategy. The candidate is currently sub-threshold for the Critical Skills route (or sub-threshold for any permit). Your job is to map fixable levers within [TIME_HORIZON_MONTHS] months.
CANDIDATE
- [CLIENT_NAME]
- Current role: [CURRENT_ROLE]
- Current salary: EUR [CURRENT_SALARY_EUR]
- SOC: [CURRENT_SOC]
- Current permit: [CURRENT_PERMIT]
- Primary blocker: [BLOCKER]
- Willing to change role: Yes
- Time horizon: [TIME_HORIZON_MONTHS] months
§1 - DIAGNOSE THE BLOCKER
Parse [BLOCKER] into one of five canonical buckets:
Bucket 1 - SALARY GAP (CSEP)
Below EUR 38K (CSOL) or below EUR 64K (unlisted) but on/near CSOL
Bucket 2 - OCCUPATION LIST GAP
Role on IOL (no permit available) OR not on CSOL but otherwise OK
Bucket 3 - LMNT FAIL (GEP)
LMNT cannot be run (employer can't justify; suitable EEA candidate
identified; advertising mis-run)
Bucket 4 - QUALIFICATION GAP
NFQ Level 7+ degree relevant to occupation not held
Bucket 5 - STAMP / RESIDENCE GAP
Stamp continuity broken; not enough reckonable time for Stamp 4 or
naturalisation
State which bucket applies and proceed to the targeted lever set.
§2 - LEVER SET FOR BUCKET 1 (Salary Gap)
Lever 1.1 - Direct salary increase
- Negotiate with current employer; cite cost of EUR 1,000 permit
vs cost of recruitment (often EUR 5,000-15,000)
- Tie to performance review / promotion cycle
- Target: hit EUR 38,000 if [CURRENT_SOC] on CSOL; or EUR 64,000 if
unlisted (Tier 2)
Lever 1.2 - Role upgrade within same employer
- Move from Executive -> Manager / Senior -> Lead
- Manager-level marketing in tech firms generally clears EUR 64,000
- Manager-level ICT in tech firms generally clears EUR 80,000
Lever 1.3 - Employer change (if Yes permits)
- Same SOC, different employer paying market rate
- Tech firms (Stripe, Workday, Intercom, Accenture) pay above market
- Pharma firms (Pfizer, Eli Lilly, MSD) pay above market for
science / engineering roles
- HSE pay scales are set for healthcare roles - consultant pay
bands clear EUR 64K easily
Lever 1.4 - Bonus structure
- GUARANTEED bonus counts toward annual remuneration; discretionary
does NOT
- Re-negotiate to convert discretionary -> guaranteed if employer
flexible
Lever 1.5 - Tier crossover
- If salary near EUR 64,000 and occupation could be argued onto
CSOL: lobby DETE for occupation review (rare success) OR push
salary to EUR 64,000 and apply Tier 2
§3 - LEVER SET FOR BUCKET 2 (Occupation List Gap)
Lever 2.1 - Role re-scope within same employer
- If on IOL (e.g. Marketing Executive at SOC 3543 - IOL): negotiate
a role title + duties change to bring into CSOL or off IOL into
unlisted territory
- "Marketing Manager" with team-lead duties may move SOC; "Senior
Marketing Manager" with strategy + budget ownership may move
further
Lever 2.2 - Cross-functional move
- Move from administrative-type role to ICT-adjacent role
(e.g. "Marketing Analyst" -> "Marketing Data Scientist") - the
latter is on CSOL
- Move from generalist admin to specialist regulated profession
(HR -> HR Analytics; Finance -> Quant)
Lever 2.3 - Re-skill into CSOL occupation
- Bootcamp / part-time MSc in data analytics / cybersecurity /
software engineering at Dublin Business School, NCI, Griffith
College, etc - 12-24 months
- Funded routes: Springboard+ (Irish government scheme open to
certain non-EEA on Stamp 1G or Stamp 4)
- Skillnet Ireland industry-led training
Lever 2.4 - DETE binding-classification request
- For unlisted-borderline-CSOL roles, request DETE pre-determine
classification by email + CV + JD - reduces application risk
§4 - LEVER SET FOR BUCKET 3 (LMNT Fail)
Lever 3.1 - Pivot to CSEP
- CSEP has NO LMNT
- Negotiate role into CSOL or push salary to EUR 64K to invoke
Tier 2 CSEP
Lever 3.2 - Re-run LMNT
- Tighten the job spec to filter out EEA-candidate matches lawfully
- Use both required JobsIreland + second medium properly
- Ensure 28-day window observed
- Document rejections of EEA applicants with non-discriminatory,
genuine reasons
Lever 3.3 - Skills Shortage schedule exemption
- If role is on the Skills Shortage list (Schedule 3 of S.I.
374/2024 - verify): LMNT exemption applies
§5 - LEVER SET FOR BUCKET 4 (Qualification Gap)
Lever 4.1 - Use the NFQ 6 + 2y experience route
- CSEP allows NFQ 6 (Higher Cert) + 2y relevant post-cert experience
- Document experience meticulously with employer letters
Lever 4.2 - Upgrade qualification
- Top up Indian Bachelor (3y) to Honours Bachelor via add-on year
(NFQ 8 conferral) OR enrol on an Irish MSc (NFQ 9) for 1y
- During study: Stamp 2; post-study: Stamp 1G (2y) -> CSEP
Lever 4.3 - Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) recognition
- Apply for QQI advisory letter mapping Indian degree to NFQ level
- Letter sometimes upgrades de-facto level on DETE assessment
§6 - LEVER SET FOR BUCKET 5 (Stamp / Residence Gap)
Lever 5.1 - Avoid stamp lapse
- Renew Stamp 1 / Stamp 4 BEFORE expiry; ISD will not back-date
- 1-day gap breaks "continuous" residence for naturalisation
(s.15(1)(c)(ii) INCA 1956)
Lever 5.2 - Plan absences
- Keep single trips <= 6 weeks
- Maintain Ireland-centred life: home, employment, family
Lever 5.3 - Document everything
- Maintain travel log
- Keep payslips, P60s, Tax Clearance Certificates by year
§7 - SEQUENCING WITHIN [TIME_HORIZON_MONTHS] MONTHS
Build a calendar with realistic milestones:
Month 1-2: Diagnose (this prompt), confirm strategy with current
employer / spouse / dependants
Month 3-6: Execute primary lever (salary negotiation / role re-scope
/ qualification enrolment / LMNT re-run)
Month 7-9: Secondary lever if primary insufficient
Month 10-12: Permit application launched
For [CLIENT_NAME] specifically, sequencing:
Month 1: ...
Month 3: ...
Month 6: ...
Month 9: ...
Month 12: ...
§8 - DOWNSIDE CASE
If the levers cannot move within [TIME_HORIZON_MONTHS]:
Option A - Step out of Ireland and re-enter on different basis
- If currently on Stamp 1G: depart at expiry; return on CSEP from
abroad once employer / salary fixed
- If currently on GEP: complete 5y aggregate for Stamp 4 if feasible
Option B - Different residence pathway
- Investor route: Immigrant Investor Programme (under review - some
categories paused 2024-2025; verify); High-Potential Start-up
Programme (EUR 75k+ funding committed); Start-up Entrepreneur
Programme (EUR 50k own funds + innovative business)
- Family route: if Irish-citizen / Stamp 4 spouse, partner, or
child
Option C - Different EU country
- Germany Blue Card (EUR 45,300 IT-shortage threshold mid-2026 -
verify); Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant; Portugal D7 / D2 /
Tech Visa - all may move faster for specific profiles
Option D - UK / Canada / Australia
- Compare visa thresholds; UK Skilled Worker GBP 38,700 (verify);
Canada Express Entry CRS; Australia 189/190 SkillSelect; New
Zealand SMC
§9 - HONEST RISK ASSESSMENT
State plainly:
- Probability of resolving [BLOCKER] within [TIME_HORIZON_MONTHS]
months: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW
- Key dependency: salary negotiation / qualification timeline / DETE
classification / employer co-operation
- Worst-case fallback: identify Option A-D as appropriate
OUTPUT FORMAT
Sections 1-9. Cite EP Act 2006 / EP Act 2024 / S.I. 374/2024 inline.
End with one-line summary: "Primary lever: [X]. Secondary lever: [Y].
Earliest CSEP-application target: [DATE]. Fallback: Option [A/B/C/D]."
End with: "DRAFT - for solicitor or qualified immigration consultant review. Verify against current DETE + ISD guidance before submission."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt