Moving to Dublin

Dublin is a beautiful and historic city that is full of life. If you’re looking for a home that is easy to navigate, with everything you need at your fingertips, Dublin is definitely the place for you.

Job market

After years of recession and high unemployment, Ireland is starting to regain traction in its economy. Employers are keen to hire those specializing in compliance, risk, and IT. Candidates with international experience are highly sought after, especially people fluent in a 2nd European language. Qualified Financial Advisors with experience in mortgage arrears and restructuring are also in demand.

Along with IT, coders, especially those with experience in JAVA and C#, are an easy hire for many companies.

Many other areas are starting to slowly gain traction, but competition with locals should be expected.

Take note: jobs requiring specific training, such as teaching, will require months of red tape before your foreign degrees will be recognised.

Can you still move to Ireland after Brexit?

Brexit may have thrown a spanner in the works for travelling between various countries – thankfully, Ireland isn’t one of them.

Under the Common Travel Area (CTA), both UK and Irish citizens can live and work freely in each other’s countries – travelling freely between them as and when they please.

If any non-UK residents want to get a taste of the Irish life, your best bet is to apply for a short stay ‘C’ visa, which will allow you to stay in Ireland for 90 days.

When applying for this visa, you’ll have to prove that you have sufficiently strong family connections’, economic, or social ties to your home country. The sole purpose of this is to demonstrate that you have no intention of staying in Ireland longer than the 90 days.

If you’re hoping to travel to Ireland for more than three months, however, then you can apply for a long stay ‘D’ visa. Although, the most common reasons for applying for this type of visa is usually to study, to work, or to settle permanently with family members who are already resident in Ireland.

Healthcare

Before your big move to Dublin, it’s wise to think about medical cover for when you’re out there.

That’s why we’ve partnered with Cigna for private medical insurance in Dublin. With four levels of annual cover to choose from and extra modules for more flexibility, Cigna will sort you out with a plan that suits your needs.

Start building a customised plan with a free quote to protect your most important assets – you and your family.

Property information

If you’re looking for housing in Dublin, your first stop should be daft.ie. It has the best selection of listings for both renting and buying. Always be sure to see the property before signing anything, and don’t be afraid to rent with strangers to save money, as it is a common practice.

Renting

Buying

Consider how long you plan on living in Dublin. A definite savings benefit exists in buying in Dublin for the longer term situation, but for uncertain or short term, renting is often the way to go.

Dublin is a city rich in beauty and culture. While cost of living tends to be high, there are many benefits to living in Dublin, such as ease of transport, access to shops, and a city that is family friendly during the day, while also vibrant and fun at night. Home to pubs, museums, international companies and prestigious Universities, Dublin has something for everyone.

Transferring money to Dublin

If you’re thinking of moving to Dublin, you’ll probably need to convert some of your British pounds into euros.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Wise, an easy-to-use online international money transfer service which uses the real exchange rate, and charges low fees.

How much could you save? Well, its service can be up to 8x cheaper than high street banks.

Join more than 7 million people and start using Wise today.

Neighbourhoods

If you’re looking to live a posh lifestyle, look no further than Ballsbridge on the Southside in Dublin 4. The houses are historic beauties, both Victorian and Georgian styles. Houses have private parking, as well as multiple parks. It is marketed toward middle and upper-class professionals and is close to various amenities. Housing is mainly semi-detached and detached houses, with some apartments and bungalows.

If you’re looking to be in the middle of the city centre action, while not breaking the bank, look at Dublin 1 on the Northside. You will be right down the street from some of the most sought after landmarks in the city, such as the general post office (From the Easter Monday rising of 1916), the Spire, which towers over much of Dublin, and Trinity College. Transportation is also easily accessible.

Temple Bar, in Dublin 2 on the Southside, is the place to be for a cultural experience mixed with nightlife. Marketed to high-income professionals, it is home to most of the city’s most popular bars, shopping centres, and restaurants. Home of Grafton street and St Stephens Green, it is a highly trafficked tourist area.

Select the size of your move to get free quotes

Schools and education

The School system in Dublin is divided into Primary, for children aged 4 to 12, and Secondary school, for ages 13 to 17. Most students start school at 5. There are both public and private schools. The majority of state-funded schools are based in the Catholic Faith. Non-religious options are often private schools that charge fees.

The curriculum is the same, regardless of public or private, with the exception of religious education.

Primary schools have six focus areas that break into eleven subjects.

• Languages: English and Gaeilge
• Mathematics
• Social, Environmental, and Scientific Education: History, Geography, Science
• Arts Education: Music, Visual Arts, Drama
• Physical Education
• Social Personal and Health Education

At the end of 6th year, students sit for their Primary Certificate Examination.

Secondary School allows students to focus in many areas. A three-year junior cycle is followed by a two or three-year senior cycle. The optional third year is considered a “transition year”, allowing students to experience vocational study and work experience before the senior cycle.

The senior cycle culminates in the Leaving Certificate. The Leaving Certificate is used to place students in Universities. Each college subject requires a particular numeric score for acceptance, depending on the school. Selections are made before taking the exam.

Students choose from a range of subjects similar to Primary School, with additions in Languages (French, German, Italian, and Spanish), Business studies and accountancy, home economics and other subjects. There are thirty courses in the Curriculum, with most schools offering about 15. Students taking the Leaving Certificate choose 4 subjects. The fifth subject must be the Irish Language.

There are many prestigious universities in Dublin. Oldest and most difficult to receive entry into is Trinity College. One of the larger universities is University College Dublin, part of a system of colleges that reach every part of the country. Technical colleges include Dublin Institute of Technology and ITT Dublin. Most humanities programs last three years, while maths and sciences can last three or four. There are various post graduate openings as well.

Shipping costs

While getting yourself there can be relatively cheap, shipping belongings can be stressful and expensive.

For renters, the majority of houses and apartments come fully-furnished. Save yourself some trouble and put large items in storage.

For those set on buying a house, or who really just love their current furniture, here is a breakdown of shipping costs from a variety of places.

A day in the life

Living in Dublin comes with various perks, including readily available transportation and cultural diversity. In Ireland, you have the choice of the bus, the train, or the Luas. Dublin and the surrounding areas are called the “Short Hop Zone”. The short hop zone reaches from Maynooth (East) to Balbriggan (North), and Greystones (South). Ticket prices can be found at irishrail.ie, buseireann.ie, and luas.ie. Student tickets are discounted. Fares are subject to change.

Many people in the city drive, but keep in mind they drive on the left side. Parking is difficult to find and often metered, especially in City Center. Getting a license varies depending on your country of birth.

In the city centre, plenty of shops and restaurants are within walking distance. Dublin is divided into two parts, the North (everything North of the River Liffey), and the South (everything South of the Liffey.)

Grocery shopping in Dublin presents a variety of options. For a one-stop shop, try Dunnes or Tesco. Aldi and Lidl carry cheaper, off-brand products but are good quality. Various butchers and corner stores provide personalised, local service, often learning your name and order.

Nightlife is popular in Dublin. Bars are littered throughout the city. Notable bars include: The Quays Bar, featuring a traditional Irish atmosphere in the upscale Temple Bar District; The Brazen Head, which boasts the title of oldest pub in Ireland; and The George, Ireland’s premier Gay Bar. Many buses and trains stop running around 11, but on the weekends (Friday/Saturday) various night links run ‘til about 2:30 am.

During the day, the majority of pubs feature good food and a family friendly atmosphere.