IRELAND

Ireland is the 3rd largest island in Europe and the 20th largest in the world. Located in the west of England, the capital of Ireland is Dublin. The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. Its official language is English. The distance to Turkey by plane takes about 5 hours. In general, Ireland has become one of the most important destinations for students who want to learn English in the last 10 years. We can list the most preferred cities for language learning as Dublin, Drogheda and Cork.

ECONOMY

Over the past 15 years, Ireland has become the silicon valley of Europe.  It has a significant presence of most major tech companies in the world. The tech companies choose Ireland because Ireland offers many advantages to expanding businesses like attractive taxation rates. If we list these technology companies; Google, Apple, Facebook, PayPal, Microsoft, Yahoo, eBay, AOL, Twitter and Intel. We can give examples such as Pfizer, Boston Scientific and Johnson & Johnson.

In addition, the financial sector and the service sector can be considered among Ireland’s important sources of income. Of course, the education and tourism sectors have recently been a serious source of income.

The currency of Ireland is Euro.

CLIMATE

If we talk about Ireland’s climate in general; Ireland has a temperate maritime climate. Winters are relatively warm and the temperature ranges between 4 and 7 degrees in January. The weather in Ireland is unpredictable. The climate of Ireland is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean.  The annual average air temperature is just over 10°C. In addition, water temperature in the sea rarely drops to low values, thanks to the North Atlantic current. Due to the fact that the highest points of the relief are located near the coast, a large part of Ireland is protected from strong winds that bring oceanic air masses.

GOVERNMENT

Ireland is governed by a parliamentary democracy. The administrative system is based on the separation of powers. The structure and powers of the President, Parliament, Government and the judiciary are determined by the Constitution. The head of state is the President.

The president is elected directly by the public, when there are more than one candidate. However, according to the Irish Constitution, the current president can announce his candidacy for a second term in presidential elections not to have a need  for another person, party or institution to renominate/sign him again. In elections where there is only one candidate, the elections are considered to have actually been held, and only in cases where there are more than one candidates, the elections are actually held. President’s term of office is 7 years and he can serve a maximum of two terms. Although the president is directly elected by people, his duties are representative. The president appoints cabinet members and prime minister, who is elected by the Assembly. On proposal of the Prime Minister, he has right to rescind the Assembly.

GÜVENLİK

Ireland has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. However, as we have always said, you should always consider points you need to pay attention to. Adapting to social rules of the country you are going to will make you feel more comfortable in terms of security.

ACCOMODATION

Many of our students always have the following questions in their minds: “Where will I stay in the city where I go ? , How will it be ? , Is my host family safe ?” The families selected for accommodation are those that are accredited by the country’s ministry of education and have been carefully selected by schools and have certain conditions. Therefore, you do not need to worry about safety of the host families. Since the host families have been doing this job professionally for many years, they attach importance to student satisfaction and sensitivity. Our student’s expectations will be met at a high rate since we inform the school about the situations that are important to him during his stay (not wanting the host family with children, not having a pet, etc.) before he leaves 

Our students generally prefer homestay accommodation for the first 4 weeks. It is a great opportunity to meet Irish families and get used to the culture and life of the country where you will be staying for a long time. In the homestay option, the family offers breakfast and dinner to the student. After the end of their accommodation, our students can arrange a room in shared houses. Average room rates will be between 140-260 Euro per week. The distance to the school is between 15-55 minutes. There is a minimum age limit of 16 years.

By the way, the most important issue about accommodation is; when you first go to Ireland, you must choose a homestay or dormitory accommodation for the first 4 weeks before the visa stage. If we list reasons for this; First of all, if we think that your language level is not enough in the first place, it will be very difficult to find an accommodation for yourself when you go. The main reason for the situation is the inability to find adequate housing in Ireland. Another situation is at the visa stage, we can summarize it as the risk of forming the opinion of the visa officer who evaluates your application whether you will actually return or not.

Dormitory

Dormitory is another accommodation option. Staying in a dormitory can be in a single or a double room. There is usually a bathroom and toilet in the room. Unlike homestay, meals are not included in dormitory accommodation. Students can cook their own meals in the dormitory kitchen. In the dormitory room, the student can share the room with someone else or stay alone. Average dormitory prices are 160-260 Euro per week. It varies according to the location of the dormitory, the student’s choice of stay and the length of stay.

WORKING IN IRELAND

The Irish Government gives a 3-month visa in the first place for students who will stay for more than 12 weeks. Therefore, students who are going to reside in Ireland for a long term should extend their visas after they go to Ireland.

Ireland provides 20 hours of legal work per week to students who take a program over 25 weeks. You can earn 10 to 12 Euro per hour on average. The most important thing to do after going to Ireland is to apply for a work permit. Irish Immigration Register and GNIB (GARDA National Immigration Bureau)

When you come to Ireland, you must register in person with Garda National Immıigration Office, as every international students do. After registration, a GNIB residence permit and GNIB card are issued. First, an appointment is required.

For these procedures, you must make an appointment in the first place. To make an appointment online, you can make an appointment from the link below.

https://burghquayregistrationoffice.inis.gov.ie/Website/AMSREG/AMSRegWeb.nsf/AppSelect?OpenForm

After you get an appointment

• A document showing that you have paid the course fee and the amount.
• A letter from your school to the Immigration Office. (Your letter must indicate that you are enrolled in a program of at least 15 hours each week and your school hours.)
• Your passport.
• 300 Euro: GNIB CARD fee. (ID card with your information on it)

When you enroll in the 25-week Work & Study program in Ireland, you have the right to work 6 months part-time and 2 months full-time. In Ireland, part-time working hours are 20 per week and full-time working hours are 40 per week.

You can work in service sectors like restaurants, cafes, hotels and other service-related jobs. In order to find a job in Ireland, your language level is expected to be sufficient to express yourself. If your language level is at the beginner level, you have the chance to start jobs that do not require much English.

It is possible to list the jobs you can do part-time in Ireland, such as baby-sitting, cashier-sales consultant, waitress, dishwasher or cleaning.

It is also worth noting another important point. After you go to Ireland, it is possible to get 2 more 6 months of education + 2 months of vacation program. In other words, you have the chance to study in Ireland for about 2 years in total. In the meantime, if you ever think about registering for your own school again, it will cost you a more affordable amount.

How to Find a Job in Ireland?

You can find job postings in Ireland from the companies’ own career pages as well as from the websites below.

– www.jobs.ie
– www.irishjobs.ie
– www.jobgalleries.com
– www.indeed.ie
– www.monster.ie
– www.gumtree.ie

These sites are the most preferred sites for those who want to find a job in Ireland. Apart from that, students can prepare a simple 1-page CV and go door to door to chase job opportunities. They can leave their CVs to big markets, especially Tesco, Lidl and Aldi.

Payment for the GNIB card can only be made by credit or debit card

Another job search method is to give one-to-one to places in the service sector (cafes, restaurants, takeaway places) after the CV is prepared. Places in the service sector often make training to the person they will hire. After the training period is over, they make a job offer. Some places pay a fee in the training part, some places pay a fee after hiring. If you receive an offer for training, try to learn the job rather than being paid, and be flexible about it. Imagine that the employer may not want to both teach you the job and pay you. In this regard, you need to be a little more self-sacrificing at first.

Important Note: Networking is the best way to find a job. Therefore, being socially active will help you tremendously both in learning English and in finding a good job. Have friends of all nationalities.

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS 

Ireland has become one of the most popular destinations for language education in the last 7 years, especially for Turkish and foreign students. Of course, legal work permit in addition to affordable living and education costs is another positive factor. Ireland is a European country and it is also a good and highly preferred country in education. Language education is above world standards. In the meantime, there are international students who come from many parts of the world for language education and you hear different accents In real life, you will not only talk to people who are native speakers. It will be to your advantage to become familiar with non-native speaker’s accents.

Students can attend day or evening classes. It gives you flexibility according to the working hours of the job that you find. On average, you receive 20-24 hours of language training per week. However, students can take intensive courses. These intensive courses are usually 30-36 hours per week.

One of the most frequently asked questions is; “What level should I start at?’’ or, ‘’How will my level be determined?” Let’s take a look at how this process works. On the first day you attend language school, you will take a placement test. In this case, schools will also subject you to an in the first day. In this orientation, you will be given detailed information about education and the city. After your level is determined in the placement test, you will be placed in a suitable class.

One of the situations that students are most dissatisfied with is that they cannot start from the level in their own country. For example, the student’s level is Intermadiate, and this student can be at elementary or pre-intermadiate level as a result of the placement test. During the exam, your level is determined by taking into account your speaking, writing, grammar and vocabulary.  Nevertheless do not let it demotivate you.  If you start training with your real level and also your performance is good, you will have the opportunity to move to the next level earlier, since your teachers are already observing you. You can think of it as an average of 6-8 weeks for each level. English language schools offer you other English course opportunities besides General English. For example, business English, such as IELTS, EAP, Cambridge, TOFEL. You need to be at certain levels for these courses.

HEALTH AND HOSPITALS                        

Irish healthcare system: Those who come to Ireland for a short period of time have to cover all healthcare costs themselves. Those who go long-term already have compulsory health insurance in their school records. In Ireland, the cost of an examination in a health center is between 50-100 Euros. In an emergency, there is a price of more than 100 Euros. In general, in minor ailments, you can go to a pharmacy and tell your problem directly and get medicine. You don’t need to go to the hospital for things. Also, if you are using prescription medication, please do not forget to bring it with you. Apart from that, just in case, take your medicines like aspirin c, tylolhot etc. with you.

CULTURE, LIFE AND ENGLISH

Irish people are generally friendly and kind. Their hospitality is another positive feature. The culture you are accustomed to in Turkey may force you to get used to and adapt in the first place.  At first, observe people. People will attach great importance to each other. They stand in line at the bank or bus station. Remember that you will stay for a long time in a place where you are unfamiliar with its language and culture, and the sooner you adapt to where you live, the better you will learn the language and culture. You have to be respectful to people. Don’t be surprised when people you don’t know greet you when you get on the bus or while walking on the road J. At the bank, convenience store, gas station, and almost everywhere, people greet each other and ask about their day. You have to get used to it. In general, people love to chat and parabolise (in a positive way). Don’t be afraid to talk even if your English is not good because people know that you came here to learn language and they will try to understand you. If you encounter a police while driving or anywhere, try to help him. If you are in a difficult situation, the police will help you in every way possible. Remember, in this country, the police also take on the duty of the prosecutor. One of the things you should never do is drink and driving. The sanctions will be very severe and you will find yourself in court as a result.

SHOPPING

There are many chains and local markets in Ireland. You can shop according to your budget.