The Department of Justice has granted a blanket one-year extension of immigration permissions for every person in Ireland who is covered by the EU-wide Temporary Protection Directive. Under the updated notice published on 13 February 2026, any beneficiary whose yellow Temporary Protection certificate was due to lapse on 4 March 2026 will now remain lawfully resident – and eligible for linked State services such as healthcare, education and the right to work – until at least 4 March 2027.(irishimmigration.ie)
Temporary Protection was first invoked in March 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ireland has since issued more than 105,000 certificates, the vast majority to Ukrainians, but also to stateless persons and third-country nationals who fled the conflict zone with their families. The Government has rolled the permission forward each year in line with EU Council Implementing Decisions and because housing and processing capacity remain strained. By extending validity for a full 12 months instead of the customary six, officials hope to reduce pressure on registration offices and free up staff for the record number of standard visa and residence applications now in the system.(irishimmigration.ie)
![Ireland extends Temporary Protection permissions to March 2027]()
For individuals who may now be planning the next steps of their stay—or for employers looking to regularise staff on alternative permits—VisaHQ can provide hands-on support. Through its Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/), the company offers live requirement checks, document preparation tools and concierge assistance for everything from study visas to long-term work authorisations, helping applicants move smoothly beyond the Temporary Protection framework.
For employers, the move removes looming uncertainty around work permission. HR teams do not have to file any paperwork—the PPS numbers, tax registrations and Social Welfare records attached to affected employees remain current. Nonetheless, companies are advised to download the official notice and circulate it internally so that payroll departments and line managers understand that an expired yellow certificate remains fully valid. Carriers and border officials worldwide are being notified, but business travellers should carry a print-out of the notice alongside their existing certificate to avoid confusion at check-in desks.
Immigration advisers note that the extension buys time but does not in itself create a pathway to longer-term residence. Beneficiaries who intend to settle permanently should explore alternative Irish immigration routes—such as Stamp 4 policies, Critical Skills Employment Permits or study-to-work options—as soon as they meet the relevant criteria. In the meantime, the year-long reprieve offers welcome breathing space to tens of thousands of families and to the Irish labour market sectors that have come to rely on their skills.
Temporary Protection was first invoked in March 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ireland has since issued more than 105,000 certificates, the vast majority to Ukrainians, but also to stateless persons and third-country nationals who fled the conflict zone with their families. The Government has rolled the permission forward each year in line with EU Council Implementing Decisions and because housing and processing capacity remain strained. By extending validity for a full 12 months instead of the customary six, officials hope to reduce pressure on registration offices and free up staff for the record number of standard visa and residence applications now in the system.(irishimmigration.ie)
For individuals who may now be planning the next steps of their stay—or for employers looking to regularise staff on alternative permits—VisaHQ can provide hands-on support. Through its Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/), the company offers live requirement checks, document preparation tools and concierge assistance for everything from study visas to long-term work authorisations, helping applicants move smoothly beyond the Temporary Protection framework.
For employers, the move removes looming uncertainty around work permission. HR teams do not have to file any paperwork—the PPS numbers, tax registrations and Social Welfare records attached to affected employees remain current. Nonetheless, companies are advised to download the official notice and circulate it internally so that payroll departments and line managers understand that an expired yellow certificate remains fully valid. Carriers and border officials worldwide are being notified, but business travellers should carry a print-out of the notice alongside their existing certificate to avoid confusion at check-in desks.
Immigration advisers note that the extension buys time but does not in itself create a pathway to longer-term residence. Beneficiaries who intend to settle permanently should explore alternative Irish immigration routes—such as Stamp 4 policies, Critical Skills Employment Permits or study-to-work options—as soon as they meet the relevant criteria. In the meantime, the year-long reprieve offers welcome breathing space to tens of thousands of families and to the Irish labour market sectors that have come to rely on their skills.
