Ireland’s Department of Justice quietly issued an important notice late on 13 February confirming that every beneficiary of the EU Temporary Protection Directive resident in the State will automatically have their immigration permission extended by one year, to 4 March 2027. The measure applies primarily to the more than 105,000 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived since the Russian invasion in 2022, but it also covers stateless persons and third-country nationals who fled the conflict zone with them.
Under the new arrangement, existing yellow Temporary Protection certificates that show an expiry date of 4 March 2026 will continue to serve as valid proof of lawful residence, the right to work, social welfare eligibility and access to State-funded services such as healthcare and education. Holders do not need to apply for a replacement document, sparing both applicants and the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) considerable administrative effort at a time when processing backlogs remain acute.
The decision brings Ireland into line with moves by several other EU-27 countries to prolong protection for displaced Ukrainians pending a formal proposal from the European Commission on a bloc-wide extension. It also gives employers and educational institutions longer-term clarity when hiring or enrolling Ukrainian nationals, something business groups such as Ibec have repeatedly urged.
![Ireland grants one-year extension of Temporary Protection residency to March 2027]()
At this juncture, organisations and individuals looking for hands-on assistance with Irish immigration processes—whether related to Temporary Protection, standard visas, or residence cards—can turn to VisaHQ. Their dedicated Irish service desk (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) streamlines document preparation, appointment booking and compliance checks, easing the administrative burden and helping applicants avoid costly delays.
For global mobility managers the headline implication is that any Ukrainian employee on assignment in Ireland retains the legal right to remain and to work through at least March 2027 without a new work permit or registration appointment. Companies should, however, update HR files to reflect the extended validity of yellow certificates and ensure that payroll systems continue to treat beneficiaries as ordinary Irish tax residents.
The Department has indicated that further information on renewing Irish Residence Permit (IRP) cards for those who opt for the plastic card in addition to the yellow paper will be issued in the coming weeks. In the interim, the existing certificates, even if physically expired, are acceptable for re-entry to Ireland when combined with a national passport or emergency travel document.
Under the new arrangement, existing yellow Temporary Protection certificates that show an expiry date of 4 March 2026 will continue to serve as valid proof of lawful residence, the right to work, social welfare eligibility and access to State-funded services such as healthcare and education. Holders do not need to apply for a replacement document, sparing both applicants and the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) considerable administrative effort at a time when processing backlogs remain acute.
The decision brings Ireland into line with moves by several other EU-27 countries to prolong protection for displaced Ukrainians pending a formal proposal from the European Commission on a bloc-wide extension. It also gives employers and educational institutions longer-term clarity when hiring or enrolling Ukrainian nationals, something business groups such as Ibec have repeatedly urged.
At this juncture, organisations and individuals looking for hands-on assistance with Irish immigration processes—whether related to Temporary Protection, standard visas, or residence cards—can turn to VisaHQ. Their dedicated Irish service desk (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) streamlines document preparation, appointment booking and compliance checks, easing the administrative burden and helping applicants avoid costly delays.
For global mobility managers the headline implication is that any Ukrainian employee on assignment in Ireland retains the legal right to remain and to work through at least March 2027 without a new work permit or registration appointment. Companies should, however, update HR files to reflect the extended validity of yellow certificates and ensure that payroll systems continue to treat beneficiaries as ordinary Irish tax residents.
The Department has indicated that further information on renewing Irish Residence Permit (IRP) cards for those who opt for the plastic card in addition to the yellow paper will be issued in the coming weeks. In the interim, the existing certificates, even if physically expired, are acceptable for re-entry to Ireland when combined with a national passport or emergency travel document.
