How to apply for work permit to work in different countries?

Which other countries can I visit without a visa if I have an Ireland work permit?

• I am about to be employed by a company in Ireland. I presume I would be getting a European Union Work Permit? Which other countries is the work permit good for (a) employment or (b) travel? What I mean to ask is, can I also work in some other countries with that work permit, or its only for Ireland? Which other countres can I visit (just for leisure) without requiring a Visa?

• Answer:

  A work permit is good for employment in that country alone. So if you have work permit for Ireland, you will be able to work only in Ireland. I think you are confusing between a visa/residence permit and a work permit which are both different. Once you have a work permit you will get a residence permit (normally if the nature of your work is more than three months). There is a Schengen visa regime which is prevalent in most of Europe. This entitles you to travel within 23 ( i think) countries of Europe if you have the visa/residence permit of one country. Also, Switzerland allows visa free travel if you have residence permit of any Schengen country although it is not a Schengen country by itself. However, unfortunately, this does not apply to Ireland and the UK which are part of the EU but have not signed the Schengen protocol. So if you have an Irish residence permit, to travel to anywhere else in Europe; you will have to apply for a Schengen visa.