Critlcal skills visa: job could fit into many on the list. Are they all treated equally? (and general questions)

[PeterKlein]

Is there a hierarchy/preference on the official critical skills job list?

I previously worked in Ireland and my former employer wants to re-hire me on a critical skills visa to do the work I had been doing. The job is for IT/analytics so fits big data, data science, business analyst, and a few others. Does it make a difference which job I put on the application?

My immigration lawyer said if the offered salary is above 60,000 it's not subject to EU means test, nor is it necessary to provide a diploma from a masters or PhD program (I'm in the final year of my master's so I don't have that yet). Does anyone know if that's correct?

Also, the form asks if applicant is currently in Ireland or not. Would it speed up the process if I apply from Ireland or am in Ireland while the application is being processed? Is this advantageous in any way or likely to complicate the application?

[littlerr]

Sounds like you may need a different lawyer. The information was really out of date.

You don't need to pass the means test if you are applying for Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP).

The first salary threshold is 64,000 euro at the moment. That means, if your salary is over 64,000 euro, you don't need to worry about the college degree or that job list at all (unless your job falls into one of the ineligible job list, which is apparently not the case).

If the salary is less than 64,000 euro, then you have the second threshold, which is 32,000 euro. Your job needs to fall into one of the critical skills job list, and you need to have at least a Level 7 degree. This degree should be relevant to your work from a university or a college. The minimum requirement Level 7 is an Ordinary Bachelor Degree, which can normally be achieved in a university or college in 3 years in the UK or Ireland. Elsewhere, typically if you have spent 4 years in a university, you will likely have the equivalent of a Level 8 (Honours Bachelor Degree).

A Master Degree (Level 9) or a PhD (Level 10) is unnecessary.

Officially there are no preferences on the list but you can always find the one that sounds the most high-tech. As part of your application, you need to list your daily work roles, so it's very important that your main roles match your job title.

And no, employment permits are normally applied before you arrive in Ireland, unless you are currently on a Stamp 2/1A permission (which essentially means you are currently studying in Ireland). There is no difference whatsoever in terms of processing time.