Welding has maintained its position as an important profession for generations, with skilled welders being employed in various sectors, from aerospace to construction and manufacturing to the military.
Ireland is a great country known for its rich industrial heritage and booming construction and manufacturing sectors; it has a growing demand for skilled welders.
This need for experienced tradespeople in the welding field has opened doors for international job seekers looking to move to Ireland, become successful welders, and take advantage of attractive visa sponsorship opportunities.
With competitive pay rates, often reaching €24 per hour for skilled welders, Ireland provides a stable career path for welders from around the world. This article will enlighten you on applying for welding jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship.
What is a Welding Job in Ireland like?
Welding jobs in Ireland are in demand, and employers are finding it difficult to fill positions. Welders are important for maintaining and fabricating engineering equipment in a variety of industries, including oil, gas, petrochemical, nuclear, renewables, defense, and advanced facilities.
Here are some things to know about welding jobs in Ireland:
- Specializations: Welders can specialize in areas such as flux core, S/S TIG, MMA, high purity, and orbital welding.
- Work patterns: Welding jobs often involve shift work, including day and night shifts, to meet production schedules.
- Qualifications: To gain experience, candidates can acquire welding code qualifications, such as the 6G welding test.
- Security clearance: Depending on the role, a security clearance and a valid CCNSG or EMSS may be required.
- Responsibilities: Welders assemble pieces of metal or repair damage in metal components using heavy machinery that emits high heat. Their duties include reviewing blueprints, cutting metal into the appropriate shape, and smoothing molten metal to remove creases.
Some common types of welding jobs include:
- Construction welders
- Manufacturing welders
- Structural steel welders (ironworkers)
- Sheet metal welders
- Industrial maintenance/shutdown welders
- Rig welders
- Pipefitters
- Shipyard welders
Responsibilities of Welders in Ireland
Welders in Ireland have many responsibilities, including:
- Planning: Reading blueprints and drawings, taking measurements, and setting up components for welding
- Cutting and joining: Cutting and joining materials and filling holes, indentations, and seams
- Welding: Using the correct equipment and method to weld components in different positions, such as flat, vertical, and overhead
- Inspecting: Inspecting welds for accuracy and finished work to ensure it meets the blueprints’ tolerances
- Maintaining: Maintaining welding equipment and machinery
- Safety: Following safety procedures and wearing proper safety gear at all times
- Cleaning: Keeping work areas clean and organized
- Sourcing: Sourcing materials to be used in the project
Welders need to have technical knowledge and expertise, as welds can be safety-critical. They also need to be precise and have craftsmanship skills.
Benefits of Visa Sponsorship for Welders in Ireland
Visa sponsorship can provide welders with the opportunity to work in Ireland and benefit from a number of advantages, including:
- Stable position: Some roles offer a stable, permanent position with a modern facility
- Overtime: Some roles offer overtime to maximize earnings
- On-the-job training: Some roles offer on-the-job training
- Competitive salary: The average salary for a welder in Ireland is €37,500 per year, with entry-level positions starting at €30,000 and experienced workers making up to €54,000
- Job security: Welding is a solid career with steady growth, and welders are needed in many different locations and industries
Visa sponsorship is the process where an individual or organization supports a foreign national’s entry or stay in another country. In the workplace, employers may sponsor their employees to obtain a foreign visa and relocate abroad for a job.
Welding positions in Ireland are often difficult to fill, especially for roles that require MIG/TIG and arc welding skills or for the machinery manufacturing sector.
What Type of Welding Jobs Are in High Demand in Ireland?
Welding jobs in Ireland are in high demand, particularly for roles that require MIG/TIG and arc welding skills or for the machinery manufacturing sector. Some types of welding jobs in demand in Ireland include:
- Orbital welders: These roles require at least one year of experience on AMI or Orbitalum welding machines, as well as experience in the microchip industry.
- Sheet metal fabricators: These roles specialize in steel windows and doors.
Other types of welding jobs include Flux core welders, S/S TIG welders, MMA welders, and high-purity welders. Welders are in demand in a wide range of industries, including oil, gas, petrochemical, nuclear, renewables, defense, and advanced facilities.
Work is often available in shift patterns to support production timescales. To gain the experience needed to work on projects, candidates can acquire welding code qualifications, which typically include the 6G welding test.
Essential Qualifications for Welding Jobs in Ireland
To become a welder in Ireland, you’ll need to meet certain qualifications, including:
- Age: You must be at least 16 years old.
- Education: You may need a minimum grade of D in five subjects in the Junior Certificate or equivalent exam. Some programs may require higher educational achievements.
- Skills: Welders need to work accurately, have steady hands, be highly concentrated, be physically fit, have problem-solving skills, and be able to read and follow technical instructions.
- Aptitude: You should have an interest in welding and good spatial aptitude, hand/eye coordination, and manual dexterity.
- Communication: Good communication skills are important because most projects require collaboration.
You can also consider:
- Find an employer who offers apprenticeships in your locality.
- Choosing an industry or specialty.
- Shadowing a welder.
- Finding an employer who is approved by the state.
Foras Aiseanna Saothair (FÁS), Ireland’s national training and employment authority, has developed standards, training curricula, and a qualification for the Welder trade.
Salary of Welders in Ireland
In Ireland, the average salary for a welder is €21 per hour, with an average additional cash compensation of €6. However, salaries can vary depending on the city and the company:
- Waterford: €30.44 per hour
- Cork: €30.22 per hour
- Kildare: €28.32 per hour
- Dublin: €27.31 per hour
- Leixlip: €27.02 per hour
- Zenco Technical: €16 per hour
- ABEC: €13 – €15 per hour
- Combilift: €14 – €37 per hour
- McHale: €13 – €16 per hour
- Burnside Eurocyl: €11 – €16 per hour
- Sparktel: €15 – €20 per hour
Welding positions are in high demand, and employers have reported difficulty filling them. This is especially true for roles that require MIG/TIG or arc welding skills or for the machinery manufacturing sector.
The Visa Sponsorship Process for Welding Jobs in Ireland
The process of getting a visa sponsorship for a welding job in Ireland involves the following steps:
- Company sponsorship: A company sponsors a foreign national to enter or stay in Ireland.
- Job offer: The company issues a formal job offer to the sponsored individual.
- Employment permit: The sponsored individual applies for an employment permit after receiving the job offer.
Some welding jobs in Ireland that offer visa sponsorship include:
- TIG Welder: A skilled TIG welder is required for a pharmaceutical project in Grangecastle, Co, Dublin.
- Orbital Welders, High Purity Pipefitters, and Supervisors: A Willi Ltd. in Dublin, County Dublin, is looking for candidates with at least one year of experience on AMI or Orbitalum welding machines.
- Welder and Fabricator: A welder and fabricator is required in Dublin, County Dublin with proficiency in MIG, TIG, and arc welding techniques.
- Stainless Steel Welders/Fabricators: Sapphire Engineering Limited in Limerick, County Limerick, is looking for stainless steel fabricators/welders.
- Spot Welder: A spot welder is required in North Dublin, County Dublin.
- Safe Welder/Fabricator: A safe welder/fabricator is required in Ballincollig, County Cork.
How to Apply for Visa Sponsorship Welding Jobs in Ireland
To apply for visa sponsorship for welding jobs in Ireland, you can look for job listings on sites like Indeed.ie and Totaljobs. Some things to look for in job descriptions include:
- Welding skills: Whether the job requires MIG, TIG, or arc welding skills
- Experience: Whether the job requires experience in manufacturing, engineering, or construction metalwork
- Other skills: Whether the job requires experience using sheet metal fabrication machinery, presses, or guillotines
Wrapping Up
An aging workforce, a relative lack of younger welders, and increasing industry demands have all contributed to making welding an in-demand job. While this can make finding and recruiting welders difficult for some organizations, it is a good situation for welding professionals whose skills are needed across industries.
This demand can be met by training more welders via welding courses and apprenticeships, while some large companies may wish to supplement their human workforce with welding robots.
However, welding robots cannot do many jobs, so skilled human welders are still required. Welding jobs are undoubtedly still in demand across Ireland in various industries.