No initial relocation costs for both EU and non-EU healthcare professionals
The HSE's grant ensures that healthcare professionals from within the European Union and beyond will not have to bear the cost of relocation. Relocation costs include visas, language tests like the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), medical exams, the flight into Ireland, the first month of accommodation (including a deposit of 1-3 months), and registration fees for regulatory bodies like the Medical Council.
The HSE's package now offers €250 for a flight from an EU country and €800 from a non-EU country. As for accommodation, €3,910 will be granted to each candidate, irrespective of where they're flying from, for their first month of rent. Ireland notoriously has one of the most expensive housing markets in Europe. According to a Eurostat report, housing there is 88.5% higher than the European average, especially in the capital of Dublin, where an apartment costs between €900 and €2200 a month. In a smaller city like Galway, it will cost around €1500, while on the cheaper end, in the countryside or towns like Donegal, it will cost around €700. The HSE's subsidy is high enough to cover one or more months of rent in these places.
Other expenses like language tests and registration fees will be examined on a case-by-case basis for the person to be eligible for top-up payments. As reported in The Independent, an HSE spokesperson said that “exact cost is dependent on where the candidate is relocating from, and the specialty of the post.”
This news is particularly great for expats from the developing world, who often have to face exorbitant relocation costs because the currency in their home country is worth much less than the euro. Indeed, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has reported that an increasing number of doctors in the country come from African and Asian countries like Nigeria, Sudan and Pakistan. €2000 for one month of rent, for example, is worth nearly half a million Pakistani rupees! Salary websites report that most doctors in Pakistan make around Rs 30,000-70,000 per month. Before they start earning euros in Ireland, these doctors need to have savings equivalent to a year of full-time work just to afford one month of rent! This can deter highly-qualified Pakistani doctors from choosing Ireland, especially if they don't already have a job offer and a relocation stipend as part of their contract. Irish authorities are simplifying things by making the relocation subsidy a national issue.
It should be clarified that Ireland is not looking for only doctors (generalists or specialists). The country is also in dire need of other health professionals like nurses, midwives, pharmacists, psychologists, radiographers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, language and speech therapists, and medical scientists. You can consult the Critical Skills Occupation List on the website of the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for more details about these in-demand jobs.
