Relocate your business to Ireland
Europe
Thinking about business immigration to Ireland? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
12.5%
standard corporate tax rate for trading companies
2
official languages, Irish and English
1759
year Guinness began brewing in Dublin
- Capital
- Dublin
- Population
- About 5.3 million
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Irish, English
Best things about doing business in Ireland
- EU single-market access with English as the main language
- A 12.5% corporate tax rate for most trading companies
- The European base of many global tech and pharma firms
Fun facts
- Halloween traces back to the ancient Irish festival of Samhain.
- Ireland is one of the few EU countries where English is the main language.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Charity Registration (Charities Regulator)
Official source: charitiesregulator.ie
Private Company Limited by Shares Registration (CRO)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: cro.ie
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in Ireland
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: centralbank.ie
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in Ireland
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by Revenue (PAYE for employers) and the Department of Social Protection (PRSI).
Official source: revenue.ie
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (Intellectual Property Office of Ireland)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: ipoi.gov.ie
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (IPOI)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland.
Official source: ipoi.gov.ie
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
EORI Number and Import Permits
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by the Revenue Commissioners.
Official source: revenue.ie
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by Revenue, the Irish Tax and Customs Authority (VAT registration).
Official source: revenue.ie
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the regulator for your sector.
Official source: gov.ie
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (export licences) and Revenue.
Official source: enterprise.gov.ie
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
Official source: hpra.ie
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
Official source: fsai.ie
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through laboratories accredited by INAB.
Official source: inab.ie
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
Official source: hpra.ie
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)
€50,000 secured funding for a High Potential Start-Up capable of 10 jobs or €1M in sales within 3-4 years.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: irishimmigration.ie
No longer available
Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) · Closed to new applicants, since February 15, 2023
The Start-up Entrepreneur Programme is the only active founder route.
Questions about moving a business to Ireland
What business immigration options are there for Ireland?
ORBIZLY lists startup visas (Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP)). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to Ireland?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in Ireland give me residency?
No. Registering a company does not give you the right to live in Ireland on its own. Residency needs a separate visa or residence permit.
What do I need to set up a business in Ireland?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For Ireland, ORBIZLY lists company registration, drug and health licences, import permits, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to Ireland?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
Dreaming of Ireland?
Get a personal weekly update about Ireland: news, local business norms and your next step.
Brands built in Ireland
Well-known companies from Ireland, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
Stripe
UnicornPayments company founded by two Irish brothers
Ryanair
Europe's largest low-cost airline
Intercom
Customer messaging software
CRH
Global building materials group
Kerry Group
Taste and nutrition ingredients for food makers
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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