What we look for
- Diagnoses electronic and electrical faults using manufacturer or professional aftermarket diagnostic systems (ISTA, ODIS, VCDS, JLR Pathfinder, Autel, Launch); traces faults methodically rather than swapping parts.
- Carries out routine servicing and repairs brakes, suspension, steering, engines, transmissions and drivetrains to manufacturer standard.
- Follows manufacturer repair procedures and service schedules, completes job cards accurately, road-tests and quality-checks own work.
- Dependable, sustained relevant employment and sees jobs through.
Questions you'll be asked
These are the questions the application form asks. You do not need to answer yes to every one — they tell us where your experience actually sits.
- How many years' experience do you have as a motor mechanic / automotive technician
- Which car brands have you mainly worked on? (e.g. BMW, Audi, Land Rover)
- What type of workshop have you mostly worked in
- Which diagnostic tools or systems have you used? (e.g. BMW ISTA, ODIS / VCDS, JLR Pathfinder, Autel, Launch)
- Do you hold an automotive trade qualification, from any country? (e.g. a motor-mechanic apprenticeship, City & Guilds / IMI, SENAI Mecânica Automotiva, ITI Mechanic Motor Vehicle, TESDA NC II/III Automotive Servicing, a manufacturer technician certification, or your own country's equivalent)
- Do you hold a full car driving licence
- Have you worked on hybrid or electric vehicles
Qualifications that help
None of these is essential, and a qualification from any country counts.
- Manufacturer brand training from any country (BMW / Audi / JLR / Mercedes-Benz / Toyota / VW / Hyundai)
- Hybrid / EV training certificate
- Full driving licence
We assess English at around CEFR A2 for this role — enough to follow instructions and raise a problem with the person you work for. That is our own standard, not an Irish legal requirement; there is no English test in the permit rules for this job.
The work permit
This role is eligible for an Irish employment permit. This role is capped. Ireland only issues a set number of permits for it each year, and that cap has run out before — so we check what is left before anyone advertises. The job normally has to pass a 28-day Labour Market Needs Test — the employer runs that, advertising the role with JobsIreland/EURES and on a second jobs platform for 28 unbroken days. Either you or the employer can be named as the applicant on the permit itself; on our placements it is the employer. Either way the cost is not yours to carry: under section 55 of the Employment Permits Act 2024 an employer cannot take the permit fee, recruitment costs, or travel money they have already paid you out of your wages, or ask you to pay any of it back. Doing that is a criminal offence.
Salary thresholds and any quota are set per occupation and move during the year, so we confirm the current position for your exact role with DETE before an employer advertises — rather than quote you a figure here that could be out of date by the time you read it.
How long it takes
From an employer offering the job to you starting work, in our experience the realistic timeline is 6 to 8 months if you need an entry visa — the Philippines, for example. From a country that does not need an entry visa, such as Brazil, allow about 4 to 5 months. That covers the 28-day Labour Market Needs Test, DETE permit processing, the visa and travel. DETE processes applications in date order and publishes its current dates; we do not quote a figure that could be out of date by the time you read it.
If you are already living in Ireland on a permit, the position is different — tell us on the form and we will explain where you stand.
Apply
The application takes about ten minutes. You will be asked about your experience, and you can upload a CV and record a short voice clip so we can put you forward properly.