The Fernshore Index
The factors digital nomads look at first.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Internet
72 of 100Strong
32.30 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line.
Source: Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ireland. Checked 16 October 2026.
Work and career
50 of 100Mixed
Mixed: one of the two tests holds. Fixed broadband is 32.3 per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line. But the Immigration Service Delivery's list of routes for working more than 90 days names no residence route for people who work remotely for an employer or clients abroad; a non-EEA national needs an Irish contract of employment and a work permission.
Source: Coming to work for more than 90 days; Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ireland. Checked 16 October 2026.
Cost of living
20 of 100Weak
Price level 0.848 of United States prices (2025), over the 0.75 line.
Source: Price level index (GDP), Ireland. Checked 16 October 2026.
Visa, United States passport
Unknown
Research for US passports is being checked
Visa, Canada passport
Unknown
Research for Canadian passports is being checked
Visa, Australia passport
Unknown
Research for Australian passports is being checked
Visa, New Zealand passport
Unknown
Research for New Zealand passports is being checked
Community
74 of 100Strong
Expat Insider 2026: 8th of 31 for Ease of Settling In (13th for Finding Friends).
Source: Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In. Checked 16 October 2026.
Climate
8 of 100Weak
Dublin Airport (Met Eireann, 1991-2020): 2 comfortable months a year (July 19.5 C and August 19.1 C). June (17.7 C) and September (16.9 C) are under the 18 C line; no month is over 30 C and rain is under 150 mm in every month.
Source: Dublin Airport 1991-2020 averages. Checked 16 October 2026.
Lifestyle
37 of 100Mixed
Expat Insider 2026: 29th of 31 for Quality of Life.
Source: Expat Insider 2026: Quality of Life. Checked 16 October 2026.
The country
The rest of the research on Ireland.
The country page grades every factor, with its sources.
IrelandQuestions from digital nomads about Ireland.
Does Ireland have a digital nomad visa for self-employed people?
The immigration service's routes list has none for self-employed work for clients abroad. Its Start-up Entrepreneur Programme lets you set up a business in Ireland and work in it full time, with no other employment; it is for a business in Ireland, not remote client work. Ask the service about your case.
How long can I stay without a visa, and does the Schengen limit apply?
On the non-visa list, the border officer sets your stay, up to 3 months. Ireland is outside the Schengen Area and does not take part in the EU Entry/Exit System, so travellers arriving directly are not bound by it. How days in Ireland count towards another country's limits is not covered here.
What will border officers ask for when I arrive?
Officers ask about the purpose of your stay. You must show a passport, a visa if needed and a boarding card; useful extras are an itinerary, proof of funds, health insurance covering your stay and accommodation details. You can be refused entry even with a valid visa, if the officer is not satisfied.
How does the 183 and 280-day tax rule work if I keep moving?
Any part of a day in Ireland counts as a day. You are resident at 183 days or more in a tax year (1 January to 31 December), or 280 or more across two years together, but not if you were here 30 days or fewer in a year. You can also choose to be resident in your arrival year. Ask an adviser.
How is self-employed income taxed, and which social security applies?
Residents pay income tax of 20% up to €44,000 for a single person and 40% above (2026), plus USC once total income passes €13,000. Under the US-Ireland social security agreement, the self-employed are assigned the coverage of the country they live in. Agreements for Canada, Australia and New Zealand are unknown here.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [K2] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ireland, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 16 October 2026. 2024: 32.30 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 16 October 2026 (the 2025 value is empty).
- [K1] Coming to work for more than 90 days, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (irishimmigration.ie). Checked 16 October 2026. irishimmigration.ie refuses automated access (HTTP 403, Cloudflare), so the page was read from the Internet Archive copy of 9 April 2026 (page last updated 14 October 2025). It says: 'Before coming to work in Ireland for more than 90 days, you must have a contract of employment' and apply for the relevant work permission. The routes it lists: Critical Skills and General employment permits (Irish employer applies), intra-company transfer, internship, scientific researcher, working holiday, the Immigrant Investor Programme, the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme, atypical working (nurse, locum hospital doctor), visiting academic (paid from outside the State, up to 12 months), volunteer and minister of religion. No route for people who work remotely for an employer or clients abroad is listed. The parent page (coming to work in Ireland, Internet Archive copy of 23 September 2026) says non-EEA nationals need an Employment Permit or Atypical Permission first. The page is the evidence of absence; the Department does not state that no remote-worker route exists.
- [C1] Price level index (GDP), Ireland, World Bank. Checked 16 October 2026. 2025: 84.85 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 16 October 2026; 80.19 in 2024. Ireland is the highest price level of the countries researched so far.
- [Q1] Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 16 October 2026. Ireland is 8th of 31 destinations in the Ease of Settling In index, read on 16 October 2026. The same page says Ireland ranks 13th for Finding Friends. A private survey of expats; 31 destinations met the 50-respondent minimum.
- [W1] Dublin Airport 1991-2020 averages, Met Eireann (Irish national meteorological service). Checked 16 October 2026. Met Eireann's 30-year climate averages page (https://www.met.ie/climate/30-year-averages) links this table, read on 16 October 2026. Mean daily maximum (C): Jan 8.0, Feb 8.5, Mar 10.1, Apr 12.3, May 14.8, Jun 17.7, Jul 19.5, Aug 19.1, Sep 16.9, Oct 13.6, Nov 10.3, Dec 8.3. Mean temperature runs 5.2 (January) to 15.4 (July). Monthly rainfall 51.4 to 82.7 mm, under 150 mm in every month. Dublin Airport is the station for the capital, which the program takes as the main city. Met Eireann publishes 1991-2020 averages for only seven stations (Dublin Airport, Casement, Cork Airport, Shannon Airport, Belmullet, Malin Head, Valentia). Dublin fits none of the three weather types (mean temperature range 10.2 C, under the 12 C 'seasons' line; coolest month's high 8.0 C, under the 12 C 'mild' line), so the climate list is empty, which counts as a known non-match (program decision of 16 October 2026).
- [Q2] Expat Insider 2026: Quality of Life, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 16 October 2026. Ireland is 29th of 31 destinations in the Quality of Life index, read on 16 October 2026. The page says Ireland ranks last (31st) for the availability of medical care (47% positive ratings against 71% globally) and 30th for Healthcare as a whole, 29th for Leisure Options. A private survey of expats.