International Protection is the protection granted by a government to someone who has left another country to escape being harmed. You can apply for international protection in Ireland if you have come to Ireland to escape persecution in your own country or if you cannot return to your country because you have a well-founded fear for your safety.

Most people apply for international protection when they enter Ireland. This is also called claiming asylum. You can also apply if you are already in Ireland.

Some people come to Ireland as programme refugees. This means that the Irish Government has decided to allow them to live in Ireland following a request by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . This resettlement programme is managed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

In Ireland, International Protection includes two specific types of protection that can be applied for. They are Refugee Status and Subsidiary Protection, where these do not apply an application will be considered for Permission to Remain as part of the single procedure process. A breakdown of nationalities is available here: International Protection in Numbers

A third type of protection, known as Temporary Protection, was activated by the EU Council in March 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The EU Temporary Protection Directive provides immediate temporary protection for displaced people from outside the EU. This Temporary Protection is intended to be used in exceptional circumstances.