Practical support for migrant people living in Ireland
Find resources and supports to meet your basic needs.
It is normal to feel stressed, low or anxious from time to time, especially when arriving in and trying to navigate an unfamiliar place. Big changes can bring new opportunities, but it can also take time to secure a home, build connections, and understand how everything works. Getting practical support can help if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
This article brings together up-to-date, reliable information to help you meet your basic needs in one place. You’ll find information that covers:
Housing
Employment
Social welfare payments
Accessing support for domestic violence
Accessing support for an unplanned pregnancy
Getting support from a mental health professional
Getting practical support with meeting your basic needs
Not having access to appropriate information and support to meet your basic needs can be really difficult. It is normal to feel stressed and anxious if you are facing:
- Poor living conditions
- Difficulties finding accommodation or a place to rent
- Poor working conditions and/or exploitation at work
- Unemployment and difficulties finding work
- Difficulties finding affordable childcare
- Difficulties accessing education and development opportunities
- Difficulties obtaining social welfare payments
- Uncertainty around work permits and legal status (international protection application)
Challenges like these can trigger lots of different emotions, from sadness and fear to anger and even numbness. It can be helpful to remind yourself that you are not alone and that it is okay to feel the way you do.
Finding reliable information and support with addressing some of these practical challenges may help you to feel less stressed, anxious, or low. Below you will find links to some articles providing information on managing difficulties with housing, employment, and education all in one place.
Information on housing
Looking after yourself in emergency accommodation
Support services for young homeless people in Ireland
How do I apply for Emergency Accommodation?
How often can my rent be increased?
What is Housing Assistance Payment?
How to apply for rent supplement in Ireland
Your rights when facing eviction
What to do if you can’t pay your rent
Information on employment
Find out if you’re entitled to work in Ireland
Work Rights for Migrants in Ireland
How to start your own business
What is the Local Enterprise Office?
What to prepare before a job interview
What should be in my employment contract?
Help against victimisation at work
What can I do if I am experiencing discrimination?
Do I need a work permit for atypical working schemes?
Information on transport
How to buy a used car in Ireland
What is the driver theory test?
Everything you need to know about the driving test
Information on your rights
What are my rights if I am a victim of a crime?
What are my rights in Direct Provision in Ireland?
Everything you need to know about legals ages in Ireland
Your right to education and healthcare as a young migrant in Ireland
Your right to be treated equally as a young person in Ireland
What are my rights if I experience abuse as a young person?
At what age can I consent to have sex in Ireland?
What are my rights to mental health treatment as a young person in Ireland?
What are the laws on hate crimes in Ireland?
Supports for people who experience hate crimes in Ireland
What are my rights to sexual healthcare in Ireland?
Information on immigration and citizenship
Registering your immigration status as a young person in Ireland
Who can get Irish citizenship?
Information on money management
What do you need to open a bank account?
All you need to know about opening a bank account
How to deal with financial stress
Information on building relationships
How to meet people and make new friends
How to make friends as an adult
How to start a conversation with someone new
How to get involved with your local services
How to find youth groups in your local area
Information on social welfare payments
Applying for the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance
Am I eligible to receive social welfare payments?
What is Supplementary Welfare Allowance?
Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseekers’ Benefit
Penalty Rates for Jobseeker’s Payments
What Social Welfare payments can I retain when I enter employment?
Who qualifies for Carer’s Allowance?
How to get disability allowance
Entitlements for people with disabilities
Living undocumented
Information for undocumented people in Ireland
Accessing practical support for domestic violence
Experiencing abuse in your relationships, such as harmful actions or threats, can lead to feelings of sadness, fear, anxiety and shame. You may blame yourself for difficulties in your relationship or feel afraid to reach out for support in case the person causing the abuse finds out.
Domestic abuse, also known as domestic violence or intimate partner abuse, is any incident or pattern of behaviour used to threaten, control, or intimidate a current or former intimate partner or someone living in the same household. If domestic abuse or other types of relationship harm are contributing to your feelings of sadness, anxiety or stress, it is important to reach out for professional support.
Read more about the different types of abuse. Find out more information on how to safely access support for domestic violence in our article on domestic violence.
Accessing support for an unplanned pregnancy
HSE unplanned pregnancy support services are free and confidential. The My Options freephone helpline can provide you with information and support on all your options. This includes information on abortion services and continued pregnancy supports.
Interpreters can be provided in 240 languages. Getting access to an interpreter is simple and involves the following three steps:
- Freephone 1800 828 010.
- You or someone on your behalf will need to say what language you speak and give a phone number.
- An interpreter will then phone you back for a 3-way call between you, a MyOptions counsellor and the interpreter.
Read more about supports for pregnant young people in Ireland.
Getting support from a mental health professional
Different cultures relate to mental health in different ways. You can read more about what most mental health professionals in Ireland mean by “mental health” in our article on mental health as a spectrum and the HSE’s yourmentalhealth.ie (information provided in English). Cairde, an organisation providing health advocacy and information services, also provides a Mental Health Guide for Ethnic Minorities in Ireland in a range of languages.
It’s possible you are wondering whether seeing a mental health professional could be helpful to you. Asking yourself the following questions may help you to reach a decision that’s best for you:
- How much is your distress affecting your ability to go about your day-to-day activities?
- How long have you felt anxious or stressed?
- Are you in contact with people that you trust who can listen to you and support you?
- Do you regularly hurt yourself on purpose?
- Do you feel like your life is not worth living?
If you’ve been feeling low, anxious, or stressed for more than two weeks — and it’s starting to interfere with your day-to-day life — it’s a good idea to reach out for support. Talking to a trusted adult or a mental health professional can really help.
If there’s no one you feel safe talking to right now, and you answered yes to questions 4 or 5, it’s especially important to seek support from a mental health professional. Your GP (doctor) is usually the first person you can speak to about how you’re feeling.
You can find more guidance in our article on how to talk to your GP about your mental health. If you’ve recently moved to Ireland, our article on accessing Irish mental health services as a migrant person can help you figure out what your options are.
Reaching out to someone you trust for practical support
If your emotional distress is not substantially affecting your day-to-day life and you have a good support network, you might consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member or other community member for support. Not everyone feels comfortable reaching out to a professional for emotional support, and that’s okay.
Talking about how you feel with someone close to you can help you to resource yourself and find ways of coping with life difficulties.
If you are feeling nervous or afraid of reaching out in this way, you can find tips in our article on opening up to someone about your mental health.
For more information on accessing the health service, read our factsheet on getting mental health support as a migrant person.
Need more information, advice or guidance?
We offer information, advice and guidance about the issues that matter to you. Our online Youth Information Chat service is for 16 to 25 year olds and is available Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm (excluding Bank Holidays).
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