Work exchange for lodging in Ireland?

What kind of work are you looking to do as an exchange? Volunteer work? Farm work? How temporary is "temporary" - a night, a week, a couple months?

There are different volunteer programs you can sign up for that will house you in exchange for work (ex. Habitat for Humanity has their Global Village program which does include Ireland), but many volunteer programs actually require you to make an often substantial donation to take part in the program - so essentially you are paying them for the lodging and meals they provide during your stay.

For farm work, you could contact an organization like WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farming) and they can try to place you with a farmer. You will get the free accommodation (often very basic) and some free meals but you'll put in very long days working on the farms. Go to www.wwoof.ie for information on the WWOOF Ireland program.

Thanks SO much for the info. I'm actually trying to find the info for my son who is interested. He just purchased a one-way ticket to Ireland and will be moving eastward from there across to Europe. I believe the WOOF program would be something he'd be interested in - he may be only planning on a month or so in Ireland. Thank you again.

Presume he has looked into the entry restrictions/requirements for people intending to work in the EU? It's not so easy to have a working holiday these days.

Without a return ticket, it is likely your son may encounter some issues upon arrival with the immigration officers in Ireland. Your son may be required to show proof that he has sufficient funds and a place to stay for a few months in Ireland.

If he does get permission to enter Ireland and he intends to travel through the rest of Europe, he should start trying to obtain the appropriate visa now if he even has a feeling he'll try to extend his stay longer than 3 months, or if he thinks he may try to obtain short-term work that involves the exchange of cash. The WWOOF program doesn't involve getting paid for the work, you just get a roof over your head - but can your son prove he's got enough money for a stay of a couple months? Immigration officials may go as far as asking to see copies of bank statements that are in his name, not yours.

You and your son need to read up on the Schengen laws to make sure both of you understand them fully. Even though Ireland is not part of the Schengen Agreement, all sorts of red flags start going off at Immigration if someone tries to enter Ireland with a one way ticket and insufficient funds.

wow-did not know any of that. Thanks so much for the heads-up. My son was actually planning things independently (he's 24), but I was doing some background info-gathering for him. Good thing I did. I'm forwarding all that info on to him. Can't thank you enough.

At 24, all you can do as a parent is some background info and pass it on. Don't ask how I know.

The rest is up to your son. He'll have a great story to tell no matter how this turns out.

Has your son looked into getting a student visa which would allow him to work? You cannot just walk into a country and get employment. Do you have European ancestry that would qualify him for an EU passport - it need not be Irish to work in Ireland.