An applicant for VTOS is selected following a written assessment and an interview, however to get to this stage the applicant must firstly be VTOS eligible.

To be VTOS eligible, you must be:

• aged 21 or over and
• in receipt of jobseekers assistance or jobseekers benefit or signing for credits for at least six months
• in receipt of a one-parent family payment, disability allowance, disability benefit* or invalidity pension for at least six months
• a dependent spouse of an eligible person for at least six months
• in receipt of blind person’s pension, deserted wife’s allowance / benefit, widow/widowers contributory/non-contributory pension or prisoner’s wife’s allowance for at least six months. Conditions may apply in the case of blind person’s pension, deserted wife’s allowance / benefit,widow/widowers contributory/non-contributory pension or prisoner’s wife’s allowance. Periods spent on FÁS training courses, Community Employment Schemes, Job Initiative, Youthreach programmes and time in prison can count towards the qualifying period
• or have been made redundant

*People on Disability Benefit should, in the first instance, contact their local Social Welfare Office about exemption/entitlement to continuation of their Disability Benefit payment whilst on a VTOS programme.