Employment permits in Ireland - Critical Skills and General Employment Permits

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is designed for highly skilled occupations in short supply, such as ICT professionals and engineers, and for people who intend to settle. No labour market needs test is needed. The job offer must be for at least 2 years.

The salary thresholds DETE lists in October 2026 are:

• €40,904 a year for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, with a relevant degree or higher.
• €36,848 a year if you received that qualification within the 12 months before the application.
• €68,911 a year for any occupation that is not on the Ineligible List of Occupations. Without a degree, you need the relevant experience.
• For public sector roles under a public pay agreement, the agreed rate; nurses and midwives need a qualification accepted by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.

Remuneration means basic salary (at least the national minimum wage) plus health insurance payments made to a registered insurer; bonuses do not count. The fee is €1,000.

The main advantages: your spouse or partner can join you straight away and, once registered on Stamp 1G, can work without a permit of their own; and after 21 months of employment in Ireland on the permit you can apply for Stamp 4, which removes the need for an employment permit.

The General Employment Permit covers all occupations except those on the Ineligible List of Occupations. It can be issued for a 12-month contract. The thresholds DETE lists in October 2026 are:

• €36,605 a year in general.
• €34,009 a year if you have a relevant degree from an Irish third-level college awarded within the previous 12 months.
• €32,691 a year (minimum €16.12 an hour) for horticulture workers, meat processing operatives, healthcare assistants and home support workers.

In most cases the employer must first carry out a labour market needs test: advertising the job with the Department of Social Protection's employment services and EURES, plus one other online platform. The test is not needed for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, for jobs paying at least €68,911, or where Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland recommends the job offer.

The permit is issued for up to 2 years at first and can be renewed for up to 3 more years. The fee for a new permit is €500 for up to 6 months or €1,000 for up to 24 months; renewals cost €750 or €1,500. After 57 months of employment on the permit, you can apply for Stamp 4.

• The employer must be registered with Revenue (and, where relevant, the Companies Registration Office) and trading in Ireland, and pay you directly.
• At least 50% of the employer's staff must be EEA nationals when it applies. Start-ups supported by Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland can get a time-limited waiver.
• If the employer applies and pays, it may not deduct any permit fee or expense from your pay or recover it from you (section 55, Employment Permits Act 2024).
• Irish employment law applies to you in full, as to every employee. See Employment rights in Ireland.

You are expected to stay with your first employer for 9 months. DETE will not consider a new permit for a different employer within that period, except where you are made redundant or circumstances that were not foreseeable fundamentally change the employment relationship. After 9 months you can move, but the new employer needs a new permit application under the normal criteria.

1. Check the occupation lists and the salary threshold for your situation.
2. You or your employer apply on Employment Permits Online and pay the fee. Use DETE's checklist for your permit type.
3. Applications are processed strictly in date order, in separate queues for Trusted Partner employers and standard employers. DETE publishes current processing dates. A decision-maker may ask for more information, which you must supply within 28 days.
4. If refused, you can ask for a review within 28 days using the review form.
5. Once you have the permit, apply for an entry visa if your nationality requires one, travel with the original permit, and register your permission with ISD within 90 days of arrival.

Holders of employment permits can apply to ISD to be joined by family members under the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy. The policy was revised on 26 November 2025: it now groups sponsors into categories (Critical Skills and Intra-Company Transfer permit holders in a different category from General Employment Permit holders), with financial thresholds that differ by category. Since 15 May 2024, eligible spouses and partners of Critical Skills, General and Intra-Company Transfer permit holders who have been granted family reunification are registered on Stamp 1G and can work without an employment permit. Check the current policy on the ISD website before you apply.