Ireland work visa (General Employment Permit)

All occupations qualify unless they appear on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits; some, such as meat processing or certain hospitality roles, are subject to quotas that DETE closes once filled. The employer must be registered with Revenue and the Companies Registration Office, be trading in Ireland, employ and pay you directly, and at least half of its staff must be EEA nationals (the 50:50 rule, waived for some start-ups and sole-employee cases).

You must have the qualifications, skills or experience the job needs, and a job offer for at least 12 months.

Employment visa checklists ask for the original permit, the contract, an employer letter confirming the job and salary, accommodation details, evidence of qualifications and work experience, 6 months of statements and travel insurance, all originals with English translations where needed.

Under the Roadmap for Minimum Annual Remuneration published on 2 December 2025, the GEP minimum rose from €34,000 to €36,605 on 1 March 2026, with further rises planned through 2030. Only basic salary and qualifying health insurance payments count, and the hourly equivalent (annual figure divided by 2,028 hours, €18.05 for €36,605) must also be met.

A Labour Market Needs Test is needed in most cases: the vacancy runs for at least 28 days on JobsIreland/EURES and a second online platform. It is not needed for jobs on the Critical Skills Occupations List or paying at least €68,911.

The employer or the employee applies to the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) on Employment Permits Online at least 12 weeks before the start date. Once the permit is issued, visa-required nationals apply on AVATS for a long stay D employment visa. A permit alone is not enough: DETE does not interview applicants or check qualifications, so the visa officer weighs your documents and the genuineness of the job.

Plan for both timelines: DETE processes in date order and publishes the dates it has reached, and the visa takes around 8 weeks after lodging.

An employment permit is not a residence permission. Register within 90 days at the Registration Office in Burgh Quay, Dublin, pay €300 and receive the IRP card with Stamp 1. Renew online up to 12 weeks before expiry; if you applied in time, you keep the conditions of your previous permission for up to 12 weeks after expiry while the renewal is pending.

Notify DETE of redundancy within 4 weeks: you then have 6 months to find a new job. A permit must be returned to DETE within 4 weeks if the employment ends.

GEP holders can apply to bring a spouse, civil or de facto partner and minor children after a year of lawful work, provided gross income exceeded €30,000 in the previous year (higher figures apply for children, for example €50,200 gross indicated for one child in 2026) and they can show suitable accommodation, for rented homes an RTB registration letter and the ACCOM1 form. After 57 months of employment on GEPs you may apply for Stamp 4.

A refused employment permit can be reviewed by a more senior DETE official if you file the Submission of a Decision for Review form within 28 days; 90% of the permit fee is refunded when an application fails. A refused long stay employment visa can be appealed free of charge within 2 months of the refusal letter.