Practical guides on Irish employment permits, overseas recruitment, and hiring non-EU workers — written for Irish employers, not lawyers.
What a UK international recruitment agency actually does for a sponsor, what the whole hire costs, and the five duties — licence, SMS account, certificate, compliance, Immigration Skills Charge — that never leave you.
Read guideProbation is a cheap exit for a domestic hire. For a permit holder it cancels the permit, triggers a four-week DETE notification, and you cannot claw back a cent of the cost.
Read guideHow the Employment Equality Act applies when a block of your workforce arrived on permits — the race ground, the burden of proof, the caps, and what actually defends a claim.
Read articleEEA and Swiss nationals need no Irish employment permit and no entry visa. What you still have to check, why qualifications are not automatic, and when EU sourcing works.
Read articleWhat the Immigration Skills Charge costs in 2026, who has to pay it, the exemptions, the refund rules — and why passing any of it to the worker costs you your licence.
Read articleWhat a Home Office sponsor licence costs, how long it takes and what UKVI actually assesses — plus the harder half nobody sells you: finding the worker.
Read articleRebate scales, candidate ownership, when the fee falls due — and the permit-refusal clause most Irish agency terms of business never mention. An employer's reading guide.
Read articleA contract signed by both parties is mandatory on every permit application, and DETE publishes no template. What the contract must say, what it must match, and the clauses that are an offence.
Read articleA Safe Pass card is a legal requirement for site work, it can only be obtained in Ireland, and the booking usually needs a PPS number first. What that chain does to your start date, and who pays.
Read articleWithout a PPSN you must tax a new hire at 40% from week one. The employer application gov.ie allows you to submit, the address letter only you can write, and the Revenue step you cannot do for them.
Read articleThe step after the permit and visa that nobody owns unless you put it in the onboarding plan: the 90-day rule, the €300 fee, the Burgh Quay appointment and what belongs in your right-to-work file.
Read articleFifteen occupations are capped, holding 5,808 permits between them — plus the roles employers wrongly assume are capped, and why no published figure tells you how many places remain.
Read articleA €49,523 pay floor, six months of prior employment before you can even apply, and a subcontractor rule the Act and the published guidance now answer differently — plus the WRC obligations the permit does not cover.
Read articleNo Labour Market Needs Test, a National Minimum Wage pay floor instead of a €36,605 one, and a 50:50 exception written for first-time employers — plus the two sporting roles Schedule 4 rules out entirely.
Read articleWhether you get notice, what an inspector actually asks for, and the four permit-specific records generic Irish HR checklists leave out — including the five-year retention rule that isn't three years.
Read articleA law firm files permits for a candidate you've already found. A recruitment agency finds the worker and runs the permit too. Which one fits your hire — and when you genuinely need a solicitor.
Read articleStamp 2 students in Ireland can work — but only within strict hour limits. This guide explains the 20-hour term-time rule, holiday periods, and what employers must check before hiring.
Read articleYou've found a worker already in Ireland on a permit. When can they move to you, when do they need a fresh permit, and what DETE requires from you as the new employer.
Read articleWhich immigration stamps allow employment, what documents to check before someone starts, and the penalties for getting it wrong. The employer compliance guide.
Read articleIreland has no Certificate of Sponsorship and no UK-style sponsor licence. What "visa sponsorship" actually commits an Irish employer to — the permit, the duties, the cost.
Read articleHire a non-EU graduate on Stamp 1G with no work permit and no Labour Market Needs Test, then move them onto a Critical Skills or General Employment Permit before it expires.
Read articleWhat CA Recruitment actually does for Irish employers — permit management, sourcing from the Philippines, how the DETE process works end to end, and what it costs.
Read articleCSEP holders get immediate family reunification; GEP holders after 12 months. Here’s what you can tell a candidate about bringing their family to Ireland — and why it matters for recruitment.
Read articleStep-by-step guide to checking your employment permit application status in Employment Permits Online — what each status label means and what to do at each stage.
Read articleThe employment permit and the entry visa are two separate steps from two departments — you arrange the permit, your worker gets the visa with it. Who does what, in what order, and what each stage costs.
Read articleThe point where your overseas worker no longer needs an employment permit — what Stamp 4 changes for your cost, flexibility and retention, and when it happens: 21 months on Critical Skills, 57 months on a General Employment Permit.
Read articleHow a nursing home or homecare operator should choose an agency for permit-based overseas hiring — end-to-end DETE permit management, NMBI and CORU registration support, transparent fees, and what a placement guarantee really covers.
Read articleThe permit that puts a worker who fell out of the system back into legal employment — who qualifies, the Stamp 1 letter that comes first, the National Minimum Wage floor, and when it isn't your permit at all.
Read articleThe application mechanics, start to finish — the EPOS portal, who can submit, the document pack, the 2026 fees, and what happens after you file. Plus how CA Recruitment runs the whole submission for you.
Read articleHow the Intra-Company Transfer permit works for Irish branches of multinationals — who qualifies, the €49,523 salary floor, foreign payroll, the 6-month service rule, and when you actually need a General Employment Permit instead.
Read articleHow the Critical Skills Employment Permit works for Irish employers — the salary tiers that decide eligibility, why there's no Labour Market Needs Test, immediate family reunification, the Stamp 4 route, and what you actually have to do.
Read articleLive DETE employment permit processing dates for Irish employers, set inside the full hire-to-start timeline — the Labour Market Needs Test, the decision queue, the entry visa and travel — so you can plan a start date you can actually keep.
Read articleA plain-English glossary of the permit acronyms Irish employers keep running into — CSEP, GEP, LMNT, DMW, the 50:50 rule, DETE, ERO/SEO, MAR and the occupation lists — defined from the employer's point of view.
Read articleThe Employment Permits Act 2024 is the law behind every permit you use to hire non-EU workers. What changed — change of employer, seasonal permits, subcontractors, and indexed salary floors — and what it means for your business.
Read articleA practical checklist for Irish employers using the General Employment Permit in 2026 — who can sponsor, what you must pay by role, the steps you run, and the real timeline.
Read articleThe Atypical Working Scheme lets non-EEA staff work in Ireland for under 90 days without a permit. Here’s who qualifies, the fee, the timeline, and when you need a permit instead.
Read articleSome Irish roles can’t be filled on any employment permit, at any salary. Here’s the 2026 Ineligible List, the exceptions employers miss, and what to do next.
Read articleA quick employer check: is the role you’re hiring for on Ireland’s Critical Skills Occupations List, what’s the salary floor, and what changes for you if it is?
Read articleMost General Employment Permits hinge on the Labour Market Needs Test. The exact advertising channels, the 28-day rule, which permits need it, and the mistakes that cost employers a month.
Read articleHiring a nurse is not the same as hiring a care assistant. NMBI registration, the Critical Skills vs General Employment Permit, and the real six-month timeline for nursing homes and private hospitals.
Read articleIreland is short thousands of HGV drivers. Which overseas drivers qualify for an employment permit, the licence rule that decides it, and what the full process costs a transport employer.
Read articleWhich factory and food-processing roles can be sponsored on a DETE permit? An employer’s guide to eligible roles, salary floors, and the full 6-month hiring process.
Read articlePig farm assistants and pig managers qualify for Irish employment permits — no quota. The salary rules, LMNT, timeline and costs for pig farmers hiring overseas.
Read articleHow Irish companies streamline overseas recruitment in 2026: permit eligibility first, parallel candidate sourcing, a clean LMNT, and a realistic 6-month plan.
Read articleCan’t find staff in Ireland in 2026? Why local hiring isn’t closing the gap, and how the overseas work permit route lets you fill roles you can’t staff locally.
Read articleIreland’s construction labour shortage is stalling sites in 2026. The scale of the gap, the trades hit hardest, and how the overseas permit route fills skilled roles.
Read articleCan’t fill the pass? The chef shortage isn’t going away — but non-EU chefs are eligible for the General Employment Permit. The eligible grades, the €36,605 threshold, and how the overseas route works.
Read articleThere’s no single minimum salary — it depends on the role. The 2026 thresholds by band, from €16.12/hour for care roles to the construction Sectoral rates, and why it isn’t an overseas premium.
Read articleIreland could be short more than 60,000 healthcare assistants by 2036. The numbers behind the problem, why local hiring isn’t working, and the permit route most care employers haven’t used.
Read articleRenewals must be filed between 16 weeks and 8 weeks before the permit expires. Here’s the window, the fees, the documents DETE asks for, and the salary threshold trap catching employers out in 2026.
Read articleYes — electricians, plumbers, and other qualified tradespeople are GEP-eligible. Here’s what the Labour Market Needs Test involves, the salary requirements, and how long the process takes.
Read articleGEP eligibility for care assistants, the NMBI question answered, the DETE process, costs and timeline. Written for Irish nursing home owners and managers.
Read articleCan home care providers hire carers from the Philippines? The GEP route, the €32,691 salary threshold, and the full process explained.
Read articleChef permits are open in Ireland. The DETE GEP process, salary rules, experience requirements, LMNT, and timeline explained for Irish hotels and restaurants.
Read articleEligible trades, the Labour Market Needs Test, GEP permit, D-visa, and the full process for Irish construction employers facing the labour shortage.
Read articleHorticulture worker permits are capped at 971 from 13 May 2026, and DETE’s notice of 26 August 2026 asks employers not to submit new meat processor operative applications. The GEP route for Irish farmers explained, from eligibility check to the worker arriving on your farm.
Read articleStep-by-step guide for Irish employers hiring overseas workers legally. GEP permit, Labour Market Needs Test, 50/50 rule, and D-visa explained.
Read articleHow to evaluate Filipino recruitment agencies as an Irish employer. DMW accreditation, DETE permit expertise, and what end-to-end service should include.
Read articleWhat does it cost to hire an overseas worker in Ireland? The DETE permit fee is €1,000 and is paid by the employer. Here’s the full breakdown.
Read articleStep-by-step guide for Irish employers hiring Filipino workers. Covers DMW accreditation, Labour Market Needs Test, GEP permit, D-visa, and care qualifications. 4–6 months start to finish.
Read articleIrish nursing homes can hire care workers from overseas using a GEP permit. DETE process, costs and timeline explained for care home managers and homecare providers.
Read articleYes — and demand from private nursing homes and homecare providers is growing in 2026. Here's what you need to know about the care worker GEP quota, salary thresholds, and the permit process.
Read articleThe GEP quota for hospitality manager roles closed on 28 April 2026. Here's exactly which roles are now off the table, which remain permit-eligible, and what to do next.
Read articleOne of the most misunderstood requirements in Irish employment permit law. We explain what the 50/50 workforce rule actually means, when it applies, and when the two exceptions apply.
Read articleThe General Employment Permit and the Critical Skills Employment Permit work very differently. Here's how to tell which route applies to your role — and why it matters for your timeline.
Read articleFrom understanding which roles qualify for an employment permit to managing the worker's first 90 days — a practical overview for Irish employers who are new to the overseas recruitment process.
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