How to Hire Overseas Care Assistants in Ireland

Yes, you can hire care assistants from overseas in Ireland. Irish nursing homes, home care operators, and disability services can apply for a General Employment Permit (GEP) through DETE (Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment) for non-EU care workers. Under SI 64/2025, there are 1,134 permits allocated for healthcare support workers, with a pay threshold of €16.12 per hour — €32,691 per year on a 39-hour week. Once you submit the application, DETE currently takes 8 to 12 weeks to process it. The full timeline from first contact to a worker's first day is 5 to 6 months. CA Recruitment manages the full permit process — you do not touch a form.

We have already confirmed the quota is open if you want the background on SI 64/2025. This post is the practical how-to: steps, costs, and what to watch out for.

Which care roles qualify for a work permit in Ireland?

The following roles are eligible for a General Employment Permit under the current care worker quota:

• Care Assistant
• Healthcare Support Worker
• Home Help / Home Care Assistant

The ineligibility trap: The job title "Senior Care Worker" is on DETE's ineligible occupations list for the vast majority of care employers. If you run a nursing home or home care company and you submit a permit application with "Senior Care Worker" as the job title, DETE will refuse it.

The one exception: disability services operated by Section 38 or Section 39 organisations under the HSE framework can apply for Senior Care Workers under a separate route. For standard private nursing homes and home care operators, the correct title on the permit application is Care Assistant or Healthcare Support Worker. The role can carry supervisory duties in practice. The permit application is about the title used, not the duties performed.

If you are unsure which title to use for your specific role, WhatsApp Monette before you begin the Labour Market Needs Test. Getting the job title wrong at that stage costs you four weeks.

What is the Labour Market Needs Test and how do you complete it?

The Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) requires you to advertise the care role to Irish and EU workers for 28 consecutive days before submitting a permit application to DETE. You run this process yourself — DETE does not manage it for you.

Complete the LMNT in this order:

1. Place the job advertisement on Jobs Ireland (DSP Employment Services) and the EURES employment network — both are required by DETE
2. Advertise on at least one additional online platform: Indeed.ie, LinkedIn, or a national newspaper job board
3. Record every application received during the 28-day period
4. Interview all candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the role
5. Document your reasons for not progressing each Irish or EU applicant
6. Retain all documentation: copies of the advertisements, all applications received, interview notes, and rejection reasons

DETE can audit this paperwork after the permit is issued. Keep it for at least two years. If you cannot produce evidence of the advertising and assessment process, you risk permit revocation and a referral to the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission).

The LMNT is about demonstrating that you genuinely tried to fill the role locally before looking overseas. Keep everything on file and keep it organised.

How do you apply for a GEP for a care worker?

Once the LMNT is complete and you have identified your candidate, the permit application follows these steps:

1. Confirm the 50/50 rule applies at your business. At the point of application, at least 50% of your total workforce must be EEA nationals. Most nursing homes and care operators are well above this threshold. If you have already hired a number of workers on permits, check this ratio before you begin the application — a ratio below 50% will result in refusal.
2. Prepare the employment contract and job offer letter. The salary must meet the minimum threshold of €16.12 per hour: €32,691 per year on a 39-hour week, or €33,529.60 on a 40-hour week. The figure must be basic pay — bonuses, shift allowances, and overtime do not count towards it.
3. Log in to the EPOS portal at enterprise.gov.ie and complete the GEP application form on behalf of your candidate.
4. Upload all supporting documents. This includes the candidate's qualifications, passport, educational certificates, and your LMNT documentation. CA Recruitment prepares and supplies the candidate documentation for every applicant we put forward.
5. Pay the DETE permit fee of €1,000. This covers permits issued for up to 24 months.
6. Wait for DETE to process the application. Current processing time for new GEP applications is 8 to 12 weeks — verify the current timeline at enterprise.gov.ie before submitting, as processing times change regularly.
7. Permit issued. Your candidate applies for a D employment visa to travel to Ireland. Filipino nationals are required to hold this visa before entering the country.
8. Worker arrives and registers with Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) within 90 days of arrival. They receive their Irish Residence Permit (IRP).
9. You retain all required employment records as the permit-holder's employer and remain compliant with your obligations under the WRC.

For a full breakdown of GEP versus Critical Skills permit routes and when each applies, read our full employer guide to Irish employment permits.

What does it cost and how long does it take?

Timeline from first contact to first day:

• LMNT advertising period: 4 weeks (minimum)
• Candidate identification and application preparation: 2 to 4 weeks
• DETE processing: 8 to 12 weeks
• Visa application and travel: 4 to 6 weeks
• Total: 5 to 6 months

Employers who start the process in May 2026 can realistically have a worker on site by October or November. Every month of delay pushes that date back. DETE quotas also close when they are exhausted — the hospitality manager quota closed entirely in April 2026. Operators who wait assume that risk.

Do you need HIQA or Tusla approval before you start recruiting?

No. You do not need approval from HIQA (the Health Information and Quality Authority) or Tusla to begin the recruitment process.

HIQA inspects registered nursing homes under the Health Act 2007. Tusla regulates certain residential and home care services. Both bodies are concerned with how you operate your registered service, not with how you advertise or source staff.

What HIQA and Tusla require is that any care worker you employ is Garda vetted, holds verifiable qualifications, and is fit to work in the role before their first day. These checks happen before or on arrival, and they do not affect the permit application timeline or the DETE process.

CA Recruitment verifies qualifications and employment history for every candidate before putting them forward to an employer. No candidate is presented without a confirmed qualification record and a background check.

Why do Irish care operators hire Filipino care workers?

The Philippines produces care workers and healthcare assistants specifically for overseas employment. Filipino care workers consistently working in Irish and UK care settings share these characteristics:

• Educated in English-medium healthcare programmes
• Qualified to nursing diploma or healthcare assistant certificate level
• Experienced in high-dependency and high-acuity care environments
• English-speaking from training, not as a second language learned later

The Philippines is consistently the second largest source country for Irish employment permits. In 2025, 3,398 permits were issued to Filipino nationals across all sectors in Ireland. Filipino care workers are already embedded in nursing homes and home care services throughout the country.

CA Recruitment is founded and run by Monette, a Filipino national living and working in Ireland. She has direct connections with qualified care workers in the Philippines and manages the full permit process from LMNT to permit issue. You are not going through a broker or a third-party intermediary. You are talking directly to someone who has done this before, repeatedly, for Irish care operators.

For details on every role we can place, visit our Filipino care worker recruitment service.

What care operators working with us say

CA Recruitment is currently placing care assistants with Irish nursing homes and home care operators. If you would like to speak with an employer we have worked with, WhatsApp Monette directly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I hire a care assistant from outside the EU for my nursing home?

Yes. Care assistants and healthcare support workers are on DETE's eligible occupations list under SI 64/2025, with 1,134 permits allocated specifically for healthcare support workers. Apply through DETE using a General Employment Permit.

What is the minimum salary for a care worker on an Irish work permit?

The minimum is €16.12 per hour, which works out at €32,691 per year on a 39-hour week or €33,529.60 on a 40-hour week. This is the shortage occupation rate for care workers under the current GEP quota — the standard GEP minimum is higher. The qualifying salary must be basic pay: guaranteed premium payments can count towards it, but bonuses, shift allowances, and overtime cannot.

Can I apply for a permit for a Senior Care Worker at my nursing home?

Not in most cases. Senior Care Worker is on DETE's ineligible occupations list for standard nursing homes and home care operators. The correct title for a permit application is Care Assistant or Healthcare Support Worker. The exception is disability services run by Section 38 or Section 39 HSE-funded organisations, which have a separate route.

What is the Labour Market Needs Test and how long does it take?

The LMNT is a 28-day advertising requirement. Before applying for a permit, you must advertise the role on Jobs Ireland (DSP Employment Services), the EURES employment network, and at least one additional online platform. You must document all applications received and your reasons for not progressing any Irish or EU candidates. The minimum duration is four weeks.

How long does DETE take to process a care worker's employment permit?

Current processing time for new GEP applications is 8 to 12 weeks. Check enterprise.gov.ie for current processing times before submitting, as these are updated regularly and change with application volumes.

What is the 50/50 rule and does it apply to nursing homes?

Yes, it applies to all GEP employers, including nursing homes. At the time of application, at least 50% of your total workforce must be EEA nationals. Most care operators with a mix of Irish, EU, and existing permit-holder staff are comfortably above this threshold. If you are approaching the 50% boundary, speak to CA Recruitment before you begin the application.

Do I need HIQA approval before I can recruit overseas?

No. HIQA regulates your registered nursing home service, not your recruitment activity. You can run the LMNT, identify a candidate, and submit a permit application regardless of your current HIQA registration status. Staff must pass qualification verification and Garda vetting before their first day — this does not affect the permit timeline.

How much does it cost in total to hire a care worker from overseas in Ireland?

The DETE permit fee is €1,000. LMNT advertising typically adds €200 to €500. The minimum salary is €16.12 per hour (€32,691 per year on a 39-hour week). CA Recruitment's recruitment fee is agreed with you upfront and is separate from these government costs — the consultation is free.