Employers who have successfully hired overseas workers through the DETE employment permit process consistently say the same thing: the process was more defined than they expected. There is paperwork, there are timelines, and there are steps you cannot shortcut — but none of it is mysterious once you understand what each stage involves.
This guide covers every major step for an Irish employer considering overseas recruitment for the first time. If you need deeper detail on any individual area, the relevant links are in each section.
Is It Legal? What Permit Route Applies?
Yes. Irish law provides a clear legal route for employers to hire non-EEA workers when a role cannot be filled locally. The main route is the General Employment Permit (GEP), managed by DETE (Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment).
The GEP covers most sectors and most occupations. There are two salary thresholds:
- Standard roles: minimum annual salary of €36,605
- Shortage occupations — including healthcare assistants, home support workers, horticulture workers, and meat processors: €16.12 per hour, which is €32,691 per year on a 39-hour week (a 40-hour week requires €33,529.60)
These thresholds were updated in March 2026. Always verify current figures at enterprise.gov.ie before starting any application — DETE reviews thresholds annually.
There is a second permit type, the Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP), for certain high-demand roles — roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List, or any role paying above €68,911. The CSEP skips the Labour Market Needs Test. But for most of the sectors where Irish employers are struggling to fill roles — agriculture, construction, hospitality, care — the GEP is the route.
The permit fee for a new GEP issued for up to 24 months is €1,000. If an application is refused, 90% of that fee is refundable.
The Labour Market Needs Test
Before DETE will process a GEP application, you must show that no suitable Irish or EEA candidate was available for the role. You do this through the Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) — a 28-day mandatory advertising requirement that you run yourself.
What the test requires
- Advertise the role on Jobs Ireland (the DSP employment services platform at jobsireland.ie) — mandatory
- Advertise on one additional online platform: Indeed, LinkedIn, or a similar jobs board
- Both advertisements must run for a minimum of 28 consecutive days
- Record every application received during the advertising period
- Interview all candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the role
- Document your reasons for not progressing each Irish or EU applicant
- Retain all documentation for at least two years — DETE can audit this after the permit is issued
Two things to confirm before you start the LMNT
First: confirm the job title you intend to use is on DETE's eligible occupations list — not the ineligible list. Some roles cannot be filled through an employment permit at all. Check enterprise.gov.ie before you spend four weeks advertising.
Second: check your 50/50 ratio. At least 50% of your total workforce must be EEA nationals at the time you submit the permit application. If you run the LMNT and then discover your ratio has dropped below 50% on the day you try to submit, you cannot submit. Read our full explanation of the 50/50 rule before you start the process.
The GEP Application
Once the LMNT is complete and you have identified your candidate, you submit the GEP application to DETE through the EPOS portal at enterprise.gov.ie. The employer submits on the worker's behalf.
What you need to apply
From your business:
- Tax Clearance Certificate from Revenue
- Business registration documents
- A signed employment contract showing the correct salary and job title
- Full LMNT documentation: copies of all advertisements, all applications received, interview records, and rejection reasons
From your candidate:
- Valid passport
- Educational and professional qualification certificates
- Employment history and references
Current processing time: As of May 2026, DETE is processing new GEP applications received in early March 2026 — approximately 11 to 12 weeks. Check current processing dates at enterprise.gov.ie before you plan your timeline.
Once issued, the permit is sent to the employer. The worker cannot travel to Ireland on the permit alone — they still need a D-visa.
For a full walkthrough of the EPOS application and documentation requirements, see our work permit guide for Irish employers.
The D-Visa (Philippines)
Once DETE issues the employment permit, your worker applies for the Irish Employment D-visa at the Irish Embassy in Manila, submitted through VFS Philippines.
The D-visa is the long-stay employment visa — the document that authorises entry into Ireland for work. A tourist visa (C-visa) does not cover employment and cannot be converted after arrival.
Processing at the Irish Embassy Manila typically takes 4 to 8 weeks from the date of application, though this varies. Check current published times from the embassy before your worker books their appointment.
The visa application requires: the original employment permit, signed employment contract, valid passport, NBI clearance (Philippine police clearance), medical certificate, and evidence of accommodation in Ireland.
For a detailed breakdown of the Filipino-specific steps — including the DMW accreditation requirement and the OEC — see our guide to hiring Filipino workers in Ireland.
The 50/50 Rule, Simply Explained
The 50/50 rule is built into Irish employment permit legislation. DETE will not issue an employment permit unless at least 50% of the employees in your business are EEA nationals at the time of application.
EEA nationals are citizens of the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Irish, EU, and EEA passport holders all count.
The ratio is assessed on the date you submit your application — not when you start the LMNT, and not when the worker arrives.
Two things that catch employers out:
Each overseas hire changes the ratio for the next application. Your first overseas worker joins your headcount as a non-EEA employee. By the time you apply for a second or third permit, the ratio has shifted. Check it every time before you start the LMNT — do not assume you qualify because you qualified last time.
Staff turnover during the LMNT period can sink the application. If an EEA employee leaves while your 28-day advertising is running, you may not meet the ratio on the day you try to submit. That means running the LMNT again once the ratio recovers. Checking where you stand before you start the advertising period is not optional.
There are two narrow exemptions: the sole-employee situation (the non-EEA worker will be the only person in the business) and EI/IDA-backed start-ups registered within two years with a formal letter of support from Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland. Business size alone is not an exemption.
Not sure if you meet the 50/50 rule? CA Recruitment checks your ratio as the first step of every free consultation — before the LMNT, before any paperwork. Read the full 50/50 rule explanation or WhatsApp Monette to have yours checked.
What CA Recruitment Does
CA Recruitment is a Filipino-owned agency based in Ireland, founded by Monette Russell. Monette is from the Philippines and has managed the DETE employment permit process from both sides — as someone who navigated the Irish system herself and as the person who now handles it on behalf of Irish employers.
We work across agriculture, construction, healthcare, hospitality, and care. Irish employers we work with include PJ Ryan at Ballymorris Pig Farm and Joe Colville at Ecoville Construction.
What we manage for every placement:
- 50/50 ratio check and eligibility confirmation before anything else moves
- Labour Market Needs Test — advice, documentation, and compliance review
- Candidate sourcing, screening, and presentation
- DETE permit application — preparation, submission, and query handling
- D-visa process on the Philippine side, through our DMW-accredited partner agency
- Onboarding logistics: PPS number, IRP registration, accommodation support
The recruitment fee is agreed upfront and separate from government costs.
Ready to find out if overseas hiring works for your role? WhatsApp Monette.
The first conversation is free, takes about 20 minutes, and covers your 50/50 ratio, the permit route for your specific role, and a realistic timeline. No obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
From first conversation to a worker's first day, the process typically takes 6 to 8 months. The Labour Market Needs Test takes 28 days. DETE permit processing is currently running at approximately 11 to 12 weeks. The D-visa at the Irish Embassy Manila takes a further 4 to 8 weeks. The steps run partly in sequence and partly in parallel. The single biggest factor in how long it takes is how early you start.
The GEP process applies to any non-EEA national. CA Recruitment specialises in placing Filipino workers because the agency is Filipino-owned, has a DMW-accredited partner agency in the Philippines, and Filipino workers have a strong track record with Irish employers across our sectors. The Irish permit rules are the same regardless of where your worker comes from.
Most sectors, with exceptions. DETE maintains an ineligible occupations list — roles on that list cannot be filled through an employment permit regardless of how long the LMNT runs. CA Recruitment works across agriculture, construction, hospitality, healthcare, and care. Check enterprise.gov.ie before committing to the Labour Market Needs Test.
If DETE refuses a GEP application, 90% of the application fee is refundable. The most common reasons for refusal are: incomplete documentation, a 50/50 ratio that was not met at the time of application, the occupation being on the ineligible list, or deficiencies in the LMNT documentation. An experienced agency should identify all of these before submission — not after.
You can hire one. There is no minimum number. Most employers start with a single overseas hire, see how the process works, and plan further hires once their workforce ratio allows it.
Want the full detail on every step? Our work permit guide for Irish employers covers the GEP and CSEP routes, the 50/50 rule, salary thresholds, and the full application process from start to finish. Or read our specific guide to hiring Filipino workers in Ireland if you want the Philippines-side process covered in depth.