In short: Hiring an overseas worker has two cost parts — CA Recruitment's recruitment fee (agreed upfront) and external government/third-party costs (mainly the DETE permit fee, plus visa, travel and registration). The realistic end-to-end timeline is about 6 to 8 months. We give you a full fixed breakdown before you commit.
What it costs
We're transparent about cost because surprises are the fastest way to lose an employer's trust. There are two parts:
| Cost | Who it's paid to | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CA Recruitment fee | CA Recruitment | Agreed with you upfront; depends on role and volume. Our placement fee is not due until your worker starts. |
| DETE employment permit fee | DETE | €1,000 for a General Employment Permit up to 24 months; paid at submission; 90% refundable if refused. Cannot be charged to the worker. |
| D-visa | Dept of Justice / Embassy | Paid by/for the worker before travel. |
| IRP registration | Immigration Service Delivery | Registered after arrival in Ireland. |
| Travel & medical | Third parties | Flights and any required medical checks. |
| LMNT advertising | Job platforms | Where a Labour Market Needs Test is required (Jobs Ireland is free; the second platform may have a small cost). |
Government fees change, so always confirm the current DETE permit fee on the DETE employment permits website. We give you a full, fixed breakdown of every expected cost at the free consultation — before you commit to anything.
How long it takes
The realistic end-to-end timeline is about 6 to 8 months from first call to the worker starting on site. That breaks down roughly as:
- Labour Market Needs Test (where required): 28 consecutive days of advertising — we run candidate sourcing in parallel so this isn't dead time.
- DETE permit processing: varies with DETE's current volumes — always check the live processing dates at enterprise.gov.ie.
- D-visa: a few weeks once the permit is approved.
- Travel, IRP registration and onboarding: the final stretch, with our first-90-day support.
Want a real cost and timeline for your roles?
WhatsApp Monette for a free eligibility check. We'll give you a fixed cost breakdown and a realistic timeline — no commitment.
Frequently asked questions
There are two parts: CA Recruitment's recruitment fee, which is agreed with you upfront and depends on the role and volume; and external government and third-party costs, mainly the DETE employment permit fee (€1,000 for a General Employment Permit of up to 24 months), plus the worker's visa, travel, medical and Irish Residence Permit registration. We give a full, fixed breakdown at the free consultation before anything is agreed.
The General Employment Permit fee is €1,000 for a permit of up to 24 months (a lower fee applies to permits of up to 6 months, and renewals are charged separately). Check the current fees on the DETE website. The permit fee is paid to DETE at submission, cannot be recovered from the worker, and is 90% refundable if the application is refused or withdrawn before processing.
Roughly 6 to 8 months from first call to the worker starting. That covers the 28-day Labour Market Needs Test where required, DETE processing of the permit, the worker's D-visa, and travel and onboarding. DETE processing times change regularly — always check the current dates on the DETE website.
No. The employment permit fee cannot legally be recovered from the worker under Irish law. CA Recruitment bills government and third-party costs to you at cost and never marks them up.