In short: A General Employment Permit lets an Irish employer hire a non-EEA worker for most roles paying at least €36,605 a year (a reduced €32,691 threshold applies to certain eligible occupations such as care assistants). The employer applies to DETE, not the worker, and most applications need a 28-day Labour Market Needs Test first. CA Recruitment handles the whole process end-to-end.
This page is for employers, not job seekers
If you run an Irish business and you cannot fill a role locally, the General Employment Permit is usually the route that applies to you. This page explains what the permit is, who qualifies, what it costs, how long it takes, and exactly what CA Recruitment does so that the process does not land on your desk.
We are a licensed Irish employment agency (WRC Licence No. EA 5444). We place overseas workers — primarily from the Philippines — with employers across care, hospitality, construction, agriculture, food processing, logistics, and more, and we manage the DETE permit from the first eligibility check to the worker starting on site.
What a General Employment Permit is
The General Employment Permit is the main, broadest Irish employment permit. It is issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and is available for any occupation that is not on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits, provided the role meets the minimum salary threshold and the other conditions below.
Two points that surprise employers most often:
- The employer holds the permit, not the worker. You apply, DETE assesses, and once approved the worker applies for an Irish D-visa from their home country before travelling.
- The salary threshold is lower than most people assume for several in-demand roles. The standard minimum is €36,605, but care assistants, home support workers, meat processor operatives, and horticulture workers qualify at a reduced threshold (see below).
Minimum salary thresholds (2026)
The qualifying salary must be basic pay. Guaranteed premium payments can be included, but bonuses, shift allowances, commission, and overtime cannot. The current thresholds are:
| Category | Minimum annual remuneration |
|---|---|
| Standard rate (most roles) | €36,605 |
| Specified eligible occupations — Health Care Assistants, Home Support Workers (SOC 6145), Meat Processor Operatives, Horticulture workers | €32,691 (minimum €16.12/hour) |
| Graduate with a relevant degree from an Irish college in the previous 12 months | €34,009 |
Thresholds are set by DETE and reviewed periodically. CA Recruitment confirms the correct figure for your specific role during the free eligibility check, so a borderline salary never causes a refusal after you have committed time to an application.
Who and what qualifies
A General Employment Permit application has to clear four main tests:
- Eligible occupation. The role must not appear on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits. Most roles are eligible; the ineligible list is the exception, not the rule.
- Salary threshold. The role must pay at least the relevant minimum above, in basic pay.
- Labour Market Needs Test. The role must usually be advertised first (see below) to show no EEA worker was available.
- 50:50 workforce rule. At least 50% of your workforce must be EEA nationals at the time of application — with two exemptions noted below.
The process, step by step
- Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT): the role is advertised for at least 28 consecutive days with the Department of Social Protection Employment Services/EURES network through Jobs Ireland, plus one additional online platform. (The Employment Permits Act 2024 dropped the old national-newspaper requirement.) Every application and its outcome must be recorded in the format DETE requires. CA Recruitment runs this in full.
- 50:50 workforce check: at least 50% of your staff must be EEA nationals when you apply. Exemptions: start-up companies registered with Revenue within the last 2 years that have formal Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland support, and cases where the overseas worker will be your only employee.
- DETE application fee: €1,000 for a first permit of up to 24 months — the maximum length of a first permit (renewals of up to 36 months cost €1,500). It is paid to DETE at submission, is an external government charge rather than a fee to CA Recruitment, and cannot be recovered from the worker.
- Processing time: DETE publishes live processing dates that change regularly — always check the current application processing dates at enterprise.gov.ie.
- D-visa and arrival: once the permit is approved, the worker applies for an Irish D (long-stay) employment visa, then travels and registers for an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) on arrival.
Allowing for all stages, the realistic end-to-end timeline is roughly 6 to 8 months from first call to the worker starting. The full journey is set out in our Work Permit Guide for Irish Employers.
General Employment Permit vs Critical Skills Employment Permit
The two permits employers ask about most are the GEP and the Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP). In short: the GEP covers the widest range of roles and needs a Labour Market Needs Test; the CSEP is for specific higher-paid occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, skips the LMNT, and reaches Stamp 4 faster. Most roles outside the critical-skills list — including care, hospitality, and many trades — go through the GEP.
For a full side-by-side, see GEP vs CSEP: Which Permit Does Your Role Need?
What CA Recruitment does for you
We manage the process from the first call to the worker starting on site. In practice:
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1
Free eligibility check
We confirm the role is eligible, identify the correct salary threshold, check your workforce against the 50:50 rule, and give you a realistic timeline. No charge, no obligation. If something does not qualify, you find out now — before you spend time or money.
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2
Labour Market Needs Test
We run the full 28-day advertising requirement, keep the application log, and document outcomes in DETE's format. Candidate sourcing from the Philippines runs in parallel so the LMNT window is not dead time.
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3
Candidate sourcing and vetting
Monette sources candidates through her direct networks in the Philippines. Qualifications are verified, references checked, and experience confirmed before anyone reaches your shortlist.
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4
DETE permit application
We prepare the full application through the Employment Permits Online System — documentation, salary verification, workforce evidence, LMNT records. You review and sign; we submit and follow up. DETE contacts us, not you.
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5
Visa coordination and pre-departure
Once the permit is approved, we coordinate the D-visa from the worker's side and track every document so nothing delays departure.
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6
Arrival, IRP registration, and 90-day support
We support the worker through IRP registration, PPS number, and bank account setup in the first week, and stay in contact for the first 90 days.
Hiring on a General Employment Permit? Let's check it's eligible.
WhatsApp Monette directly on 089 416 6124 for a free eligibility check. We'll confirm whether your role qualifies, the correct salary threshold, and what the timeline looks like for your business. No commitment required.
Does a GEP lead to long-term residency?
Yes. A General Employment Permit holder lives in Ireland on Stamp 1 immigration permission. After five years of legal residence on an employment permit, the worker can apply to the Department of Justice for Stamp 4, which removes the need for a further permit. This is slower than the Critical Skills route, which allows a Stamp 4 application after two years — but for most roles the GEP is the only available permit, and the path to settlement is real.
Why Irish employers work with CA Recruitment
Filipino-owned, Ireland-based
Monette is Filipino, grew up in the Philippines, and now lives in Ballyporeen, Co. Tipperary. She understands both sides — the Irish permit system and what departure means for workers and their families. That is not replicable by an agency working at arm's length through a partner.
End-to-end permit management
The DETE process has precise requirements at every stage. We handle all of it. You review and sign documents, and you choose from the shortlist. That is the extent of what falls on you.
Every sector, not just trades
Many agencies focus on construction and engineering, where salaries sit above the standard threshold. We work the full range — including the reduced-threshold care and food-processing roles many agencies won't.
Transparent, fixed fees
We agree a clear, fixed recruitment fee upfront. The €1,000 DETE permit fee and any visa and travel costs are billed at cost and paid directly to DETE where applicable — never marked up.
Reliable, long-term staff
A worker who has gone through the permit process has made a deliberate, significant commitment. It tends to show in how long they stay.
Licensed and compliant
CA Recruitment holds WRC Employment Agency Licence No. EA 5444. The permit fee is never charged to the worker, and every step is run to DETE's documentation standard.
Frequently asked questions
The General Employment Permit (GEP) is the main Irish work permit that lets an employer hire a non-EEA worker for a role that is not on the Ineligible List of Occupations. It is issued by DETE, the employer applies rather than the worker, and most roles require a minimum annual remuneration of €36,605 — with a reduced €32,691 threshold for certain eligible occupations such as Health Care Assistants and Home Support Workers.
The standard minimum annual remuneration is €36,605. A reduced threshold of €32,691 (a minimum €16.12 per hour) applies to specified occupations including Health Care Assistants, Home Support Workers, Meat Processor Operatives, and Horticulture workers. Applicants with a relevant degree from an Irish college awarded in the previous 12 months can qualify at €34,009. The qualifying figure must be basic pay — bonuses, shift allowances, and overtime do not count.
Yes, in most cases. The role must be advertised for at least 28 consecutive days with the Department of Social Protection Employment Services/EURES network through Jobs Ireland, plus one additional online platform, with every application and outcome recorded. (The Employment Permits Act 2024 removed the old requirement to also advertise in a national newspaper.) CA Recruitment manages the entire Labour Market Needs Test for you.
The DETE application fee for a first permit is €1,000, covering up to 24 months — the maximum length of a first permit. Renewals of up to 36 months cost €1,500. It is paid to DETE at submission and cannot be recovered from the worker. CA Recruitment's recruitment fee is agreed with you upfront and is separate from the government charge. A full cost breakdown is provided during the free consultation.
DETE requires that at least 50% of your workforce are EEA nationals at the time of the permit application. Two exemptions apply: start-up companies registered with Revenue within the last 2 years with formal Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland support, and cases where the overseas worker will be your only employee. We check your workforce composition during the free eligibility assessment.
Yes. A GEP holder lives in Ireland on Stamp 1. After five years of legal residence on an employment permit, the worker can apply to the Department of Justice for Stamp 4, which removes the need for a further permit. The Critical Skills Employment Permit reaches that point faster (after two years), but for most roles the GEP is the applicable permit.