Your questions about hiring
Filipino workers in Ireland.

A DETE employment permit is an official authorisation issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) that allows a non-EEA national to work legally in Ireland. As an employer, you apply for the permit on behalf of the worker. CA Recruitment manages the entire application process for you: forms, supporting documentation, and communication with DETE.

A Critical Skills Employment Permit is for occupations on Ireland's Critical Skills Occupations List — typically roles requiring a degree or higher qualification, or earning over €38,000. A General Employment Permit covers most other roles and requires a Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) to show the position could not be filled locally. We assess which permit type applies to your vacancy and advise accordingly.

The Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) is a requirement for General Employment Permits. It shows you advertised the role to EEA candidates for a minimum of 28 days before offering it to a non-EEA worker. The role must be advertised on EURES, Jobs Ireland, and one other platform. CA Recruitment guides you through this process or manages it entirely on your behalf.

DETE currently processes most employment permit applications within 8 to 12 weeks from submission of a complete application. Critical Skills permits are typically faster than General Employment permits. We submit complete, accurate applications first time to avoid delays caused by requests for further information.

No. Under Irish law, the employment permit application must be submitted by the employer or an authorised agent. CA Recruitment acts as your authorised agent and submits the application on your behalf. The worker does not apply — you do, with our support.

Yes. Filipino nationals require an employment visa (a "D visa") to enter Ireland for work. Once the employment permit is granted, the worker applies for the visa through the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). CA Recruitment coordinates this process and ensures all documentation is in order before the worker travels.

Refusals are rare when applications are prepared correctly, but if one does occur, DETE provides written reasons. In most cases, the decision can be appealed or a fresh application submitted with the deficiency addressed. CA Recruitment reviews every refusal and advises on the best route forward, and 90% of the government fee is refunded on refusal.

It starts with a free consultation where we understand your vacancy, sector, and requirements. We then shortlist candidates from our network in the Philippines — people our team has interviewed and verified in person. You review CVs and interview your preferred candidates. Once you select someone, we manage the employment permit application, visa process, and pre-arrival onboarding. From consultation to first day, most placements complete within 3 to 6 months.

Yes, always. We never place a worker without your approval. You'll receive CVs and candidate profiles first, then conduct video interviews with your shortlisted candidates. You make the hiring decision, and we manage everything that follows.

We go back to sourcing. There is no obligation at the candidate stage. We'd rather take the time to find the right person than present someone who isn't a genuine fit. We'll be honest with you if a particular role is proving difficult to fill — and why.

You are not legally required to provide accommodation, but it is strongly recommended — particularly for roles in rural areas or sectors like agriculture and construction where housing supply is limited. Providing accommodation significantly improves worker retention and makes permit applications stronger. We can advise on how to structure accommodation arrangements compliantly.

Yes. We handle single placements and volume hiring. If you need multiple workers across different roles or sites, we manage each permit application individually and coordinate timelines so workers arrive in a sequence that suits your operation.

As of 2025, the fee for a General Employment Permit is €1,000 for a permit of 24 months or less, or €1,500 for a permit over 24 months. Critical Skills permits are €1,000. If a permit is refused, 90% of the fee is refunded. These are government fees, separate from CA Recruitment's placement fees.

Yes. All employment permit holders must be paid at least the Irish National Minimum Wage — currently €13.50 per hour as of January 2025. General Employment Permits also require a minimum annual salary of €34,000 for most roles. We confirm the applicable minimum for your specific role during the consultation.

Our fees are discussed during your free consultation and depend on the role type and volume of placements. There is no fee for the initial consultation. You pay nothing until your worker is successfully placed. We provide a clear, fixed quote before anything is agreed. No hidden charges.

Yes. The Philippines has one of the highest English proficiency rates in Asia. English is an official language and the primary medium of instruction in Filipino schools. Our candidates can communicate effectively with employers, colleagues, and customers from day one. We also assess English fluency as part of our candidate vetting process.

Every candidate is interviewed in person by our team on the ground in the Philippines, not just reviewed remotely. We check employment references, verify qualifications and certifications, and assess English communication, sector experience, and readiness to relocate. We only present candidates we'd hire ourselves.

Nationwide. We place workers with employers across every county in Ireland, from Dublin to rural Connacht. We also work with UK employers. Location is not a barrier, though we do advise on accommodation and local integration support for rural placements.

As an employer of a permit holder, you must: pay at least the permitted minimum wage, maintain the employment conditions stated in the permit application, notify DETE if the employment ends, not charge the worker for recruitment fees, and comply with WRC (Workplace Relations Commission) employment law. CA Recruitment briefs you on all obligations before your worker arrives and provides a compliance checklist.

The 50/50 rule requires that no more than 50% of a company's total workforce can hold employment permits at any one time. This applies at the point of application. If your company is approaching this threshold, we'll identify it during the consultation and advise on options. Most employers are well below this limit.

Employment permit holders are generally tied to the employer named on the permit during the first year. After 12 months, a General Employment Permit holder can apply to change employer within the same occupation category. Critical Skills permit holders can change employer after the first year with DETE notification. We explain these rules in full during onboarding.

We offer a 90-day replacement guarantee as standard. If the placement does not work out within the first 90 days for any reason, we replace your worker free of charge. This covers both voluntary departure by the worker and performance-related issues. It is our way of standing behind every placement we make.

Yes. CA Recruitment operates within the Irish employment permit framework and complies with WRC (Workplace Relations Commission) regulations governing the employment of overseas workers. We are a Filipino-owned agency founded by Monette, who has direct personal experience of the Filipino migration and work permit process in Ireland.

We are Filipino-owned with team members on the ground in the Philippines. This means we know our candidates personally, not just from a database. We specialise exclusively in Filipino workers for Irish and UK employers, so the permit process, cultural integration, and candidate quality are areas we know deeply. And you deal directly with us, not a call centre or account manager who rotates every six months.