If you can't fill the role locally, you're not alone
If you run a farm or agricultural business in Ireland and you're struggling to find workers locally, this page is for you. It covers which agricultural roles qualify for a General Employment Permit, what the process involves, and how CA Recruitment manages it.
Irish farms have faced persistent labour shortages for years. Pig units, mushroom farms, and horticulture operations regularly cannot fill operative roles locally, and the work is too specialist and too physical for casual solutions. Overseas workers have become a reliable answer for Irish agricultural employers. They come with relevant experience, strong work ethic, and a genuine commitment to the role they have applied for and planned toward. This is not a casual move for them.
CA Recruitment has placed farm workers with Irish agricultural businesses including a Co. Cavan mushroom farm where eight workers were placed and on site within 14 weeks of the first call. We manage the full DETE permit process. You do not touch the paperwork.
Which agricultural roles qualify for a work permit?
Not every farm role qualifies for a General Employment Permit (GEP). DETE maintains an ineligible occupations list, and most general farm worker roles sit on it. The roles carved out as eligible for agricultural businesses are:
- Pig Farm Assistant — operative roles on pig units. CA Recruitment has placed workers with pig farming operations in Tipperary, including PJ Ryan and Charlie Ryan at Ballymorris Pig Farm.
- Horticulture Worker — mushroom farms, market gardens, fruit and vegetable growing operations, and general horticultural production.
Horticulture worker roles qualify at the reduced shortage rate of €32,691 per annum. Pig farm assistant roles carry the standard GEP threshold of €36,605 per annum. The worker must be paid at least the applicable annual salary. The permit cannot be issued on a lower figure.
A note on dairy farm assistants: Dairy farm assistant is an eligible GEP occupation, but the annual quota for this role has been exhausted and new applications cannot currently be accepted. Contact CA Recruitment for the current quota status. Quotas are reviewed periodically and can reopen.
If you're unsure whether your specific role qualifies, the first step is a free consultation with CA Recruitment. We check eligibility before anything else, and we tell you clearly if a role does not qualify.
How the General Employment Permit works for agricultural businesses
The General Employment Permit (GEP) is issued by DETE (Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment). It is the standard permit route for non-EEA nationals taking up employment in eligible roles. Here is what the process involves for an Irish agricultural employer:
- Eligible occupation: The role must appear on DETE's eligible occupations list. Pig farm assistant and horticulture worker both qualify. CA Recruitment confirms this at the start.
- Minimum salary: €36,605 per annum for pig farm assistant roles (the standard GEP threshold) and €32,691 per annum for horticulture worker roles (the reduced rate). This is the actual wage paid to the worker, not a notional figure.
- Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT): The role must be advertised for 28 consecutive days on Jobs Ireland (the DSP jobs network) and at least one commercial job board. All applications received must be logged and the outcome for each documented. CA Recruitment manages this in full — you do not post or track anything yourself.
- 50/50 rule: At least 50% of your total workforce must be EEA nationals at the time of application. For most farms with several Irish workers already in employment, this is easy to satisfy. Two exemptions exist: start-up companies registered with Revenue within the last two years with formal Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland support, and businesses where the foreign national will be the only employee.
- DETE application fee: €1,000, paid by the employer at submission. This is a government fee paid directly to DETE, not an agency charge. It cannot be recouped from the worker.
- Processing time: Currently approximately 10 to 12 weeks for new GEP applications. Check live processing dates at enterprise.gov.ie as this changes regularly.
Once DETE approves the GEP, the worker applies for an Irish D-visa (long-stay employment visa) at the Irish Embassy in Manila. This typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. On arrival in Ireland, the worker registers with Immigration Service Delivery to receive their Irish Residence Permit.
Read the complete permit process in the Work Permit Guide for Irish Employers.
Realistic timeline: first call to worker on site
The full process takes 6 to 8 months from initial consultation to the worker starting. Here is how that breaks down:
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1
Free consultation and eligibility check — Day 1
We confirm whether your role qualifies, check your workforce composition against the 50/50 rule, and agree on the salary structure. No charge, no obligation.
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2
Labour Market Needs Test — 28 days
We post the role on Jobs Ireland and a second platform, manage all incoming applications, log outcomes, and prepare the LMNT documentation. Candidate sourcing from the Philippines runs in parallel, so you are not losing time.
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3
Candidate shortlist — during LMNT period
Monette sources candidates through her direct networks in the Philippines. We interview, verify qualifications, and check references. You receive a small shortlist of people we have already assessed, not a pile of CVs from a database.
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4
DETE permit application — 10 to 12 weeks processing
We prepare and submit the full application through DETE's Employment Permits Online system. You review and sign. DETE liaises with us throughout.
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5
D-visa and departure — 2 to 4 weeks
Once the GEP is approved, the worker applies for the Irish D-visa at the embassy in Manila. We track documentation and coordinate departure preparation.
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6
Arrival and 90-day support
We support the worker through IRP registration, PPS number, and bank account setup on arrival. We stay in contact for the first 90 days.
CA Recruitment placed eight workers at a Co. Cavan mushroom farm within 14 weeks of the first call. That is towards the faster end of the range and required running the LMNT advertising and candidate sourcing at the same time. It is achievable when the process starts promptly.
Running a farm and need workers? Let's talk.
WhatsApp Monette directly to confirm whether your role qualifies and get a realistic timeline for your situation. Free consultation, no commitment required.
Why Irish agricultural employers work with CA Recruitment
CA Recruitment is run by Monette, a Filipino national based in Co. Tipperary. She built the agency because she understood both sides: the Irish permit system and what the departure process actually involves for Filipino workers and their families. That knowledge is not something a generalist agency can replicate by outsourcing to a partner in Manila.
Filipino-owned, Ireland-based
Monette has community networks in the Philippines that no third-party broker can match. That is how we find candidates other agencies miss, and why candidates trust us enough to make the move.
Agriculture permit expertise
Agricultural roles have a specific permit route with distinct salary thresholds and eligibility criteria. We know this tier. We have placements on the ground across pig farms and horticulture operations in Leinster and Munster.
Transparent, fixed fees
We agree a clear, fixed recruitment fee with you upfront. The €1,000 DETE permit fee, and any visa and travel costs, are billed to you at cost and paid directly to DETE where applicable — never marked up by us.
Reliable, long-term staff
We place hard-working people who are committed to building a long-term future with your business, not just filling a short-term gap.
What Irish farm employers say
"We were sceptical that anyone could actually manage the permit process for us — it looked complicated and time-consuming. CA Recruitment took the whole thing off our plate. The workers they placed are outstanding."
"The compliance piece was what worried me most: work permits, visas, the whole lot. CA handled every bit of it. Our new accounts administrator was in the office and productive within two months of first contact."
Frequently asked questions
Yes, for specific roles. The General Employment Permit (GEP) covers pig farm assistants, horticulture workers, and certain other agricultural roles on DETE's eligible occupations list. Most general farm worker roles are not eligible. CA Recruitment confirms eligibility for your specific role during a free initial consultation — this is the first step before anything else.
The minimum annual salary for pig farm assistants under the GEP is the standard threshold of €36,605 per annum. Horticulture workers qualify at the reduced shortage occupations rate of €32,691 per annum. The worker must actually be paid the applicable amount — the permit cannot be issued on a lower salary figure.
Dairy farm assistant is an eligible occupation under the GEP, but the annual quota for this role has been exhausted and new applications are not currently being accepted. Contact CA Recruitment to confirm the current quota position. Quotas are reviewed periodically by DETE and can reopen during the year.
Yes. DETE requires that at least 50% of your total workforce is EEA nationals at the time of the permit application. For most Irish farms with several permanent Irish workers, this is straightforward to satisfy. CA Recruitment checks your workforce composition during the free eligibility assessment. Two exemptions exist: start-up companies registered with Revenue in the last two years with formal Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland support, and businesses where the overseas worker will be the only employee.
From first call to the worker starting on your farm, expect 6 to 8 months. This covers 28 days for the Labour Market Needs Test, approximately 10 to 12 weeks for DETE to process the GEP application (check current processing dates at enterprise.gov.ie), 2 to 4 weeks for the D-visa, and travel. Running candidate sourcing alongside the LMNT period reduces the total time significantly.
Yes. The Labour Market Needs Test requires the role to be advertised for 28 consecutive days on Jobs Ireland and one other commercial jobs platform. All applications must be logged with outcomes documented. CA Recruitment manages this entire process on your behalf. You do not post or track anything yourself.
For a full walkthrough of the employment permit process, see the step-by-step guide to hiring farm workers from overseas in Ireland or read the Work Permit Guide for Irish Employers.