The hiring problem Irish employers keep running into
Most Irish businesses that contact us have already tried the local route. They have advertised, used domestic agencies, and waited. The role stays open. Staff shortages in care, hospitality, agriculture, and construction have been well-documented for years, and local supply has not recovered.
Hiring overseas workers is the practical solution for many Irish employers, but the employment permit process puts people off. It looks complicated. It is not, if you know it. CA Recruitment exists specifically to manage that process for Irish employers, so the permit becomes the agency's problem, not yours.
We source primarily from the Philippines because Filipino workers are the best match for Irish employer needs in the sectors where demand is strongest. Find out why Irish employers choose Filipino workers, or read on for an overview of how the full process works.
What an overseas recruitment agency in Ireland actually does
The term covers a range of service levels. Some agencies identify candidates and hand off the permit work to the employer. CA Recruitment manages the entire process:
- Eligibility check: We confirm whether your role qualifies for a General Employment Permit and whether your workforce composition meets DETE's 50/50 requirement.
- Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT): We manage the mandatory 28-day job advertising requirement on the DSP Jobs Ireland network and a second commercial platform. We log all applications and outcomes. You do not place any adverts yourself.
- Candidate sourcing and vetting: We source directly from the Philippines through Monette's networks, verify qualifications, check references, and present a shortlist. You choose the person you want to hire.
- DETE permit application: We prepare and submit the full application through the DETE Employment Permits Online system. You review and sign. DETE liaises with us.
- D-visa coordination: Once the permit is approved, we coordinate the Irish D-visa process from the Philippines, track the worker's documentation, and make sure nothing delays departure.
- Arrival support: We support the worker through Irish Residence Permit (IRP) registration, PPS number, and bank account setup on arrival. We stay in contact for the first 90 days.
Read the full step-by-step process in the Work Permit Guide for Irish Employers.
Sectors we recruit for
DETE maintains an Eligible Occupations List that sets out which roles qualify for a General Employment Permit (GEP). CA Recruitment works across four main sectors where Filipino workers have a proven track record with Irish employers.
Healthcare and care
Care assistants, home carers, and disability support workers. The GEP minimum for care roles is €16.12/hr (€32,691 per annum on a 39-hour week). Many overseas applicants hold nursing or healthcare qualifications, which makes onboarding faster for care home operators and home care providers.
Hospitality — chefs
Executive Chef, Head Chef, Sous Chef, Chef de Partie, and Commis Chef grades. Minimum experience requirements apply at each grade. Front-of-house, bar, and kitchen porter roles do not qualify for employment permits under current DETE rules.
Construction
Trades and skilled construction roles eligible under the GEP. CA Recruitment has placed overseas workers in construction operations and manages the full permit process for contractors across Ireland.
Agriculture
Dairy farm workers, pig unit operatives, mushroom farm workers, horticulture workers, and general farm labourers. DETE quotas for agricultural roles are open and CA Recruitment has existing placements with Irish farms across Leinster and Munster.
CA Recruitment confirms eligibility for your specific role during a free initial consultation. If a role does not qualify, we tell you clearly at that stage.
The permit process in brief
The route for Filipino workers coming to Ireland is the General Employment Permit (GEP), issued by DETE (Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment). Here are the key requirements:
- Eligible occupation: The role must appear on DETE's Eligible Occupations List.
- Minimum salary: €36,605 per annum for most roles. Care assistants, home carers, horticulture workers, and certain other categories qualify at the reduced threshold of €16.12/hr (€32,691 per annum on a 39-hour week).
- Labour Market Needs Test: 28 consecutive days of advertising on Jobs Ireland (DSP) and one additional commercial platform, with a full application log.
- 50/50 rule: At least 50% of your total workforce must be EEA nationals at the time of the permit application. Limited exemptions apply for start-ups and sole-employee situations.
- DETE application fee: €1,000, paid by the employer at submission. This cannot be recovered from the worker.
- Processing time: Currently approximately 10 to 12 weeks for new GEP applications. Check live processing dates at enterprise.gov.ie.
After DETE approves the GEP, the worker applies for an Irish D-visa at the Irish Embassy in Manila. On arrival in Ireland, they register with Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) to receive their Irish Residence Permit (IRP). The full process, from initial consultation to worker starting, typically takes 6 to 8 months.
For a complete breakdown of every step, read the Work Permit Guide for Irish Employers.
Why Irish employers work with CA Recruitment
There are generalist overseas recruitment agencies operating in Ireland. Most have no meaningful presence in the Philippines and outsource candidate sourcing to a local partner they have limited oversight of. CA Recruitment is structurally different.
Filipino-owned, Ireland-based
CA Recruitment is founded and run by Monette, a Filipino national based in Ballyporeen, Co. Tipperary. She understands both sides of the process from personal experience: the Irish permit system and what the Philippines departure process actually involves for workers and their families. That combination of knowledge is not replicable by a third-party broker.
End-to-end permit management
We handle the Labour Market Needs Test, the DETE application, all supporting documentation, and the D-visa coordination. You review and sign the application. That is the extent of what falls on you. WRC registration requirements are covered as part of the placement support.
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 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."
"I'd tried two other agencies and got nowhere. CA Recruitment got us fully permitted Filipino workers within the timeline they promised. The process was straightforward once Monette and the team were running it."
"We needed reliable staff for our shop in Midleton and couldn't find the right people locally. CA Recruitment placed two excellent Filipino workers with us — both have been brilliant from day one. Couldn't recommend them highly enough."
Frequently asked questions
An overseas recruitment agency sources workers from outside Ireland or the EEA and manages the employment permit process that allows them to work legally here. CA Recruitment handles the full process: confirming permit eligibility, running the 28-day Labour Market Needs Test, sourcing and vetting candidates in the Philippines, preparing and submitting the DETE General Employment Permit application, and coordinating the Irish D-visa once the permit is approved. You do not manage the paperwork.
Yes. Non-EEA workers, including Filipino nationals, require an employment permit issued by DETE before they can start work legally in Ireland. For most roles, this is the General Employment Permit (GEP). The employer applies for the permit, not the worker. CA Recruitment manages the full application on your behalf.
The end-to-end process typically takes 6 to 8 months from initial consultation to the worker starting. This covers 28 days for the Labour Market Needs Test, approximately 10 to 12 weeks for DETE to process the GEP (check current processing dates at enterprise.gov.ie), 2 to 4 weeks for the Irish D-visa, and travel and onboarding. Running candidate sourcing in parallel with the LMNT period keeps the overall timeline towards the shorter end.
DETE's Eligible Occupations List determines which roles qualify for a General Employment Permit. CA Recruitment works across healthcare and care homes, hospitality (chef grades), construction trades, and agriculture including dairy, pig, mushroom, and horticulture. Not every role within these sectors qualifies. CA Recruitment confirms eligibility for your specific role during the free initial consultation.
The standard minimum annual salary for a General Employment Permit is €36,605. A reduced threshold of €16.12 per hour (€32,691 per year on a 39-hour week) applies to certain roles including care assistants, home carers, horticulture workers, and meat processors. These figures are set by DETE and are reviewed periodically. CA Recruitment confirms the applicable threshold for your specific role at the free eligibility check.
CA Recruitment has a recruitment fee that is agreed with you upfront and separate from government costs. The main external cost is the €1,000 DETE General Employment Permit application fee, paid directly to DETE at submission. This is the employer's cost and cannot be passed on to the worker. A full breakdown of all costs is provided at the free initial consultation with no obligation to proceed.
Filipino workers are well-established in Irish care, agriculture, hospitality, and construction for several reasons. English is an official language of the Philippines. Many hold nursing or healthcare qualifications relevant to care roles. The Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) operates a structured overseas employment system: workers are medically cleared, documented, and departure-briefed before they leave. CA Recruitment is founded by Monette, a Filipino national based in Co. Tipperary, with direct community networks in the Philippines. Read more about hiring Filipino workers in Ireland.