The General Employment Permit, explained for employers

Which jobs qualify

Every occupation is eligible unless it is on the Ineligible Occupations List. Type the job into our permit check to see what the list says about it, word for word.

The minimum salary

• Generally €36,605 a year.
• €32,691 a year for some roles DETE names, including healthcare assistants and home support workers.
• €34,009 a year for someone with a relevant degree from an Irish third level college in the previous 12 months.

The Labour Market Needs Test

Needed in most cases: the job is advertised with the public employment service and on one other jobs platform, 28 days each, before the application goes in. DETE lists the exceptions, including roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List, jobs paying €68,911 or more, and people made redundant from a General Employment Permit in the previous six months. Our guide to the test. We run it for our clients at no charge.

The 50:50 rule

A permit will not issue unless, when you apply, at least half of your employees are EEA nationals. DETE lists limited exceptions.

Fees, length and renewal

• €1,000 for a permit of up to 24 months, €500 for six months or less.
• Issued for an initial 2 years, renewable for up to a further 3 years. Renewal: €1,500 up to 36 months, €750 for six months or less.
• If an application is unsuccessful, 90% of the fee is refunded.
• After 5 years, the person may apply to the Department of Justice about staying on, as DETE's page explains.

How long it takes

DETE publishes the dates it is currently processing, by permit type, and they move every week. Our processing times page reads that page every day and shows the wait in weeks. We tell you the position on the first call.

Sources

• DETE, General Employment Permit
• DETE, Employment permit fees
• DETE, Current application processing dates