Ireland Work Visa 2026: Employment Permits, Pay and Fees
What people call an "Ireland work visa" is two separate permissions from two departments. The Department of Enterprise issues an employment permit, which is the permission to work. The Department of Justice's Immigration Service Delivery handles the entry visa, if your nationality needs one, and your registration after arrival. The salary thresholds for permits rose on 1 March 2026, so figures from before that date are out of date. This guide sets out the current rules as published on 14 October 2026.
Quick answer
Non-EEA nationals need an employment permit to work in Ireland. The Critical Skills Employment Permit needs a 2-year job offer and pay of at least €40,904 in a listed occupation, or over €68,911 in other eligible occupations. The General Employment Permit needs pay of generally €36,605. Each costs €1,000 for up to 24 months. If you need an entry visa, it costs €60 for single entry, and after arrival you register within 90 days for a fee of €300.
Who needs an employment permit
Under the Employment Permits Acts, all non-EEA nationals need a valid employment permit, or an immigration permission from the Minister for Justice that allows them to live and work in the State without one. The EEA is the member states of the European Union together with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Swiss nationals can also work in Ireland without an employment permit.
The Department of Enterprise lists people who do not need a permit, including:
- people with permission to remain as the spouse, civil partner or dependant of an Irish or EEA national
- people with permission to remain as the parent of an Irish citizen
- registered students, who are permitted to work 20 hours during term time and 40 hours during holiday periods
- people who hold a Stamp 4 immigration permission.
The two main permits compared
The Employment Permits Act 2024 allows for nine types of employment permit. The two compared below are the Critical Skills Employment Permit and the General Employment Permit, which the Department of Enterprise calls the primary vehicle used by the State to attract third country nationals for occupations with a labour or skills shortage.
| Feature | Critical Skills Employment Permit | General Employment Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Which jobs | Occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, or any occupation paying over €68,911 that is not on the ineligible list | All occupations, unless excluded under the Ineligible List of Occupations |
| Minimum annual remuneration | €40,904 with a relevant degree, or €36,848 if the qualification was received in the previous 12 months | Generally €36,605. €32,691 for horticulture workers, meat processor operatives, health care assistants and home support workers. €34,009 for recent graduates of an Irish third level college |
| Job offer | At least 2 years | Can be a 12-month contract |
| Labour Market Needs Test | Not required | Required in most cases |
| Length | Based on a job offer of at least 2 years. The fee table shows no renewal for this permit | Initial period of 2 years, renewable for up to a further three years |
| Fee for a new permit | €1,000 | €1,000 for up to 24 months, or €500 for six months or less |
| Family | Holders can apply for immediate family reunification, and their spouses and partners can work | Spouses, dependants or partners are not eligible for a Dependant Employment Permit and must apply for a permit in their own right |
| What comes next | Stamp 4 after 2 years on the permit | Long-term residency after 5 years |
Either the employee or the employer can apply for these two permits. The permit issues to the employee and names the employer, the occupation and the location.
The other seven types
- Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit: for dependants, partners and spouses of Critical Skills permit holders and of researchers on hosting agreements. No fee.
- Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit: for senior management, key personnel or trainees moving from an overseas branch of a multinational to its Irish branch.
- Contract for Services Employment Permit: for employees of a foreign contractor that has won a contract with an Irish company.
- Reactivation Employment Permit: for a person who entered on a valid permit and fell out of the system through no fault of their own.
- Internship Employment Permit: for full-time students at a third level institution outside the State, in disciplines relevant to the critical skills list.
- Sport and Cultural Employment Permit: for sporting and cultural roles.
- Exchange Agreement Employment Permit: for non-EEA nationals employed under prescribed agreements or other international agreements to which the State is a party. No fee.
What changed on 1 March 2026
The government published a new roadmap for Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) thresholds on 2 December 2025. The first increase took effect on 1 March 2026:
| Permit | Before | From 1 March 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| General Employment Permit | €34,000 | €36,605 |
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | €38,000 | €40,904 |
| Meat processors, horticultural workers, healthcare assistants and home carers | €30,000 | €32,691 |
- More increases are coming. The roadmap phases further adjustments in through 2030.
- There is an hourly test too. The hourly equivalent is the MAR divided by 2,028 hours, a 39-hour week over 52 weeks. For a MAR of €36,605 that is €18.05 per hour.
- Renewals are indexed. If average earnings have risen since a permit was issued, the salary required at renewal rises accordingly.
Rules that apply to the employer
- A genuine employer: the job offer must come from an employer that is trading in Ireland and registered with the Revenue Commissioners.
- The 50:50 rule: a permit will not issue unless at least 50% of the employees in the firm are EEA nationals at the time of application. The rule can be waived for start-up companies supported by Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland, and where the foreign national will be the sole employee.
- Labour Market Needs Test: for a General Employment Permit, the employer must advertise the vacancy with the Department of Social Protection Employment Services/EURES network for a minimum of 28 days, and on an additional online platform for a minimum of 28 days. The permit application must then be made within 90 days of the notice first being published.
- When the test is not needed: where the job is on the Critical Skills Occupations List, or the annual remuneration is €68,911.
Fees
| Permit | First application | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | €1,000 for up to 24 months | Not applicable |
| General Employment Permit | €1,000 for up to 24 months, €500 for six months or less | €750 for six months or less, €1,500 for up to 36 months |
| Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit | €1,000 for up to 24 months, €500 for six months or less | €500 for six months or less, €1,000 for up to 24 months, €1,500 for up to 36 months |
| Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit | No fee | No fee |
The fee is paid by the applicant, who may be the employer or the employee. If a Critical Skills or General Employment Permit application is unsuccessful, 90% of the fee is refunded.
Processing time
Applications are processed in date order. The Department of Enterprise publishes the date it has reached for each queue. As of 13 October 2026 it was processing applications received on these dates:
| Application type | Processing applications received on |
|---|---|
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | 06 October 2026 |
| New General Employment Permit | 08 September 2026 |
| Intra-Company Transfer, new | 12 October 2026 |
| All other new applications | 19 August 2026 |
| Renewals | 23 July 2026 |
An application must be received at least 12 weeks before the proposed employment start date. For the visa stage, Immigration Service Delivery says applicants can expect a decision within approximately 8 weeks from the date the application was received.
How to apply, step by step
- Get a job offer that meets the pay threshold for the permit type.
- The employer runs the Labour Market Needs Test, if the permit needs one.
- Apply for the permit on Employment Permits Online, at least 12 weeks before the start date.
- Apply for a long stay employment visa, if you are visa required, once the permit is granted. You apply online through AVATS, up to 3 months before your date of travel, from your home country or where you are a legal resident.
- Send your documents: passport, photographs, medical or travel insurance, an application letter, the employment permit, your contract of employment, a letter from your employer in Ireland, evidence of qualifications and finances.
- Register after you arrive. Anyone from outside the European Union, the UK or Switzerland who comes to Ireland for more than 90 days must register with Immigration Service Delivery. The landing stamp instructs you to do so within 90 days, and the registration fee is €300.
The visa fee is €60 for single entry and €100 for multi entry. It is not refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn. Some nationalities and some family members are exempt from visa fees, and the Immigration Service lists them on its fees page.
What you can and cannot do on the permit
- Stamp 1: permit holders are registered on Stamp 1, which is permission to work subject to conditions. You must not start a job unless you or your employer has obtained an employment permit for it.
- Changing employer: a new permit for a different employer cannot be considered if less than 9 months has passed since you first started work in the State on a permit. The Department may allow a change where the holder is made redundant or circumstances fundamentally change the employment relationship.
- Spouses and partners: spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills permit holders may be given Stamp 1G, which allows them to take up employment without an employment permit.
From work permit to Stamp 4 and citizenship
- Stamp 4. You may be given Stamp 4 after you have had permission to work with a valid Critical Skills Employment Permit for 2 years, or with a valid employment permit for 5 years. On Stamp 4 you can take up employment without an employment permit.
- Citizenship. One route to naturalisation is 5 years of reckonable residence in Ireland. Stamp 1 and Stamp 4 both count as reckonable residence.
The Minister for Justice has full discretion to approve or refuse an application for naturalisation. More detail is in our Stamp 4 guide and citizenship guide.
Applicants from the USA, India and elsewhere
The Department of Enterprise's permit pages set one set of rules for non-EEA nationals. They do not list different permit types, pay thresholds or fees by nationality, so the same figures apply to a US citizen and an Indian citizen. What differs by nationality is whether you also need an entry visa before travelling. Check that with Immigration Service Delivery before you book travel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for an Ireland work visa in 2026?
From 1 March 2026, the General Employment Permit needs a minimum annual remuneration of generally €36,605, and the Critical Skills Employment Permit needs €40,904 for listed occupations or over €68,911 for other eligible occupations.
How much does an Ireland work permit cost?
A Critical Skills or General Employment Permit costs €1,000 for up to 24 months. A General Employment Permit of six months or less costs €500. If you need an entry visa, that is €60 for single entry or €100 for multi entry, and registration after arrival is €300.
How long does an Ireland work permit take?
The Department of Enterprise does not give a number of weeks. It publishes the date it has reached: as of 13 October 2026 it was processing Critical Skills applications received on 06 October 2026 and new General Employment Permit applications received on 08 September 2026.
Can I apply for an Ireland work visa without a job offer?
No. An employment permit depends on a job offer from an employer trading in Ireland, and you become eligible for the employment visa once you have the permit.
What jobs qualify for a Critical Skills permit?
Occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, such as ICT professionals, professional engineers and technologists, paid at least €40,904, or any occupation paying over €68,911 that is not on the ineligible list.
Can my spouse work in Ireland?
Spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders may be given Stamp 1G, which allows employment without an employment permit. The Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit carries no fee.
How do I go from a work permit to Irish citizenship?
Time on Stamp 1 and Stamp 4 counts as reckonable residence. One route to naturalisation is 5 years of reckonable residence, and the Minister for Justice has full discretion over each application.
Official sources
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Types of employment permits
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Critical Skills Employment Permit
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — General Employment Permit
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Fees for employment permits
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Current processing dates
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Roadmap for employment permit salary thresholds, 2 December 2025
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment — Labour Market Needs Test
- Immigration Service Delivery — Employment visa
- Immigration Service Delivery — Preclearance and entry visas fees
- Immigration Service Delivery — Immigration permission stamps
- Immigration Service Delivery — Become an Irish citizen by naturalisation
All rules and figures verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Processing dates change every week. Information, not legal advice.