IrelandWork residence permit

General employment permit in Ireland

The General Employment Permit is the main Irish work permit for nationals of countries outside the EEA: it is open to most occupations except those on the ineligible list. The permit is issued by the employment department for a specific employer and role once an Irish company has made a formal job offer.

Visa term

Usually 1–2 years, renewable

Threshold

A threshold of about EUR 36,605 for most occupations

Processing time

No official processing time is set; longer than for the CSEP

Work

Yes, for the named employer/role

Source: enterprise.gov.ie — General Employment Permit

Who can obtain the permit

Conditions for the applicant

There is a job offer from an Irish employer in an occupation that is not on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits
Occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List are automatically treated as eligible
The qualifications, skills or experience match the requirements of the vacancy
The annual salary is at or above the threshold, which depends on the occupation

Conditions for the employer

The employer is registered with the Revenue Commissioners and, where applicable, with the Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies, and genuinely trades in Ireland
There is a direct employment relationship between employer and employee with direct payment of wages
The “50:50” rule: at least half of the company’s staff are EEA nationals; the exceptions are start-ups registered with Revenue as an employer no more than 2 years ago and holding a letter of support from Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland, and cases where the foreign worker is the company’s only employee
In most cases a Labour Market Needs Test has to be carried out — advertising the vacancy through DSP Employment Services/EURES and on one further online platform

What it costs

Application for a new permit, for up to 24 months	1 000 EUR
Application for a new permit, for up to 6 months	500 EUR
Renewal of the permit, for up to 36 months	+1 500 EUR
Renewal of the permit, for up to 6 months	750 EUR

Documents to gather

A job offer from the employer with a full description of the role offered
Proof of the qualifications, skills or experience required for the vacancy
Details of the employer’s registration with the Revenue Commissioners (and, where applicable, with the Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies)
A completed General Employment Permit application form through Employment Permits Online
Proof that the Labour Market Needs Test was carried out (the job advertisements), if the test is mandatory

How the process runs

The application is filed by the foreign worker or the employer through Employment Permits Online.

1
Checking the occupation against the lists
The occupation must not be on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits. If the occupation is on the Critical Skills Occupations List, no Labour Market Needs Test is required.
2
Labour Market Needs Test
Where the test is mandatory, the employer advertises the vacancy through DSP Employment Services/EURES and additionally on one online platform. The test is not required where the salary is EUR 68,911 or more, for occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, on a recommendation from Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland, in certain cases of care for a person with high medical needs, and when re-hiring a permit holder made redundant within the previous 6 months.
3
Filing the application
no later than 12 weeks before the start date
The application is filed on Employment Permits Online together with payment of the fee.
4
Assessment of the application
Applications are processed strictly in order of the queue by type of employer (Trusted Partner or Standard). If an official requests further documents, you must respond within 28 days; a refusal can be challenged within 28 days of the decision.
5
Issue of the permit
The permit is issued in the name of the foreign worker and a certified copy is sent to the employer. After obtaining the status you must register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau as soon as possible after arrival.

Who you can bring with you

The permit is issued only to the worker themselves.

Spouse, partner, children

There is no separate Dependant Employment Permit for the family members of a General Employment Permit holder — each of them has to file their own application for an employment permit.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Actual employment, labour market restrictions

The renewal application is filed through Employment Permits Online no earlier than 4 months before the current permit expires. A first General Employment Permit is issued for up to 24 months, and a renewal adds up to another 3 years — after that you are expected to approach the Department of Justice for long-term resident status. Those who have worked continuously for the same employer under this permit for 5 years or more can renew for an unlimited period and free of charge; those who have held a permit for 5 years or more overall can, instead of renewing, approach the Department of Justice for temporary Stamp 4 status.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	General employment permit	Residence permit for start-up entrepreneurs	Stamp 2 student permission
Visa term	Usually 1–2 years, renewable	The first permission is granted for 2 years	The permission is granted for the duration of the course
Grounds	Employment	Permission to live in Ireland and run an innovative start-up here	Permission to stay for full-time study on a programme from the ILEP list
Money	A threshold of about EUR 36,605 for most occupations	The minimum funding is EUR 50,000 with proof of the source of funds	For a course longer than 8 months you have to show EUR 10,000
Residence	Actual employment, labour market restrictions	Children of the entrepreneur born abroad receive stamp 4	The permission is registered with the ISD and stamp 2 is placed in the passport

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

The route to permanent residence is slower than with the CSEP; there is no fast Stamp 4

Route to citizenship

The general route to citizenship through residence

Frequently asked questions about General employment permit

Who can obtain a General Employment Permit?

A national of a country outside the EEA with a job offer from an Irish employer in an occupation that is not on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits. The annual salary must usually be at least EUR 36,605, for certain occupations (Horticulture worker, Meat Processor Operative, Health Care Assistant, Home Support Worker) from EUR 32,691, and for recent graduates of Irish universities from EUR 34,009.

How much do the permit and its renewal cost?

A new permit costs EUR 500 (for up to 6 months) or EUR 1,000 (for up to 24 months). A renewal costs EUR 750 (up to 6 months) or EUR 1,500 (up to 36 months). If the application is refused, 90% of the fee is returned.

Does the employer always have to prove a shortage of local staff?

No. A Labour Market Needs Test is not required if the occupation is on the Critical Skills Occupations List, if the salary for the vacancy is EUR 68,911 or more, on a recommendation from Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland for their client companies, for the care of a person with high medical needs where a relationship is already established, and when re-hiring a permit holder made redundant in the previous 6 months.

Can you bring your family with a General Employment Permit?

There is no separate Dependant Employment Permit for spouses, partners and other family members of a General Employment Permit holder — they have to file their own application for an employment permit in the ordinary way.

Can you change employer while the permit is valid?

For the first 9 months after starting work on your first Irish permit you cannot change employer, except in the case of doctors on 6-month rotations, redundancy or an unforeseen change to the working conditions. After 9 months you can file a new General Employment Permit application with a new employer on general terms.

How does the General Employment Permit differ from the Critical Skills Employment Permit?

The Critical Skills Employment Permit is issued only for occupations on a list set in advance by the state. The General Employment Permit works the other way round: any occupation is suitable except those on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits — that is its main difference and its advantage in coverage. Occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List are also treated as eligible for the General Employment Permit, and the General Employment Permit itself can be obtained for a contract of just 12 months.

Other ways to move to Ireland

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Ireland.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.