Immigration Update: Significant Updates to the Employment Permits System for 2024
On 20 December 2023, the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail announced major changes to the employment permits system which will take effect in January 2024.
The main changes include:
- 11 roles have been added to the Critical Skills Occupations List
- 32 roles have been removed from the Ineligible Occupations List, making them eligible for a General Employment Permit
- The salary threshold requirement for a number of employment permits will increase on 17 January 2024, most notably:
- the majority of General Employment Permits: from €30,000 to €34,000 per annum. In addition, where a Labour Market Needs Test is required for a General Employment Permit application, the relevant advertisements will need to reflect the revised salary thresholds
- Critical Skills Employment Permits with a degree: from €32,000 to €38,000 per annum
- Intra-Company Transfers: from €40,000 to €46,000 per annum
- The existing quotas for General Employment Permits for ‘dairy farm assistants’, ‘butcher/deboners’, and ‘meat processing operatives’ will be extended with effect from 17 January 2024
- 1,000 General Employment Permits have been provided for horticultural workers to support the sector until the Seasonal Employment Permit is introduced in due course.
In addition to the above changes, a roadmap was announced which will result in the salary thresholds for certain employment permits being increased again in January 2025, July 2025, and in January 2026.
More information can be found here.
ALG’s Corporate Immigration team advises clients on all aspects of Irish immigration law. The team manages and assists clients with their corporate immigration and global mobility requirements. For more information please contact Noeleen Meehan, Partner or Colm Byrne, Solicitor or visit our Employment Page.
Date published: 08 January 2024