The General Employment Permit (GEP) is the route for non-EEA workers whose job is not on the Critical Skills Occupations List but is not on the Ineligible Occupations List either. It covers everything from chefs and healthcare assistants to construction workers and mid-level office roles. The trade-off is more paperwork: a labour market needs test, a lower salary floor, and a permit that ties you to one employer. Here is how it works in 2026.
Salary threshold
| Category | Minimum salary (from 1 March 2026) |
| Standard General Employment Permit | €36,605 |
| Graduate of an Irish third-level institution within the last 12 months | €34,009 |
| Horticulture workers, meat processors, healthcare assistants and home support workers | €32,691 (at least €16.12 per hour) |
| Salary at which the labour market needs test is waived | €68,911 |
The labour market needs test
Before applying, your employer must show that no suitable Irish or EEA candidate was available. The role must be advertised on the Department of Social Protection's employment services and the EURES network, plus on an additional online platform. The test is not needed when:
- The role is on the Critical Skills Occupations List
- The salary is €68,911 or more
- Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland has recommended the application
- The job is a carer for a person with an established dependency
- You are a permit holder made redundant within the last 6 months
The employer must also satisfy the 50:50 rule: at least half of its employees must be EEA nationals. Start-ups less than 2 years old backed by Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland, and companies where you would be the sole employee, can be exempt.
Fees and duration
Either you or the employer can apply through Employment Permits Online, and 90% of the fee is refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn. The employer cannot recoup the fee from your wages.
| Permit | Duration | Fee |
| New permit | 6 months or less | €500 |
| New permit | More than 6 months, up to 24 months | €1,000 |
| Renewal | 6 months or less | €750 |
| Renewal | More than 6 months, up to 36 months | €1,500 |
A first GEP is issued for up to 24 months. It can then be renewed for up to a further 3 years. After 5 years of residence on employment permits you can apply to the Department of Justice for long-term residency, which grants a 5-year Stamp 4 without a permit. Processing is in strict date order: on 11 September 2026 DETE was processing new GEP applications received on 6 August 2026, about 5 weeks, while renewals were at 22 June 2026, closer to 12 weeks. Apply for renewal well before your permit runs out.
Registration and family
A permit is not a residence permission. Within 90 days of arriving you must register with Immigration Service Delivery and pay €300 for an Irish Residence Permit showing Stamp 1. Unlike the Critical Skills permit, a GEP does not give your spouse or partner a right to work: they are not eligible for the free Dependant, Partner or Spouse Employment Permit and would need their own permit. Family reunification is possible but only after you have been working here for 12 months and meet the income rules set by ISD.
Changing employer and losing your job
Under the Employment Permits Act 2024, in force since 2 September 2024, first-time permit holders must remain with their initial employer for 9 months. After that you can move, but the new employer must apply for a new GEP and the labour market needs test applies again unless an exemption fits. You can leave earlier if you are made redundant or if unforeseen circumstances fundamentally change the employment relationship. If you are made redundant, notify DETE within 4 weeks; you then have 6 months to find a new job and the needs test is waived for that application. Doctors on rotation in the public health system and transfers of undertakings are also treated as exceptions.
