General Work Permit Ireland
The Irish General Work Permit offers an opportunity for people to work and reside in Ireland, if their occupation is not listed under the list of ineligible occupations for employment permits. Unlike the other types of work permits in Ireland, the General Employment Permit recognizes a wide variety of professions.
To request more information about the General Employment Permit or other Irish employment permits, please use the online contact form or call us at +353 061 518 025 to talk to a Total Law representative who can help.
Page Contents
- Overview of the General Employment Permit
- Eligibility Requirements for the General Employment Permit
- What Jobs Qualify for a General Employment Permit?
- What is a Labour Market Needs Test?
- Remuneration Criteria for the General Employment Permit
- Documents Needed for Irish General Employment Permit
- Cost of the General Employment Permit
- Processing Time for the General Employment Permit
- Applying for a Work Visa
- Can You Bring Along Dependents on the General Employment Permit?
- What If You Want to Change Employer or Lose Your Job?
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a General Employment Permit in Ireland?
The General Employment Permit is one of the 9 types of work permits offered by the Irish government to attract non-EEA skilled individuals to work and live in the country.
The permit may be granted for two years initially but can be renewed for a maximum of three years. The candidate may submit a long-term residence application after residing in the country legally for five years and therefore the General Employment Permit can be a valid pathway to gaining permanent residence.
Who Can Apply for a General Employment Permit?
Overview
As long as your profession is not on the list of prohibited professions for employment permits, you may be able to work and live in Ireland using the Irish General Employment Permit.
This is the key difference compared to other Irish work permits. For example, the Critical Skills Employment Permit is only suitable for individuals with government specified occupations.
The eligibility criteria for the General Employment are relatively straightforward and easy to fulfill – although both employee criteria and employer criteria must be successfully met for the permit to be issued.
Eligibility Criteria for Employers
To be granted a General Employment Permit, the employer must meet the following requirements:
- Carry out a Labour Market Needs Test to establish the current demand for the role being offered.
- Be registered with the Revenue Commissioners and Companies Registration Office/Registry of Friendly Societies.
- Provide full details of the duration of the job and the salary package offered. The minimum qualifying duration is 12 months and the minimum acceptable salary must be 34,000 euros at least although this minimum annual wage can be waived under certain conditions
- Give details of their current employees and they must fulfil the 50-50 rule under which at least 50% of the total employee population at their organisation must belong to the EEA region.
Exceptions to the 50-50 rule
There are some exceptions to the 50-50 rule permitted. In particular, new businesses do not have to fulfil this condition, although they must have their business registered with the Revenue within the last two years and an approval letter from IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland. If they renew the worker’s contract then the 50-50 rule must then be meet.
Employers also do not need to meet the criteria if they do not employ any other workers a the time of application for the permit.
Eligibility Criteria for Employees
In addition to the criteria for employers, there are also requirements that employees must meet:
- Find a job in Ireland. All occupations are considered eligible occupations unless they are listed as ineligible occupations by the government.
- Be able to prove relevant qualifications, experience and skill for that job
- Ensure the position has passed the Labour Market Needs Test.
The General Employment Permit eligibility criteria for employees and employers can seem complicated to first-time applicants. Experts at Total Law can help employers and employees understand these criteria.
Reach out to us via the online chat feature or call us at +353 061 518 025 to speak with a Total Law professional who can assist with all your questions.
What Jobs Qualify for a General Employment Permit?
The General Employment Permit operates on a negative list basis. This means most roles are eligible unless they appear on the Ineligible List of Occupations for Employment Permits.
Your first step should always be to check whether the role is excluded. If it is on the ineligible list, a General Employment Permit cannot be issued for that position.
If the role appears on the Critical Skills Occupations List, a Critical Skills Employment Permit is usually the more advantageous option. It removes the Labour Market Needs Test and offers a faster route to long-term residence.
Salary and Labour Market Needs Test
As of 2026, the general minimum annual salary for a General Employment Permit is €34,000. A Labour Market Needs Test is required in most cases. However, it may not be required where:
- the role is on the Critical Skills Occupations List
- the role pays €64,000 or more per year
- the role is supported by a relevant State agency
- the application follows a qualifying redundancy within the permitted timeframe
A Labour Market Needs Test is conducted to prove that the job position was offered to EEA residents before it was offered to a non-EEA resident.
The test requires employers to advertise the vacancy via two online platforms (one of which being EURES (JobsIreland.ie)) for a minimum period to ensure that appropriately qualified Irish citizens have the chance to apply for the role.
Employers do not need to meet the Labour Market Needs Test if they are looking to recruit someone to fulfill a role that is on the Critical Skills Occupation List or if the role has a salary of less than €64,000 per year.
As an employer if you are unclear if you need to conduct a Labour Market Needs Test then reach out to an immigration specialist to ensure you are in a position to submit a General Employment Permit application.
General Employment Permit Fees
- €1,000 for an initial permit of up to 24 months
- €500 for permits of 6 months or less
- €1,500 for renewals of up to 36 months
- €750 for renewals of 6 months or less
There is no fee for a Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit, although this is now less relevant where eligible family members receive Stamp 1G through family reunification.
What Salary Is Required for a General Employment Permit?
The General Employment Permit is only granted to roles that pay at least €34,000 per year.
However, in some cases the minimum salary requirement is reduced to a lower amount as long as they fulfil the following conditions:
- Graduated from any of the Irish third-level institutions with an offer to work in any of the Critical Skills Occupations list, or
- Graduated from a foreign university of the same level with an offer to work in the field of Information and Communication Technologies in Ireland
The minimum salary is also lowered to for a number of other applicants such as those looking to take a role as a language specialist, healthcare assistant, meat de-boner, home carer or other eligible occupations.
Since the remuneration criteria for the General Employment Permit can be complicated it is best to seek professional help. Please contact Total Law at +353 061 518 025 to speak to one of our representatives for advice.
What Documents Are Required for a General Employment Permit Application?
The document checklist for the General Employment Permit is comprehensive and needs to be submitted at least 12 weeks in advance of the time the holder wants to begin employment. Paperwork required include:
- A valid passport with all your details clearly mentioned and a passport picture that is taken in line with the Irish passport photograph requirements
- Proof of education such as a degree or diploma
- Details of past employment experience, if any
- A copy of the mutually signed employment contract that clearly states the annual salary package offered
- Details of the company (the type of company, ERN, company name registration number, details of the main contact person at the company, etc.)
- For non-EEA individuals who are currently residing in Ireland, residence details will also be required
- If employment requires registration with regulatory authorities, you will also need to provide a registration/pin or licence number
Once you have collected all the necessary documents required for the new General Employment Permit application, you have to upload them to the Employment Permit Online System (EPOS).
After submitting all the documents, each applicant will receive a MyWork-ID number, which they can use to log in later and track the progress of their application.
If you are unclear about the documents needed for a successful application then reach out to Total Law for support and guidance.
What Is the Path to Stamp 4 or Long-Term Residence?
For long-term planning, there are two key routes to understand.
Stamp 4
General Employment Permit holders may become eligible for Stamp 4 after 57 months of employment under a valid permit. Stamp 4 allows you to work without an employment permit and removes restrictions tied to a specific employer.
Long-term residence
Separately, you may apply for long-term residence after 60 months of legal residence on an employment permit. This grants permission to remain and work without requiring a further permit for a defined period.
In both cases, continuity is essential. You must:
- maintain valid permission at all times
- avoid gaps in registration
- remain compliant with all conditions
Time spent in Ireland with valid permission may also count toward future citizenship eligibility.
How Long Does a General Employment Permit Take?
The applicant must then wait for the application to be processed. The General Employment Permit processing time is 28 working days. Within this duration, applicants will be informed if their application was successful or not.
They will also be informed of the reason why their permit was rejected. If the matter can be solved, they can appeal the decision with a 28-day grace period.
In case of a failed application, 90% of the amount paid for the General Employment Permit will be reimbursed to the applicant.
Do You Need a Visa After Your Permit Is Approved?
An approved General Employment Permit does not give you automatic permission to enter or remain in Ireland. It authorises employment only. Immigration permission is a separate step. If you are visa-required, you must apply for a Long Stay ‘D’ Employment Visa before travelling. If you are visa-exempt, you can travel without this visa but must present your permit and supporting documents at the border.
After arrival, all non-EEA nationals staying longer than 90 days must register with Immigration Service Delivery. You will typically receive Stamp 1 permission, which allows you to live and work in Ireland in line with your permit. You should complete registration as soon as possible after arrival. Delays or gaps can affect future renewals, long-term residence, and citizenship eligibility.
The permission to enter Ireland will be subject to review at the border control or passport control in Ireland. This condition applies to all applicants from non-EEA and non-EU countries. The visa application processing time is 8 weeks, so applying for the Irish Work Visa is advised as soon as you receive your General Employment Permit.
You must make the visa application online at the official website of the Irish Immigration Service, AVATS. All applicants must pay the visa application fee of €60 for single entry and €100 for multi entry. Once the fees are paid, the applicants will receive an application summary form and the mailing address where they must send the hard copy of all the supporting documents.
It is important to highlight that 16 countries are exempt from paying the visa fee, including citizens of Bosnia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Peru, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.
Can Your Family Join You on a General Employment Permit?
Family reunification is available to General Employment Permit holders, but it is not immediate.
In most cases, you (the sponsor) must complete:
- 12 months of lawful residence before applying
You must also meet financial requirements and provide evidence that you can support your family without access to public funds.
Permission for spouses and partners
When eligible, spouses and partners are generally granted:
- Stamp 1G permission
This allows them to work in Ireland without requiring a separate employment permit. Children are subject to separate rules, and eligibility depends on age, dependency, and the sponsor’s status.
What If You Want to Change Employer or Lose Your Job?
Rules in this area were updated and remain important.
If you are in your first employment in Ireland, you are expected to remain with your initial employer for at least 9 months from the date you start work.
After this period, you may change employer, but:
- a new employment permit is required
- the new role must fall within the same occupation or classification
In most cases, a new Labour Market Needs Test is not required when changing employers under a General Employment Permit.
Redundancy
If you are made redundant, you must act quickly. You are required to:
- notify the Department within 28 days
Once notified, you are typically allowed:
- up to 6 months to secure a new job
If you receive a qualifying job offer within that period, you can apply for a new General Employment Permit. If you do not, you may be required to leave Ireland.
How Can Total Law Help with General Employment Permits?
Any kind of Irish work permit application may be processed with the help of one of our qualified immigration professionals at Total Law, giving you the best opportunity of receiving a favourable verdict. The knowledge of our experts is equivalent to that of an immigration lawyer.
You will receive all the guidance you need from your Total Law adviser to move forward with your application to enter Ireland. For further information, call us at (+353) 061 518 025 right now, or fill out our online contact form to speak with a member of our team of knowledgeable immigration specialists.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
As of June 2024, it is now possible for employees on a General Employment Permit to change jobs after a period of 9 months.
A General Employment Permit may be granted for a two-year period initially, which can then be renewed for up to three additional years. The candidate may submit a long-term residency or permanent residency application to the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) after they have maintained their General Employment Permit in the country for five years.
As a general rule, all applicants must be aged between 18 and 35 years at the time of employment permit application.
Apart from the General Employment Permit, there are around 8 other kinds of work permits provided by the Irish government for individuals who wish to work in Ireland.
- Critical Skills Employment Permit
- Reactivation Employment Permit
- Contract for Services Employment Permit
- Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit
- Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment Permit
- Internship Employment Permit
- Exchange Agreement Employment Permit
- Sport and Cultural Employment Permit
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Total Law before making any decisions based on the content provided.