Key Changes

The key changes are:

• The minimum annual and hourly remuneration thresholds for most new employment permits will increase with effect from 17 January 2024.

• A high-level summary of the initial remuneration threshold changes are set out in the table below.

• Other changes impacting employers are:
  • The addition of 11 new occupations to the Critical Skills Occupations List (including Special Engineer roles and Commercial Manager roles), which lowers the monetary threshold needed to obtain a Critical Skills Employment Permit for these roles;
  • The removal of 32 occupations from the Ineligible Occupations List, making them eligible for a General Employment Permit (including roles such as mechanics, technicians, disability services workers and certain machine operatives).

• The Government has also indicated its intention to make further changes to minimum annual remuneration thresholds in 2025 and 2026.

Employers who engage non-EU/EEA/Swiss staff members should be considering the potential cost and related implications for their 2024 and 2025 recruitment plans.

The changes followed a public consultation on the review of the Employment Permits Occupations Lists which opened in June 2023. The Outcome of that review was published on 20 December 2023 (available here), together with an announcement of the Government’s intention to make further changes over the period 2024 – 2026 (available here), with the legislation to implement the 2024 changes published two days later. 

Change	What are the details?	Are further changes anticipated?
Increase to minimum annual and hourly remuneration threshold for applicants for Critical Skill Employment Permits (where the occupation is on the Critical Skills Employment List)	Current Annual Threshold:   €32,000   New Annual Threshold from 17 January 2024: €38,000	Yes – anticipated threshold in January 2025 is €44,000
Increase to minimum annual and hourly remuneration threshold for applicants for General Employment Permits (other than in certain specified sectors)	Current Annual Threshold:   €30,000   New Annual Threshold from 17 January 2024: €34,000	Yes – anticipated threshold in January 2025 is €39,000
Increase to minimum annual and hourly remuneration threshold for applicants for General Employment Permits for horticulture workers and meat processors	Current Annual Thresholds: between €22,916 and €27,000   New Annual Threshold from 17 January 2024: €30,000	Meat processing/horticulture thresholds are anticipated to rise to €32,000 in January 2025, €34,000 in July 2025 and to €39,000 by January 2026
Increase to minimum annual and hourly remuneration threshold for applicants for General Employment Permits for Graduate positions/ Certain Linguistic specialists/ Butchers/Boners	Current Annual Thresholds: between €27,000 and €27,500   New Annual Threshold from 17 January 2024: €34,000	Yes – anticipated threshold in January 2025 is €39,000
Increase to minimum annual and hourly remuneration threshold for applicants for Intra-Company Transfer Permits	Current Annual Thresholds:  €30,000 (for trainees) and €40,000 (other applicants)   New Annual Thresholds from 17 January 2024: €34,000 (for trainees) and €46,000 (other applicants)	Yes – anticipated threshold in January 2025 is €39,000 for trainees and €53,000 for other applicants
Increase to minimum annual and hourly remuneration threshold for applicants for Contract for Services Permits	Current Annual Threshold:  €40,000 (other applicants)   New Annual Thresholds from 17 January 2024: €46,000	Yes – anticipated threshold in January 2025 is €53,000

This briefing was updated on 22 January 2023 following publication of S.I. No. 12/2024 – Employment Permits (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 . Contrary to the Government’s announcement on 20 December 2024, there will be no change to the minimum annual and hourly remuneration threshold for applicants for General Employment Permits for healthcare assistants, care workers and home carers.