Consultation on lists for employment permits
The Government has opened a public consultation on a review of the lists of occupations used to determine policy on employment permits.
The employment-permits system is aimed at attract highly skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area to Ireland, to meet demand in areas of the economy where those skills cannot be accessed through the resident labour force.
Occupations fall into three categories:
- Occupations listed on the Critical Skills Occupations List are highly skilled professional roles that are in high demand and are not always available in the resident labour force,
- Ineligible occupations are those with evidence suggesting there are sufficient Irish and EEA workers to fill such vacancies. Employment permits are not granted for these occupations, and
- Every other job in the labour market, where an employer cannot find a worker, is eligible for an employment permit. For general, seasonal, and contract-for-services employment permits, the employer is required to undertake a labour-market needs test.
Last review in 2023
The last review of the occupations lists took place in 2023, and resulted in 11 additional roles being placed on the critical-skills list and 32 roles being made eligible for a general employment permit.
Peter Burke (Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment) said that the review would ensure that the system remained up to date in a way that served workers and employers.
“It is vital that we continue to have a strong and flexible employment-permits system to allow non-EEA nationals to fill the skill and labour gaps we cannot access in Ireland or Europe and to ensure our economy remains competitive,” he added.
Submissions will be accepted through an online consultation form on the department’s website and will be open from 23 July to 19 September.