Critical Skills Employment Permit in Ireland

Researched from official sources · May 28, 2026

Critical Skills Employment Permit in Ireland

Estimated time

The Department processes applications in date order of receipt rather than to a fixed turnaround; it publishes a live current-processing-date page showing the receipt date it is working through, so plan against that page and the 12-week-before-start-date deadline

Cost

€1,000 processing fee, 90% of which is refunded if the application is refused

What You Need

Tap to check off items as you gather them

Additional Items

  • The minimum annual remuneration threshold is €40,904 for restricted strategically-important occupations on the list where the applicant holds a relevant degree or higher qualification.
  • A reduced threshold of €36,848 applies where the applicant's qualification was obtained within the 12 months immediately before the application.
  • For all other eligible occupations a threshold of €68,911 applies, where a degree is not required but the applicant must have the necessary level of experience.
  • Only basic salary (at least the National Minimum Wage) and health-insurance payments to a Health Insurance Authority-registered insurer count towards the threshold — bonuses, commission and other variable pay are excluded.
  • These salary thresholds are linked to the National Minimum Wage and are revised on a published roadmap, so confirm the current figures on the Department's eligibility page before applying.
  • Where the role is in the public sector, remuneration is assessed against the applicable public-service pay-agreement rate rather than the standard thresholds.
  • The current Critical Skills Occupations List took effect under SI 444 of 2024 and is organised using the Standard Occupational Classification system (SOC 2010).

Step-by-Step

  1. 1

    Confirm the occupation is on the Critical Skills Occupations List

    Expat New Arrival Local
    1. Check that the job's occupation appears on the *Critical Skills Occupations List* — the list of roles deemed critically important to the economy, organised under the Standard Occupational Classification system (SOC 2010)
    2. If the occupation is on the list, the *Critical Skills Employment Permit* is the relevant permit and no Labour Market Needs Test is required
    3. If the occupation is not on the list, this permit is not available — a different permit such as the General Employment Permit may apply instead

    💡 Tip: The listed occupations span ICT professionals, engineers, health professionals such as doctors, nurses and midwives, academics, architects, pharmacists, psychologists, business analysts and animation specialists.

  2. 2

    Secure a two-year job offer that meets the salary threshold

    Expat New Arrival Local
    1. Confirm the job offer from the Irish employer is for at least two years in the eligible occupation
    2. Check the annual remuneration — basic salary plus eligible health insurance — meets the threshold for the occupation; bonuses and other variable pay do not count
    3. Make sure the employer's registered details and the worker's details match what will be entered on the application

    ⚠️ Watch out: Counting bonuses towards the salary can push the figure below the threshold. Use only basic salary and eligible health-insurance payments, and enter annual remuneration excluding bonuses.

  3. 3

    Register on Employment Permits Online and complete the application

    Expat New Arrival Local
    1. Either the prospective employee or the employer creates an account on the Employment Permits Online system
    2. Complete the form: a full description of the proposed employment, the starting date, the annual remuneration excluding bonuses, and the qualifications, skills or experience required
    3. Work through the Department's Critical Skills Employment Permit Checklist before submitting to confirm everything is in place
  4. 4

    Submit at least 12 weeks before the start date and pay the fee

    Expat New Arrival Local
    1. Submit the completed application together with the €1,000 processing fee
    2. Business applicants pay by Electronic Funds Transfer; individuals may also use a euro-denominated cheque, bank draft, demand draft or postal order
    3. Applications are processed in date order once the fully completed form and fee are received — check the live current-processing-date page for the receipt date being worked through

    ⚠️ Watch out: An application must arrive at least 12 weeks before the employment start date. Apply too late and the start date must move, because a start date sooner than 12 weeks from submission cannot be reconciled with the application.

  5. 5

    Travel, register your immigration permission and receive Stamp 1

    Expat New Arrival
    1. Once the permit is granted, travel to Ireland — obtaining an entry visa first if your nationality requires one
    2. Register your immigration permission and receive *Stamp 1*, the permission to work granted to employment-permit holders
    3. Take up the employment described in the permit

    💡 Tip: Register your immigration permission to obtain the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) that records your Stamp 1 — first-time registration is a separate step handled by the immigration authority.

  6. 6

    After the permit period, apply for Stamp 4

    Expat Resident
    1. On expiry of the permit, apply directly to the immigration authority for a Stamp 4 permission
    2. Stamp 4 lets you live and work in Ireland without a further employment permit and is not tied to a single employer
    3. Time spent legally resident counts towards the reckonable residence needed to later apply for naturalisation

    💡 Tip: The Stamp 4 step is handled by the State's immigration authority, not by the Department that issues the employment permit.

What Could Go Wrong

Occupation is not on the Critical Skills Occupations List: If the job's occupation does not appear on the list, the Critical Skills Employment Permit is not available for it.

Recovery: Check the occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List before applying. If it is not listed, a different permit such as the General Employment Permit may apply instead.

Application submitted too close to the start date: An application that arrives fewer than 12 weeks before the proposed employment start date cannot be reconciled with the planned start.

Recovery: Submit at least 12 weeks before the start date, or move the start date so it falls at least 12 weeks after submission.

Salary counted incorrectly: Counting bonuses or variable pay towards the remuneration threshold can leave the salary below the required minimum.

Recovery: Count only basic salary (at least the National Minimum Wage) and eligible health-insurance payments. Enter annual remuneration excluding bonuses on the form, as the application requires.

Costs

Item Amount Payment Notes
Processing fee — Critical Skills Employment Permit (up to 24 months) €1,000 Business applicants pay by Electronic Funds Transfer; individuals may pay by Electronic Funds Transfer, or by euro-denominated cheque, bank draft, demand draft or postal order If the application is unsuccessful, 90% of the fee is refunded. The refund issues to the applicant even where a third party such as the employer paid the fee. No renewal fee is listed for this permit type.
Processing fee — Critical Skills Employment Permit (up to 24 months) €1,000
Payment:
Business applicants pay by Electronic Funds Transfer; individuals may pay by Electronic Funds Transfer, or by euro-denominated cheque, bank draft, demand draft or postal order
Notes:
If the application is unsuccessful, 90% of the fee is refunded. The refund issues to the applicant even where a third party such as the employer paid the fee. No renewal fee is listed for this permit type.
Total: €1,000

FAQ

Documents

Does the employer have to advertise the job first?

No. The Labour Market Needs Test — the requirement on most other employment permits to first advertise the role to the European labour market — is not required for a Critical Skills Employment Permit, because the listed occupations are recognised as being in short supply.

What salary does the job have to pay?

The minimum annual remuneration depends on the occupation and the applicant's qualifications. It is €40,904 for restricted strategically-important occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List where the applicant holds a relevant degree, €36,848 where the qualification was obtained within the 12 months before the application, and €68,911 for all other eligible occupations where a degree is not required but the necessary experience is. Only basic salary (at least the National Minimum Wage) and eligible health-insurance payments count — bonuses are excluded. These figures are linked to the National Minimum Wage and revised periodically, so confirm the current thresholds on the Department's eligibility page.

Costs

What happens if the application is refused?

90% of the €1,000 fee is refunded. The refund issues to the applicant even where a third party — such as the employer — paid the fee.

After This Process

  • → Register your immigration permission for the first time to obtain your Irish Residence Permit (IRP) and Stamp 1 once the permit is granted
  • → After the two-year permit period, apply directly to the immigration authority for a Stamp 4 permission to work without employer sponsorship
  • → Keep records of your continuous legal residence — it counts towards the reckonable residence needed when you later apply for naturalisation as an Irish citizen

Sources

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6 sources cited last accessed 2026-05-28

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  1. T1
    Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) — enterprise.gov.ie 2026-05-28

    The Critical Skills Employment Permit is for occupations deemed critically important to growing Ireland's economy, as set out on the Critical Skills Occupations List. A Labour Market Needs Test is not required because the listed skills are in short supply. The prospective employee must have secured a two-year job offer in the eligible occupation, and either the employee or the employer can apply. The minimum annual remuneration threshold is €40,904 for restricted strategically-important occupations on the list where the applicant holds a relevant degree or higher qualification, €36,848 where the qualification was obtained within the 12 months before the application, and €68,911 for all other eligible occupations where a degree is not required but the necessary level of experience is. The application must be received at least 12 weeks before the proposed employment start date. The processing fee is €1,000, of which 90% is refunded if the application is unsuccessful. On expiry of the permit the holder can apply directly to the immigration authorities for a Stamp 4 immigration permission, which allows them to reside and work in the State without a further employment permit.

    enterprise.gov.ie
  2. T1
    Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) — enterprise.gov.ie 2026-05-28

    The Critical Skills Occupations List covers employments for which there is a shortage of qualifications, experience or skills required for the proper functioning of the economy. The list is organised using the Standard Occupational Classification system (SOC 2010) and includes ICT professionals, engineers, health professionals such as medical practitioners, nurses and midwives, academics, architects, pharmacists, psychologists, business analysts and animation specialists. The current list took effect on 02 September 2024, when SI 444 of 2024 came into effect.

    enterprise.gov.ie
  3. T1
    Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) — enterprise.gov.ie 2026-05-28

    To achieve the minimum remuneration threshold of €36,848, €40,904 or €68,911 for a Critical Skills Employment Permit, the components deemed to be remuneration are basic salary to achieve at least the National Minimum Wage and health-insurance payments made to a health insurer registered with the Health Insurance Authority. Bonuses, commission and other variable pay are excluded. The most commonly referenced threshold is €40,904 based on a 39-hour week, which is an hourly rate of pay of €20.17. These thresholds are linked to the National Minimum Wage and are revised on a published roadmap, so the figures move over time.

    enterprise.gov.ie
  4. T1
    Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) — enterprise.gov.ie 2026-05-28

    The fees page lists the Critical Skills Employment Permit fee as €1,000 for up to 24 months, with no renewal fee shown for this permit type. Business applicants must pay by Electronic Funds Transfer; individual applicants may pay by Electronic Funds Transfer or by euro-denominated cheque, bank draft, demand draft or postal order.

    enterprise.gov.ie
  5. T1
    Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) — enterprise.gov.ie 2026-05-28

    Applications for employment permits are processed in date order of receipt of the fully completed application form and fee, where applicable. The Department does not publish a fixed turnaround in weeks; it publishes a live current-processing-date page showing the receipt date of the applications it is currently working through, which applicants should check for the date currently being processed.

    enterprise.gov.ie
  6. T1
    Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) — Employment Permits Online 2026-05-28

    Employment Permits Online is the Department's portal for applying for permits, tracking application status, updating personal details and getting assistance. Registration in the online system is mandatory; the applicant must create an account to lodge and track the application.

    employmentpermits.enterprise.gov.ie
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