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Immigration UpdateNews & Updates

Important changes to the Employment Permit system

By 15 January 2024No Comments

On 20th of December 2023, Neale Richmond TD, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, announced important changes to the employment permit system. These changes are an addition of 43 jobs made eligible and an increase in salary thresholds for permit holders.

The main changes include:

  • 11 roles added to the Critical Skills Occupations List
  • 32 roles made eligible for a General Employment Permit
  • salary requirement for the majority of General Employment Permit holders will rise from €30,000 to €34,000 in January 2024
  • healthcare assistant and home carer salary requirement will increase from €27,000 and horticultural worker and meat processor salary requirement will increase from €22,000 to €30,000 in January 2024, bringing them in line with family reunification thresholds.
  • extension of existing quotas for dairy farm assistants, butcher/deboners, meat processors and horticultural workers
  • the new standard Critical Skills Employment Permit minimum salary requirements has also increased to from €34,000 to €38,000.There are two key dates in the operationalisation of these changes:
  • 20th December 2023 (Eligibility)
  • 17th January 2024 (Remuneration) The rule change effects on 17th January will impact all applications submitted from 17th January onwards. Applications received    before 17th of January will be processed in accordance with the existing system rules and processes.

For more information and assistance, please contact our caseworkers.

Please see the full notice here.

Advisory Note here.