Ireland has expanded its employment permit system in a major policy move aimed at attracting more international workers and addressing ongoing labour shortages across key sectors, including construction, healthcare, transport and agri-food.
The government confirmed 32 changes to the employment permit framework following a comprehensive review of occupation lists that began in summer 2025.
In a post obtained from Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment’s website on Monday, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said the update is designed to make it easier for employers to recruit overseas workers where domestic skills shortages persist.
The changes are intended to ease recruitment pressures in sectors linked to housing delivery, healthcare provision, infrastructure development and food production.
Under the new framework, six occupations have been added to the Critical Skills Employment Permit list, nine roles have been made eligible for General Employment Permits without quotas, two occupations will now be subject to new quota limits, and 15 existing quotas have been renewed.
