Views sought on review of occupations lists for work permits
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) has today (Wednesday, July 23) opened a public consultation on the review of the occupations lists for work permits.
The department said that these lists are used to administer Ireland’s employment permits policy.
The Ineligible Occupations List covers occupations for which there is an adequate supply of labour and skills with Ireland and the European Economic Area (EEA), and for which an employment permit will not be issued.
The Critical Skills Occupations List relates to occupations in short supply in Ireland and across the EEA.
The last review of the occupations lists took place in 2023, and resulted in 11 additional roles being placed on the Critical Skills Occupations List, and 32 roles being made eligible for a General Employment Permit.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke launched the review of the eligible occupations for employment permits.
"At a time of full employment, with over 2.81 million people at work, and with 90,000 new jobs created in the last year, 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.
“As demonstrated by the changes made to the employment permit system over the last year, the system is responsive to the needs of the sectors and industries it serves.
"This full review will allow us to ensure the system remains up-to-date in a way that serves both workers and employers," he said.
The latest figures show that DETE issued 1,037 work permits to the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector in the first half of 2025. This is down from a total of 1,859 issued in the first six months of last year.
Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment Alan Dillon said that Ireland's economic migration policy "accommodates the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps in the domestic economy in the short to medium term".
"These workers are a vital part of the Irish economy. My department’s reviews of the system promote an integrated approach to address these labour market deficiencies in the longer term and ensure we can continue to meet our labour needs.
“Where employers or stakeholders are facing challenges in recruiting a specific occupation and believe it should be eligible for an employment permit, or believe a certain occupation should move onto the critical skills list, now is their opportunity to share this feedback.
“With the consultation running over the summer period, there is plenty of time for interested employers and sectors who use the employment permits system to provide their feedback," he said.
As part of this review process, submissions are sought from employers, representative bodies, government departments, agencies, and other interested parties relating to occupations currently included on or absent from the lists.
Submissions will be accepted through the online consultation form made available on the department’s website and will be open until September 19.
