Critical Skills Employment Permit 2026: Salaries, Rules and How to Apply
Ireland raised its employment permit salary thresholds on 1 March 2026. A Critical Skills Employment Permit now needs at least €40,904 for listed occupations, or €68,911 for most others. Here is how it works, how it compares with a General Employment Permit, and how to apply.
Table of contents
- What is a Critical Skills Employment Permit?
- What are the salary thresholds in 2026?
- Critical Skills vs General Employment Permit: what's the difference?
- How do you apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit?
- What documents will you need?
- Common reasons applications are refused
- Next steps
- Sources
Last reviewed: 18 October 2026. Always check current rules with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE).
Short answer: a Critical Skills Employment Permit is Ireland's main work permit for highly skilled non-EEA workers. Since 1 March 2026, you need a job offer of at least €40,904 a year in an occupation on the Critical Skills Occupations List (with a relevant degree), or at least €68,911 in most other occupations. There's no labour market test, your spouse or partner can work, and after 21 months you can apply for Stamp 4, which lets you work without any permit. For other jobs, the General Employment Permit threshold is now €36,605.
Key takeaways
- All permit salary thresholds rose by 7.66% on 1 March 2026, the first step of a published roadmap of gradual increases.
- Critical Skills: €40,904 (listed occupations) or €68,911 (any occupation not on the Ineligible List).
- General Employment Permit: €36,605; €32,691 for certain roles such as healthcare assistants and home carers.
- Critical Skills holders can move to Stamp 4 after 21 months.
- The job offer for a Critical Skills permit must be for at least two years.
What is a Critical Skills Employment Permit?
It's an employment permit for occupations Ireland is short of, such as software engineers, data scientists, nurses, doctors, engineers, actuaries and some finance and science roles. These are listed on the Critical Skills Occupations List, which DETE reviews regularly. Your employer or you can apply, but you must have a job offer from an Irish employer first.
What are the salary thresholds in 2026?
| Permit | Before 1 March 2026 | From 1 March 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Skills, listed occupation (with relevant degree) | €38,000 | €40,904 |
| Critical Skills, other eligible occupations | €64,000 | €68,911 |
| General Employment Permit | €34,000 | €36,605 |
| GEP for certain roles (e.g. healthcare assistants, home carers, meat processing, horticulture) | €30,000 | €32,691 |
Source: DETE Roadmap for Minimum Annual Remuneration thresholds, published December 2025. Further phased increases are planned, so check DETE before applying.
The Government originally proposed rises of about 15%, but deferred part of the increase after representations from employers. Expect thresholds to keep rising in steps over the next few years.
Critical Skills vs General Employment Permit: what's the difference?
| Critical Skills | General Employment Permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Occupations in short supply, or high earners | Most other jobs not on the Ineligible List |
| Labour Market Needs Test | Not required | Usually required: the job must be advertised first |
| 50:50 rule | At least half the employer's workforce must be EEA nationals (some exemptions apply) | |
| Family | Spouse or partner can live and work in Ireland without their own permit | Family reunification after 12 months, subject to income rules |
| Path to Stamp 4 | After 21 months | Usually after 5 years |
Under the Employment Permits Act 2024, permit holders can usually change employer after 9 months without starting from scratch, which gives workers more flexibility than before.
How do you apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit?
- Get a job offer from an Irish employer, for at least two years, at or above the threshold.
- Apply online through DETE's Employment Permits Online System. Either you or the employer can submit it.
- Pay the fee: €1,000 for a Critical Skills permit.
- Wait for a decision. DETE publishes current processing dates on its website.
- Apply for an entry visa if your nationality needs one.
- Register with immigration in Ireland to get your Irish Residence Permit (IRP).
What documents will you need?
- A valid passport.
- Your signed job offer or contract, showing salary and duration.
- Degree certificates and, where needed, professional registration (for example with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland for nurses).
- A recent passport photo and any other documents DETE requests.
Common reasons applications are refused
- The salary is below the threshold, often because allowances or bonuses were counted. Only basic salary counts, plus health insurance in some cases.
- The employer doesn't meet the 50:50 rule.
- The occupation is on the Ineligible List, or the qualification doesn't match the role.
- Missing or inconsistent documents.
Next steps
Start with the job offer. Use an Irish-style CV, then browse IT jobs, engineering jobs and all the latest jobs in Ireland. Check what you'll take home with our guide to take-home pay in Ireland, and see our international jobs page for other countries.
Sources
- Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE), Critical Skills Employment Permit and General Employment Permit guidance
- DETE, Roadmap for Minimum Annual Remuneration Salary Thresholds, December 2025
- Employment Permits Act 2024
- Immigration Service Delivery, Stamp 4 and Irish Residence Permit guidance
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check the latest rules with DETE or a qualified immigration adviser.