Neale Richmond TD, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, has announced the Largest Ever Expansion to the Employment Permits System, with 43 changes to the jobs eligible for an employment permit as well as a roadmap for increasing salary thresholds.
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 majority of General Employment Permit holders will rise from €30,000 to €34,000 in January 2024
- healthcare assistants and home carers salary requirement will increase from €27,000 and horticultural workers 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
- a Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) is required for General Employment Permit applications and will have to reflect the revised thresholds in order to be deemed valid
Minister Richmond said:
“I am delighted to announce the largest ever expansion of our employment permits system, with 43 additional occupations becoming eligible for Employment Permits. From engineers, mechanics and electricians to meteorologists, butchers and bakers, these changes cross many sectors and will be of huge benefit to Irish businesses and society.
“As a result of effective full employment, demand on the employment permits system is very high. Last year, 40,000 permits were issued, and demand remains high this year with over 31,000 permits issued to workers outside of the EEA who are coming to Ireland to address the real skills shortages that are impacting businesses across the country.
“The changes made today will benefit businesses and indeed our society greatly. Electricians, electrical engineers and contractors and skilled metal workers are now eligible for General Employment Permits, and chemical and project engineers are eligible for Critical Skills Employment Permits. This will help us to build more homes, meet our targets under Housing for All and build much needed infrastructure as per the National Development Plan.
“Anyone who has benefitted from Ireland’s healthcare system knows of how richly we have benefitted from non-EU workers. Allowing workers in sectors from play therapists, family support workers in disability service, to support workers and guide dog mobility instructors to access General Employment Permits will not only enhance our healthcare system even further but also to allow us to better support to those in our society who need it the most.
“The transport and mechanics industries are among the most short-staffed in our society. To help address these skills shortages, car, motor and HGV mechanics, auto-electricians, motor vehicle technicians, vehicle body builders and repairers, panel beaters and vehicle paint technicians will have access to General Employment Permits. This is in addition to the 100 permits allocated to NCT testers earlier this year. These changes will allow more of the staff we need most to work and live in Ireland, benefitting all of us who require these services.
“Illustrative of the broad nature of the permits system, General Employment Permits will now be provided for certain craft production roles such as furniture makers and metal plate workers, and for agricultural workers in pig managers and pig farm assistants, to increase the levels of employment and skills into these niche roles.”
A roadmap for increasing salary thresholds for all types of employment permits has also been announced today. Currently, the salary threshold for General Employment Permits is €30,000 and has not changed in almost a decade. This will increase to €34,000 in January 2024, and then further increases will be introduced in 2025.
On the salary roadmap, Minister Richmond said:
“From January, the minimum salary for new General Employment Permits will increase from €30,000 to €34,000. For healthcare assistants, home carers, meat processors and horticultural workers, their minimum salary will increase to €30,000. All General Employment Permit holders will see their salary gradually increase to €39,000.
“The salary thresholds had not changed in some time and had not kept pace with inflation or economic growth. Economic migration has such an important impact on our economy and our society. Migrant workers bring much needed skills and experience to our workforce, and a cultural diversity that greatly benefits Irish society. To recognise this contribution and ensure we are offering good quality employment to these workers, the salary thresholds have been increased.
“These changes will bring all permit holders in line with the minimum requirement of a salary of at least €30,000 to avail of family reunification as a starting point. This is particularly important to healthcare assistants and home carers who do such important work in our communities.
“To balance the rights of the workers with the needs of businesses to prepare for the impact of these changes, the increased salaries will be introduced on a phased basis. This will give all sectors, particularly the agri-food and healthcare sectors, sufficient time to prepare.”
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