The Irish Government has launched a public consultation process to review and update the employment permit occupations lists, inviting submissions from stakeholders across various sectors.
The review will focus on two key lists: the Critical Skills Occupations List, which includes roles in short supply within Ireland and the European Economic Area (EEA), and the Ineligible Occupations List, which contains jobs for which there is currently an adequate domestic and EEA labour supply, and for which employment permits are not granted.
The most recent review in 2023 led to 11 additional roles being added to the Critical Skills Occupations List and 32 others becoming eligible for a General Employment Permit. This year, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is calling on employers, industry representatives, government bodies, and other interested parties to provide feedback on occupations they believe should be added to or removed from these lists.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, emphasized the importance of maintaining a responsive employment permits system. “At a time of full employment, with over 2.81 million people at work and 90,000 new jobs created in the last year, it is vital that we continue to support a strong and flexible employment permits framework,” he said. “This ensures non-EEA nationals can help fill the skill and labour gaps that cannot be met domestically or within the EEA, supporting our economic competitiveness.”
Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment, Alan Dillon, echoed the call for engagement, stressing the critical role that non-EEA workers play in the Irish economy. “If employers are facing recruitment challenges for certain roles that are currently ineligible for a permit, or believe these roles should be recognised as critical skills, this consultation is their chance to provide that input,” Dillon said.
Submissions can be made via an online consultation form available on the Department of Enterprise’s website. The consultation will remain open until September 19, 2025.
The outcome of this review could impact multiple sectors, including healthcare, ICT, finance, construction, and hospitality, where labour shortages continue to pose challenges despite Ireland’s strong employment figures.
