- The Employment Permits Online platform is now the mandatory digital route for all Irish work permits.
- A 30% rise in submissions occurred in 2026, driven by strong demand in healthcare and construction.
- Critical Skills permits now feature an 8-week priority path for salaries exceeding 64,000 euros.
(IRELAND) Ireland’s Employment Permits Online platform is now the main route for every work permit application in the country. Launched on April 28, 2025 by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, it replaced the older EPOS system and moved the process fully online.
That shift matters for employers, foreign workers, and licensed agents. It also matters for families depending on a linked permit. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the change has made Ireland’s permit system faster to track, easier to store, and harder to file incorrectly.
A single digital route for every permit type
Employment Permits Online is mandatory for employers, applicants, and agents involved in Ireland’s employment permit process. A casual visitor cannot use it. The platform requires verified personal or company accounts before anyone can move forward.
Irish-registered employers must create accounts to sponsor non-EEA workers. That includes startups, global firms, and companies moving staff from overseas branches. Skilled workers also need their own accounts, including nurses, software engineers, and other non-EEA applicants seeking a work permit. Family members applying for dependent permissions also use the system.
Licensed agents, including immigration lawyers and HR consultants, can link to employer or employee accounts. They cannot act alone. Both sides must approve the filing before submission.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment says more than 25,000 accounts have been created since launch. It also reported a 30% rise in submissions in Q1 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. That growth reflects strong demand in ICT, healthcare, and construction.
Which permits move through Employment Permits Online
The platform covers all 14 employment permit categories under Irish law. That includes the most common routes as well as specialist permits.
- Critical Skills Employment Permit: for highly skilled roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List, including AI specialists and doctors.
- General Employment Permit: for mid-skilled jobs not on the ineligible list, such as chefs and retail managers.
- Intra-Company Transfer Permit: for multinational staff moving within the same company.
- Multi-Employer Construction Permit: for project-based construction work.
- Sport and Cultural Employment Permit: for athletes, artists, and entertainers.
- Dependent or spouse permits: for partners of Critical Skills holders or other qualifying workers.
The 2026 changes widened the Critical Skills list on January 15, 2026. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment added 150 occupations, including renewable energy engineers and data scientists. For salaries over €64,000, the labor market needs test is waived, which speeds the file.
How the joint application process works
The process is electronic and shared. Employers and applicants must work together from start to finish. That reduces errors and stops unilateral filings.
- Create verified accounts. Go to Employment Permits Online and register. Employers verify through Revenue or the Companies Registration Office. They upload the Certificate of Incorporation, Tax Registration Number, and PPS details for directors. Applicants provide a passport, photo, and email verification. Multi-factor authentication through SMS or an app is required.
- The employer starts the file. The employer logs in, selects the permit type, and enters the job title, salary, and duties. Supporting documents are uploaded at this stage. A unique link is then sent to the applicant.
- The applicant checks and signs. The worker logs in, confirms personal details, gives consent for data sharing, and signs electronically. Both parties review the file in real time before submission.
- Pay and submit. The joint e-signature sends the application. Fees are paid online by card.
- Track progress. The dashboard shows statuses such as Under Review or Additional Info Needed. Decisions and requests for information appear in the account and by email.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment also offers demo videos on the portal. They were updated in March 2026 and help first-time users avoid basic mistakes.
Documents, fees, and processing time
Only digital uploads are accepted. Postal applications are not part of the system. Files should be in PDF or JPG format and no larger than 10MB each.
Employers usually need company registration proof, a detailed job offer, advertising evidence for non-Critical Skills roles, and financial accounts for new sponsors. Applicants usually need a passport, qualifications, a CV, references, proof of experience, and, for certain roles, Garda vetting consent.
From February 1, 2026, biometric passport data integration through EU systems began speeding checks for Critical Skills applicants. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said that cut requests for extra documents by 15%.
Fees stay the same in 2026:
- Critical Skills: €1,000 application fee and €300 first issue stamp fee
- General: €500 application fee and €300 first issue stamp fee
- Intra-Company: €1,000 application fee and €300 first issue stamp fee
- Dependents: €500 per person and €300 first issue stamp fee
Refunds apply only if a file is withdrawn before a decision. Employers filing 10 or more applications a year receive a 10% discount from Q2 2026.
Processing times are now more stable. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment met statutory service levels in 92% of cases in Q1 2026. Critical Skills permits take 13 weeks, with an 8-week priority path for salaries above €64,000. General permits take 23 weeks. Intra-company transfers take 13 weeks. Other categories range from 8 to 40 weeks. Appeals are now handled in 12 weeks through the portal.
What employers and workers face in 2026
The rules now align with the Employment Permits Act 2024. Minimum salary thresholds rose by 4% on January 1, 2026, and the Critical Skills floor moved to €38,000 from €32,000. From March 2026, EPO linked with MyWelfare.ie for dependent benefit checks and EU Blue Card pathways. UK nationals are now treated as non-EEA nationals, while Northern Ireland transfers have a new fast-track route.
Compliance has also tightened. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment increased inspections by 25% in 2026, and non-compliant employers can be barred from EPO for 12 months. Sham contracts bring fines of up to €250,000. For applicants, a successful visa route can lead to Stamp 1G permission at the airport and, after 60 months of reckonable residence, a path toward citizenship.
The system is not perfect. Smaller firms still struggle with CRO uploads, and peak volumes between January and March can push timelines back by 2 to 4 weeks. Rural applicants also report connectivity problems, so the helpline at 01 485 7777 remains important. DETE fixed MFA glitches in version 2.1 during February 2026.
For official guidance, readers should review the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s employment permits information page and keep their EPO accounts active for status updates, document requests, and renewal planning.
