Employment Permits Act 2024
The legislation governing Ireland's employment permit system, in force since 2 September 2024 — the biggest reform of permit law in over a decade.
If you are hiring from outside the EEA, this is the rulebook. The 2024 Act replaced the 2003 and 2006 Acts and changed the fundamentals: online-only job advertising, a nine-month change-of-employer rule, a new Seasonal Employment Permit, internal promotions without a new permit, and salary thresholds that now rise automatically with average wages. Much of the advice floating around online predates it — always check that guidance refers to the post-September 2024 rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Act does not invalidate existing permits or require re-registration. However, employers should update internal processes: your Labour Market Needs Test procedure, your renewal calendar (salary thresholds now rise annually), and your retention planning, since permit holders gain mobility after nine months.
Existing permits remain valid on their original terms, but the new rules apply to what happens next — renewals, change-of-employer requests, and new applications are all processed under the 2024 Act. In practice, an employee granted a permit in 2023 can still benefit from the nine-month change-of-employer rule now that it is in force.
The headline changes: job adverts for the Labour Market Needs Test moved fully online (no more newspaper ads), permit holders can change employer after nine months instead of twelve, a new Seasonal Employment Permit was created, internal promotions no longer require a new permit, agencies can now be the employer of a permit holder, and salary thresholds are indexed to rise with average wages. It came into force on 2 September 2024.