The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has announced further restrictions on General Employment Permit applications following the exhaustion of quotas for certain occupations.
The quota for furniture makers and other craft woodworkers, introduced under the Employment Permits Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 444/2024), has now been reached. The Department has confirmed that applications awaiting processing will be rejected and has advised employers against submitting further applications for these occupations.
A similar position is emerging for Meat Processing Operatives, with the allocation of 1,000 General Employment Permits approaching capacity. The Department has indicated that the quota is already oversubscribed and has advised that further applications should not be submitted.
Employment permit quotas are used to regulate the number of permits issued for specific occupations, taking account of labour market conditions and workforce requirements. Once an allocation has been exhausted, further permits cannot be issued under that quota unless additional capacity is approved.
The announcements highlight the importance of checking permit availability before progressing recruitment involving non-EEA nationals. Employers should also ensure that the proposed role meets the relevant eligibility requirements, including applicable remuneration thresholds.
With employment permit arrangements subject to ongoing Government review, businesses relying on international recruitment should remain attentive to changes in occupation eligibility, permit allocations and application requirements.
Source: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Employment Permit Updates.