General Employment Permit changes in 2024
Updated October 2026. Some figures in the original post have changed. The minimum salary for most General Employment Permit jobs is now €36,605, and the rules on family joining you changed on 12 June 2026. The current position is shown below; see our General Employment Permit page for full details.
The Employment Permits Act 2024 came into force on 2 September 2024 and brought the biggest changes to the General Employment Permit in a decade.
Salary
The minimum salary is now reviewed regularly in line with average earnings. When the Act came in it was €34,000; it is now €36,605 for most jobs (€34,009 for recent Irish graduates and €32,691 for certain roles).
A simpler Labour Market Needs Test
Employers no longer have to advertise in print. The job must be advertised for 28 days in a row on JobsIreland/EURES and on at least one other online jobs platform.
Changing employer after nine months
Permit holders can now change employer after nine months with their first employer (previously twelve), staying within the same type of occupation. No new labour market test is needed for the move.
Other changes
- Automatic cancellation. When a new permit is issued, any existing permit is cancelled automatically.
- A new Seasonal Employment Permit was created by the Act for seasonal work, such as in horticulture, for up to seven months a year. At the time it was expected to start with a pilot scheme.
Family
The original post said family could join after one year. That is no longer correct. There’s no waiting period for General Employment Permit holders, but they must meet income requirements set by Immigration Service Delivery: for a spouse or partner, gross income above €30,000 in the previous year (rules updated 12 June 2026). Family members from visa-required countries also need their own visas.
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