This is one of the questions asked most frequently by clients and permit applicants. Salary requirements are a key part of the employment immigration process in Ireland and must be strictly adhered to. It’s an important point for both employers and applicants when deciding whether to hire a non-EEA national to work for you. VisaWork breaks down the essential pay rate requirements below for any employers considering hiring a non-EEA national on a General Employment Permit (GEP).
As of January 2024, the current minimum annual remuneration for a General Employment Permit holder is €34,000.00. This is the minimum salary for a 39 hour week, amounting to a minimum hourly rate of €16.77 per hour. DETE defines the working week as 39 hours per week, meaning that minimum salaries must abide by this. A worker therefore cannot earn just €34,000.00 if they work 40 hours per week. They would need to earn €34,871.80 to satisfy the minimum remuneration requirement if working 40 hours.
When applying for an employment permit, the employer must state on the application form the gross annual salary, the gross weekly salary, and the gross hourly rate. They must also state if there are any deductions from the gross remuneration. Employers must also submit a signed employment contract that confirms the salary they are paying the applicant and the hours to be worked per week. DETE are entitled to refuse a permit application if the salary requirement is not met either in the details provided in the application form or by the employment contract submitted.
The minimum salary requirement for GEPs is currently higher than the National Minimum Wage set by the Irish government. Employers must ensure that they abide by these rules when applying for an employment permit, and they must continue to follow this requirement as the Workplace Relations Commission could inspect their records at any time.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) are responsible for setting salary minimums for employment permits. They do this periodically based on reviews and CSO data. Before the increase in 2024, the minimum salary for a GEP was set at €30,000.00 for more than 10 years.
In January 2024, DETE indicated that the salary for a GEP would increase to €39,000.00 from January 2025. The Department lists these figures as indicative only, and have not released any further information on potential salary increases as yet.
For more information on salary requirements and increases for permits holder, contact Amy Doolan at amy.doolan@visawork.io, or fill in our Contact Form here.
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