Name: Ireland Employment Permit Processing Dates 2026
Creator: CitizenshipCalculator.com
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

DETE — as of 04 September 2026

Current processing dates by permit type

Applications are processed in date order of receipt of the fully completed application form and fee. Auto-refreshed from DETE via Worker.

📂 enterprise.gov.ie · DETE · Auto-refreshed 04 September 2026

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Quota warning — 26 August 2026: DETE says the 1,000 General Employment Permit quota for Meat Processing Operatives is oversubscribed and almost filled. Do not submit new applications for this role at this time. DETE latest updates →

Critical Skills (new)

~1 wk

26 August 2026 being processed

General Employment Permit

~5 wks

30 July 2026 being processed

ICT (new)

~2 wks

25 August 2026 being processed

Reviews / Appeals

~7 mo

24 January 2026 being processed

💼 Full processing dates — all permit types

As of 04 September 2026

DETE →

Permit type	Currently processing	Wait
Critical Skills Employment Permit (New)	26 August 2026	✅ ~1 week
New General Employment Permit	30 July 2026	⚠️ ~5 weeks
All other New Applications	21 July 2026	⚠️ ~6 weeks
Intra-Company Transfer (New)	25 August 2026	✅ ~2 weeks
Intra-Company Transfer (Renewal)	12 June 2026	⚠️ ~3 months
Renewal Applications (all types)	11 June 2026	⚠️ ~3 months
Reviews / Appeals	24 January 2026	🔴 ~7 months

Salary thresholds from 1 March 2026

New minimum remuneration requirements

DETE announced phased increases effective 1 March 2026, with further increases through 2030.

Permit type	Previous MAR	From Mar 2026	Change
General Employment Permit	€34,000	€36,605	+7.7%
Critical Skills (with degree)	€38,000	€40,904	+7.6%
Critical Skills (without degree)	€64,000	€68,911	+7.7%
Trusted Partner — Critical Skills processing	—	2–5 days	Priority

Further increases planned annually through 2030. Employers renewing permits must ensure salaries meet the new thresholds. Full DETE guidance →

💡 Trusted Partner fast-track

Employers accredited under DETE's Trusted Partner Initiative get Critical Skills and General Employment Permit applications processed in 2–5 working days — compared to the standard 3-month wait. If your employer is a high-volume recruiter, ask them to apply for Trusted Partner status.

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Data sourced from official Irish government publications. Not legal advice — verify at irishimmigration.ie. CitizenshipCalculator.com is not affiliated with the Irish Government.