Employment permits for migrant workers in Ireland have more than doubled since 2021 as employers increasingly recruit workers from outside the European Economic Area to fill vacancies, a new report has found.
Between 30,000 and 40,000 permits were issued or renewed in each of the last four years, according to research by the European Migration Network Ireland, published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
A change in the rules have widened access to recruitment, including an expanded list of eligible occupations including in healthcare and construction.
Health and social care accounted for 26 percent of permits issued last year. A further 12 percent were issued for jobs in the tech sector. Accommodation and food services accounted for 11 percent. Construction’s share nearly doubled compared with 2021, reaching 6 percent.
Nearly one-third of work permits went to Indian nationals. Brazilian and Philippine nationals each accounted for around 11 percent.
More than 8,000 companies recruited non-EEA workers in 2025. Around half of those companies sponsored multiple foreign workers.
“The strong uptake in employment permits shows the growing importance of non-EEA migrant workers in meeting Ireland’s demand for labour across healthcare, construction and ICT services,” said Ada Sophia Hahn from the ESRI.
The Employment Permits Act 2024 modernised the system for recruiting from outside the European Union and European Economic Area.
The law also allowed for the introduction of a seasonal permit now being piloted in horticulture.
The ESRI warns in the report that foreign workers remain at risk of mistreatment or exploitation. Migrants can also encounter obstacles getting non-EU qualifications recognised, while retention remains low, including among critical-skills workers, the report warns.
“Consistently low retention rates would be a concern, as it could undermine the effectiveness of the employment permit system,” Hahn said.