Employment Permits

Employing Someone on a Work Permit in Ireland: Your Ongoing Obligations

By Isa Valentic • 6 min read • English • Published July 2026

Employer and employee shaking hands at the end of a meeting in an Irish office

Getting the permit approved feels like the finish line. It is not. It is the start of a compliance relationship with DETE that lasts for the full duration of the permit, with specific obligations that carry real consequences if you ignore them.

Here is what you are actually responsible for once your employee arrives.

The permit is not a one-time transaction

When DETE issues an employment permit, it does so on the understanding that certain conditions will be maintained for the entire duration. This is not guidance. Several of these obligations are set out in statute, and failure to comply is an offence under the Employment Permits Act 2024.

Most employers who run into problems post-permit do not do so because they set out to cut corners. They do so because nobody told them the compliance does not end at approval.

Salary must stay at or above the threshold

The salary threshold that applied at the time of application must be maintained throughout the permit. If your employee's salary drops below the threshold at any point, the permit is at risk.

This matters more than most employers realise because thresholds are now reviewed annually. Check the current figures on enterprise.gov.ie before any renewal, because the number that applied when you first applied may not be the number that applies today.

One more point: the salary must be paid directly through PAYE. Topping up with cash payments, bonuses paid outside payroll, or any arrangement that bypasses PAYE does not satisfy the requirement. The full salary, on time, through payroll.

The role, location, and occupation title are fixed

The permit specifies an occupation and a location. Both are fixed for the duration.

If you need to move the employee to a different site, give them substantially different duties, or change their hours, you need to contact DETE before you do it. Not after. DETE must be notified, and the change of circumstances may require an amendment to the permit.

This catches employers who promote a permit holder into a different role, reassign them to a different branch, or move them from full-time to part-time without realising those changes have implications for the permit.

When employment ends, DETE must be notified

This one catches a lot of employers off guard.

Under the Employment Permits Act 2024, if a permit holder stops working for you for any reason, DETE must be notified within four weeks of the date of termination, and a PDF copy of the permit must be submitted to the Employment Permits Section. The obligation sits on both parties: the employer and the permit holder can each be found guilty of an offence for failing to comply.

In practice, you should not rely on the employee to do this. As the named employer on the permit, it is in your interest to notify promptly regardless of why the employment ended. That covers resignation, dismissal, and redundancy.

Redundancy: what your employee needs to know, and why you should tell them

If you make a permit holder redundant, your general notification obligation to DETE still applies within four weeks. But there is a separate step that falls on the employee, and most employees do not know it exists.

The permit holder is required to notify DETE of the redundancy using the prescribed Redundancy Notification Form, within four weeks of the dismissal date. That timely notification is what gives them access to the Labour Market Needs Test waiver on their next permit application. If they miss the four-week window, that protection may be lost, and they face the full LMNT process again to find a new job.

Once the redundancy is notified, they have up to twelve months to find alternative employment through the Reactivation Employment Permit route. After twelve months, they must contact immigration to discuss their status.

This is not your legal obligation to file. In my experience, most employees are not told about this form on the day they are let go. Telling them costs you nothing and protects someone who is already in a difficult position.

The 50/50 rule does not end at application

For General Employment Permit holders, the 50/50 workforce ratio applies at the point of application. But if your workforce composition changes significantly during the permit period, DETE can take this into account at renewal. Renewals are not automatic, and a workforce that no longer meets the ratio creates a problem at renewal stage.

This is worth tracking, particularly if you are in a sector where turnover is high or where your EEA workforce fluctuates.

Short-time working must be reported

If business conditions mean you need to put a permit holder on short-time working, DETE must be notified. Failure to do so will impact on future applications for renewal. It takes a short email to the Employment Permits Section to report it, and the contact details are on enterprise.gov.ie.

Transfer of undertakings requires a specific form

If your business is acquired, merged, or transferred and your permit holder comes with the transfer, this is not automatically handled. The original employer must complete the prescribed Transfer of Undertaking Form and send it to DETE. If you fail to do this, it can affect the permit holder's renewal down the line.

This is a situation where a lot of employers assume the transfer is clean, and nobody files anything. The oversight only surfaces at renewal, when DETE flags the inconsistency.

Keep records

The Workplace Relations Commission carries out inspections. Employment permit holders are entitled to the full protection of Irish employment law, and WRC inspectors will look for records showing that your obligations have been met: payroll records, pay dates, hours worked, evidence of address and occupation. These are not special requirements for permit holders specifically. They apply across your workforce. But where a permit holder is involved, any gap in records is more likely to draw attention.

What People Get Wrong

"The permit covers the whole contract, I just need to renew it when it expires."
The permit sets conditions that must be actively maintained. It does not run on autopilot.

"If the employee leaves, that is their problem to sort out."
It is also yours. You have four weeks to notify DETE, and failure is an offence under the Employment Permits Act 2024.

"Topping up outside payroll is fine as long as the total is right."
It is not. The salary must be paid fully through PAYE. Anything outside PAYE does not count toward the remuneration requirement.

"Short-time working is a temporary measure, I will sort it when things pick up."
You need to notify DETE at the time, not retrospectively. The obligation is live when the change happens.

Quick Answers

What records do I need to keep on file for a permit holder?
At minimum: a copy of the employment permit, a copy of the IRP card, and the employee's passport. Diarise the IRP expiry date. If it lapses and you continue employing the person, that is an offence for both of you.

Can I move a permit holder to a different site?
Not without contacting DETE first. Location is specified on the permit.

Does the 50/50 rule apply at renewal?
DETE considers it. If your workforce no longer meets the ratio, renewal may be complicated.

If I make someone redundant, what should I tell them on the day?
Let them know they need to file a Redundancy Notification Form with DETE within four weeks of dismissal. That is their obligation to file, not yours. But if they miss the window, they lose the Labour Market Needs Test waiver on their next permit application. It takes two minutes to mention it and it matters a lot to them.

Do permit holders have the same employment rights as other employees?
Yes. Full Irish employment law applies. The permit does not reduce your obligations as an employer.