Work Permits in Ireland Fell Sharply in 2025 — What You Need to Know
In 2025, the number of work permits issued in Ireland dropped by almost 25% compared with 2024. New figures from the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment show that demand for foreign workers slowed across major industries.
Big Drop in Overall Permits
- A total of 31,044 work permits were granted to non-EEA (non-European Economic Area) workers in 2025.
- That’s down from 39,390 permits in 2024 — a fall of nearly a quarter.
Which Sectors Were Most Affected?
Several key industries saw significant decreases:
Health Sector
Permits for the health industry — including nurses and care workers — fell sharply, from 12,501 in 2024 to just 7,948 in 2025.
Technology Sector
In the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, numbers almost halved, dropping from 6,788 to 3,630.
Agriculture Sector
The agriculture industry also saw fewer permits, reducing from 2,990 to 1,915.
Why Did Work Permits Fall?
Experts point to several reasons for the decline:
New processing system delays — The department introduced a new permit system in 2025, which slowed approvals and may have discouraged some employers from applying.
Weaker demand in some sectors — Global economic uncertainty, particularly in tech, reduced demand for overseas workers in that field.
Natural fluctuation — There was an unusually high number of renewals in 2024 thanks to a big permit issue in 2022, which inflated that year’s totals.
Rules and Hiring Challenges
Some employers also struggled with immigration rules:
Equal staffing requirement
A rule requiring employers to have at least as many EEA workers as non-EEA workers made hiring non-EEA health staff harder for nursing homes. The government has said it will review this rule.
Healthcare hiring limits
Restrictions on staff numbers at some major hospitals also contributed to fewer permits in the health sector.
Who Received Work Permits?
Among companies applying for permits, Amazon, Accenture, EY, and Google were among the largest users of permits in the private sector.
Indian citizens received the highest individual share: 9,947 permits, nearly one-third of the total.
Summary: Key Points for Workers and Employers
- Overall work permits in Ireland fell by nearly 25% in 2025.
- Health, tech, and agriculture sectors saw the biggest drops.
- Administrative delays and changing hiring rules were key factors.
- Indian nationals received a large share of the permits issued.
Source: Irish Times
