Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
405. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of work permits that have been issued by his Department to people working in artificial intelligence-related fields for each year since 2021; if he will provide a breakdown of this figure, by role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73811/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department assigns Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes to roles when processing employment permit applications. There are currently no SOC codes specifically associated with artificial intelligence (AI) related roles. Accordingly, we do not hold data that would allow us to identify permits issued exclusively for AI-related positions.
However, it is possible that some permits issued under broader SOC codes, such as software development, data analysis, or other ICT roles, are for individuals working in AI related fields. The Department does not capture this level of detail in its permit data.
The table below provides the number of employment permits issued for ICT roles for each year since 2021. Of these, a portion can be directly attributed to AI-related positions, based on job titles that explicitly reference AI. This figure does not include roles such as “Software Engineer” or “Data Scientist,” which may involve AI-related tasks, as this cannot be confirmed from the data available.
|
Year |
Information & Communication Activities |
Permits Explicitly AI Related* |
|
2021 |
4616 |
9 |
|
2022 |
10,832 |
71 |
|
2023 |
5009 |
10 |
|
2024 |
6787 |
151 |
|
2025 Jan - Nov |
3331 |
32 |
*AI related positions are identified solely by job titles containing “Artificial Intelligence” or “AI.”
The Department continues to monitor labour market trends, including developments in emerging technologies such as AI, to ensure that the employment permits system remains responsive to Ireland’s skills needs.
