Work Permits

Thursday, 19 February 2026

Ceisteanna (296)

Ken O'Flynn

Ceist:

296. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of employment permits issued in 2025 by sector; whether each sector is classified as experiencing a verified skills shortage; and whether an updated labour market needs analysis has been completed for 2026 permit quotas. [13866/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment

The employment permit system is designed to support businesses across the State in addressing skills and labour shortages that cannot be met through the Irish or EEA workforce. By facilitating access to talent from outside the EEA, the system enables companies to remain competitive, sustain operations, and continue to deliver essential services across the economy.

Sectors are deemed to be experiencing verified skills or labour shortages where occupations within them are included on the Critical Skills Occupations List or are eligible for General Employment Permits. These classifications are evidence based and derived from the Department’s structured review of labour market conditions, which draws on research from SOLAS’s Skills and Labour Market Research Unit, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, public consultation submissions, and inputs from relevant policy Departments through the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group. The recommendations of this group, as well as sector evidence provide the rationale underpinning a Ministerial decision to update a quota for a particular role or sector.

A new review of the Occupations Lists is currently under way, following an open public consultation, and detailed engagement across Government to ensure alignment with wider labour market priorities, including housing delivery. This intergovernmental process informs the process, ultimately delivering recommendations for employment permit eligibility and quotas. The outcome of this process, reflecting the latest analysis of sectoral shortages, will be published in the coming weeks.

Current processing dates continue to be published and updated regularly on the Department’s website to provide transparency to applicants: enterprise.gov.ie/en/publications/employment-permit-statistics-2025.html

In 2025, 31,044 employment permits were issued across all sectors. The data provided in the accompanying table outlines the number of employment permits issued in 2025, broken down by sector, demonstrating the level of demand in areas that remain most reliant on non-EEA labour due to ongoing recruitment challenges.

-	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December	Grand Total
No Sector Entered								20	24	51	39	52	186
A - Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing	203	267	251	149	125	69	123	153	133	181	138	123	1,915
B - Mining & Quarrying	9	6		3	5	3	8	9	20	28	3	4	98
C - All Other Manufacturing	185	137	104	56	79	51	74	106	121	140	123	116	1,292
C - Manufacture of Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals	58	65	45	49	33	19	34	57	74	62	52	52	600
C - Manufacture of Computers, Electronics & Optical Equipment	32	70	48	18	23	35	31	29	30	37	46	32	431
C - Manufacture of Food, Drink & Tobacco	37	32	61	34	42	23	19	71	70	52	29	26	496
C - Manufacture of Medical Devices	35	31	26	12	9	6	18	20	36	28	28	37	286
D - Electricity & Gas & Air Conditioning Supply	55	29	49	17	29	19	24	32	25	25	20	18	342
E - Water Supply - Sewerage Waste Management & Remedial Activities	2	2	3	7	3	1	5	13	16	20	3	11	86
F - Construction	259	157	235	88	101	66	137	202	211	236	185	154	2,031
G - Wholesale & Retail Trade	68	45	62	35	36	23	40	51	67	56	77	62	622
H - Transport & Storage	131	109	83	45	172	90	148	136	91	155	118	85	1,363
I - Accommodation & Food Services Activities	557	389	463	168	223	127	177	240	242	291	334	288	3,499
J - Information & Communication Activities	451	343	361	224	215	191	232	318	268	374	383	270	3,630
K - Financial & Insurance Activities	153	121	119	73	64	57	88	132	139	183	192	103	1,424
L - Real Estate Activities	2	9	1	2	1	2	3	3	5	6	4	2	40
M - All other Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities	88	45	76	40	45	38	47	63	63	71	69	45	690
M - Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities of Head Offices, Management Consultancy Services	63	68	61	44	38	71	60	69	75	94	74	48	765
N - Administrative & Support Service Activities	12	10	11	6	4	3	9	7	9	7	11	5	94
O - Public Administration & Defence	9	3	5	4	3	1	1	5	7	7	4	5	54
P - Education	50	31	42	19	28	13	51	34	43	60	49	44	464
Q - Health & Social Work Activities	1,040	781	801	415	372	650	649	651	622	622	665	680	7,948
R - Arts, Entertainment and Recreation	40	49	74	36	30	37	52	83	73	69	25	25	593
S - Other Service Activities	259	195	210	124	139	89	150	156	161	235	217	152	2,087
T - Domestic - Activities of Households as Employers					1			1	2	2	1	1	8
Grand Total	3,798	2,994	3,191	1,668	1,820	1,684	2,180	2,661	2,627	3,092	2,889	2,440	31,044