Ireland: Roadmap for Minimum Annual Remuneration Salary Thresholds Published

The situation 

The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) has confirmed increases to Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) Thresholds for Employment Permits and published a Roadmap for MAR Salary Thresholds, setting out further phased increases to the salary thresholds for all Employment Permit categories. 

A closer look 

Effective March 1, 2026, the first set of increases for annual amounts for initial and renewal applications will apply to: 

• • Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) with a relevant degree: EUR 40,904, up from EUR 38,000 

• • CSEP without a relevant degree: EUR 68,911, up from EUR 64,000 

• • Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) Permits: EUR 49,523, up from EUR 46,000 

• • Standard General Employment Permit (GEP): EUR 36,605, up from EUR 34,000 

• • GEPs for lower‑paid sectors (e.g., meat processors; horticultural workers; healthcare assistants; home carers): EUR 32,691, up from EUR 30,000 

• • Recent graduates for GEPs: EUR 34,009 (new category)  

• • Recent graduates for CSEPs: EUR 36,848 (new category) 

• • Exemptions: Certain roles, subject to the public service pay agreement (i.e. individuals employed by certain Irish government bodies/agencies) are exempt from these increases and will be subject instead to the public service pay agreement pay scales. This will also apply to community and voluntary organizations whose pay scales are linked to the public sector pay deal. 

These figures are based on a 39-hour week. For longer weeks, the figures will need to increase proportionally. For shorter working weeks, the minimum MAR that applies to 39-hour weeks will still need to be met.  

The roadmap envisages further phased increases through to 2030. 

Background 

• • History of review. In December 2023, the DETE announced initial changes to the existing MAR requirements to take effect in early 2024, with additional increases set for 2025 and 2026. Following this announcement and the first 2024 increase, the planned increases for 2025 were paused to allow for review of the government’s roadmap and its impact on users of the employment permits system. 
     
    In September 2024, new employment permits legislation was enacted via the Employment Permits Act 2024. The Act introduced a requirement for the government to review MAR on an annual basis and raise thresholds where the average weekly earnings in Ireland (as published by the Central Statistics Office) have increased.  

• • Government-stated intention for increases. The DETE emphasized that the phased increases to MAR thresholds are intended to balance multiple policy objectives: ensuring remuneration keeps pace with inflation and cost‑of‑living pressures, maintaining Ireland’s attractiveness for international talent and giving employers undertaking sponsorship through the Employment Permit system sufficient time to adapt to higher salaries. 

• • Broader recalibration. This represents a further stage in a broader recalibration of the Irish Employment Permit regime and broader immigration policy, following the changes implemented in 2024 (which included increased salary thresholds and newly eligible occupations), and also the recent changes to Family Reunification policy. 

Impact 

• • Evaluate budgets and meet new amounts. Permit applications (both initial and renewal) from March 1, 2026 must meet revised MAR thresholds. Budgeting and compensation planning must be reassessed. Employers hiring third‑country nationals for roles previously close to the threshold should evaluate whether current remuneration remains compliant, particularly in lower‑paid roles. Assess viability for roles in lower salary bandings under the new thresholds. 

• • Applicability to labour market test. Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) advertisements, where required (GEPs), must reflect the updated thresholds. The remuneration in any LMNT advertisement should match or exceed the new MAR. 

Looking ahead  

This review will occur annually and inform the government’s roadmap on MAR. Internal compliance frameworks and workforce‑planning strategies should reflect these changes and the broader roadmap through 2030. Employers should monitor future MAR adjustments under the roadmap and factor these into long‑term workforce planning. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.