Ireland employment permit processing dates: 22 October 2026 snapshot

Ireland’s employment permit processing page has a new snapshot dated 22 October 2026. If you are waiting for a decision, check the category that matches your application rather than relying on someone else’s timeline.

The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment lists the application receipt dates it has reached. These are queue markers, not promised decision dates.

Employment permit queue dates: 22 October 2026

• Critical Skills: 15 October 2026.
• New General Employment Permits: 18 September 2026.
• Other new permits, excluding Critical Skills, General and Intra-Company Transfer: 27 August 2026.
• New Intra-Company Transfer permits: 16 October 2026.
• Intra-Company Transfer renewals: 6 August 2026.
• Renewals, covering all renewable permit types: 6 August 2026.
• Reviews and appeals: 29 April 2026.

Source: the department’s current processing dates, checked on 22 October 2026. The department says it works through applications according to when it receives the completed form and any applicable fee. Check the live page again before making plans.

Planning a work start date

A recent queue date is not a reason to leave an application until the last minute. The department’s application guidance says applications must arrive at least 12 weeks before the proposed start of employment. That requirement is not a promise that a decision will take 12 weeks.

Before submitting, use the checklist for your permit type. A contract signed by both employer and employee must accompany each application. Where a Labour Market Needs Test applies, the EURES advertisement must run for at least 28 days before a valid application can be submitted.

Applicants can use Employment Permits Online to submit and track an application. The department warns that an unfinished application is deleted after 28 days and cannot be recovered.

Where to check your own application

Use your application status rather than treating the public queue page as an individual decision. For help, the department’s official contact page directs applicants to review the processing dates and permit criteria first.

The Workplace Relations Commission provides general permit information and limited status information. Detailed questions about a particular application should go directly to the Employment Permits Section. Its published email for general queries is employmentpermits@enterprise.gov.ie; online application and payment queries go to EPOS@enterprise.gov.ie.

Visa questions are separate. The same contact page directs those to Immigration Service Delivery or the relevant Irish embassy or consulate, not the employment permit queue.

Checked 22 October 2026 against official sources. The queue figures above are the department’s 22 October snapshot, not a forecast or personal legal advice.

Illustrative workplace meeting. Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels. Cropped. Used under the Pexels License.