Employment permit costs and quotas
Department fees are only part of the cost of hiring a permit holder. Employer verification, advertising and quota rules can all affect timing and budget.
Employers should budget for document preparation and any recruitment advertising as well as the Department fee. Visa processing and quota availability can also affect the cost and timing of a hire.
Department fees
The Department’s fees page lists the main employment permit application fees. A new General Employment Permit costs €1,000 for a permit up to 24 months, or €500 where the permit is for six months or less.
A General Employment Permit renewal costs €750 where the renewal is for six months or less, or €1,500 where the renewal is up to 36 months. The same renewal fee pattern appears for several renewable permit types on the Department’s table.
A new Critical Skills Employment Permit costs €1,000 up to 24 months, and the Department lists no renewal fee because that permit is not renewed in the same way. Dependant, Partner or Spouse Employment Permit applications are listed with no fee.
Where an application is unsuccessful, the Department says 90% of the fee will be refunded. If the employer is the applicant, the Employment Permits Act 2024 also restricts recovery of application-related charges, fees or expenses from the permit holder.
Employer verification and the old Trusted Partner scheme
Many employers still use the phrase Trusted Partner when discussing permit processing. The Department’s Trusted Partner Initiative page now says that, under Employment Permits Online, all employers must submit relevant Revenue documentation and a CRO number to establish and maintain their portal account.
The same page says there is no longer a requirement for a separate Trusted Partner Initiative. The portal sends messages when Revenue and CRO details are due to expire, and company registration renewal can be managed through the account.
Keep the Revenue and CRO documents in the employer’s online account up to date. Expired documents can delay the application before the Department assesses the proposed employment.
Quota-controlled occupations
Some occupations are eligible only while a quota remains available. Once the quota is filled, applications in the processing queue may be rejected and new applications should not be submitted until a further quota is released.
The Department’s press release dated 18 December 2025 announced new General Employment Permit quotas for the agri-food sector. It provided 1,000 permits for Meat Processing Operatives and 850 permits for Dairy Farm Assistants, available with immediate effect from Wednesday 17 December 2025.
The same release said the existing quotas for meat processors and dairy farm assistants had been fully taken up. It also recorded that the agri-food pilot scheme began in May 2018, with a cumulative 5,425 permits made available to date.
The Department’s latest notices page also records earlier agri-food quotas from 2024: Butcher or Boner at 350 permits, Horticulture Worker at 1,000 permits and Meat Processing Operative at 1,000 permits. The same notice tied those roles to the standard Labour Market Needs Test.
For home care, the Department announced in March 2025 an extension of 1,000 General Employment Permits to the quota for care workers and home carers. Care recruitment therefore depends on quota availability as well as the employer and candidate meeting the other requirements.
How to budget before making the offer
Start with the permit fee, then add the cost of any Labour Market Needs Test advertising and the internal time needed for evidence gathering. If a recruiter is involved, agree who will preserve the advertisement record before the campaign begins.
Check the employer portal details before agreeing a submission date. Missing Revenue documents can prevent the application from progressing.
For quota roles, check the latest Department notices immediately before offer and again before submission. A quota can be open when recruitment starts and closed by the time the permit application reaches the queue.
Common budgeting and quota problems
Allow for advertising, document revisions and visa processing when budgeting. Delays at these stages can increase the overall recruitment cost.
Previous Trusted Partner status does not replace the current employer account checks. Confirm the account requirements before preparing the application.
Check meat processing, dairy, horticulture, butcher or boner and home care roles against the latest Department quota notices before committing to a fixed start date.
An application that meets the other requirements may still be unsuccessful if the quota is exhausted before it is processed.
Common questions
What is the Department fee for a new General Employment Permit?
The Department's fees page lists €1,000 for a General Employment Permit up to 24 months and €500 for six months or less. Renewal fees are listed separately and depend on the length of renewal sought.
Are agri-food quotas still relevant after the December 2025 announcement?
Yes. The Department announced new quotas for meat processing operatives and dairy farm assistants with effect from 17 December 2025, and its latest notices page also records earlier quotas for horticulture workers and butcher or boner roles. A quota role should be checked before the employer commits to a start date.
Sources
- Fees - DETE — Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
- Trusted Partner Initiative - DETE — Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
- Latest notices and developments - DETE — Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
- New employment permit quotas to support meat processing and dairy sectors - DETE — Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
- Minister Burke announces new measures to support home care and planning sectors - DETE — Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment