S.I. No. 213/2026 - Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (2026_si_213) | IE

ISB SI

Reg. 1 S.I. No. 213/2026 - Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 Open official source

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

Definitions

ISB SI

Reg. 2 S.I. No. 213/2026 - Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 Open official source

2. In these Regulations—

“Principal Regulations” means the Employment Permits Regulations 2024 (

S.I. No. 444 of 2024

);

“Regulations of 2025” means the Employment Permits (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2025 (

S.I. No. 643 of 2025

).

Amendment of Schedule 2 to Principal Regulations

ISB SI

Reg. 3 S.I. No. 213/2026 - Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 Open official source

3. Schedule 2 (as amended by Regulation 18 of the Regulations of 2025) to the Principal Regulations is amended—

(a) in Part B, by inserting “/ Ophthalmic Optician” after “Optometrist”, and

(b) in Part C—

(i) by inserting after the entry for “Gas Installers” the following entry

“

Profession

Regulatory body responsible for registration or recognition of qualifications

Geospatial Surveyor / Land Surveyor / Geomatics Surveyor

Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland

”, and

(ii) by substituting for the entry for “Town Planner” the following

Profession

Regulatory body responsible for registration or recognition of qualifications

Town Planning Officer

Irish Planning Institute; Royal Town Planning Institute

”.

Amendment of Schedule 3 to Principal Regulations

ISB SI

Reg. 4 S.I. No. 213/2026 - Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 Open official source

4. The Principal Regulations are amended by substituting for Schedule 3 (as amended by Regulation 19 of the Regulations of 2025) the following:—

”Regulations 9, 25, 68 and 72

Schedule 3

Employments in respect of which there is a shortage in respect of qualifications, experience or skills which are required for the proper functioning of the economy

SOC-3

Employment category

SOC-4

Employments

112

Production Managers and Directors

1122

Site Manager

113

ICT Professionals

1136

Information technology and telecommunications directors

118

Health and Social Services Managers and Directors

1181

Senior health services and public health managers and directors

121

Managers and Proprietors in Agriculture Related Services

1213

• Professional Forester

• Resource modelling, earth observation and data analyst.

211

Natural and Social Science Professionals

2111

Chemical scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

2112

• Medical laboratory scientists

• Biological scientists and biochemists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

• Agronomist

2113

• Physical scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

• Meteorologist

• Operational Forecaster

212

Engineering Professionals

2121

• Civil Engineers

• Structural Engineers and Site Engineers

2122

Mechanical engineers

2123

Electrical engineers

2124

Electronics engineers specialising in

• Chip design, test engineering, or application engineering, or

• Process automation engineering, or

• Power generation, transmission and distribution, or

• Related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

2126

Design and development engineers specialising in

• Quality control, or validation and regulation engineering (high tech industry; food and beverages), or

• Chip design, test engineering, or application engineering, or

• Process automation engineering, or

• Power generation, transmission and distribution, or

• Related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

2127

• Production and process engineers specialising in

• Quality control, or validation and regulation engineering (high tech industry; food and beverages), or

• Chemical process engineering, or

• Process automation engineering, or

• Power generation, transmission and distribution, or

• Related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

• Chemical Engineer

2129

• Material scientists

• Setting Out Engineer

• Façade Designer

• Project Engineer

213

Information Technology and Telecommunications Professionals

2133

• IT specialist managers

• BIM Manager

2134

IT project and programme managers

2135

IT business analysts, architects and systems designers

2136

Programmers and software development professionals

2137

Web design and development professionals

2139

All other ICT professionals not elsewhere classified

221

Health Professionals

2211

Medical practitioners

2212

Psychologist

2213

Pharmacist/Industrial Pharmacists

2214

• Optometrist

• Ophthalmic Optician Community Eye Care

2217

• Radiographers

• Radiation therapists

• Cardiac physiologist

• Vascular technologists/physiologists

• Gastro Intestinal technologists/physiologists

• Respiratory physiologist

2218

Podiatrist/Chiropodist

2219

• Audiologists

• Perfusionists

• Dietician

• Medical Scientist

222

Therapy Professionals

2221

Physiotherapist

2222

Occupational Therapist

2223

Speech & Language Therapist

2229

Orthoptists

223

Nursing and Midwifery Professionals

2231

Registered Nurses

2232

Registered Midwives

231

Teaching and Educational Professionals

2311

Academics who hold a qualification equivalent to Level 10 of the National Framework of Qualification in a given discipline awarded no less than two calendar years prior to the date of application for an employment permit, with a minimum of one academic year of relevant teaching experience, and the employment concerned

• is in a third level institution governed by the Irish Universities Act 1997 (No. 24 of 1997), the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 (No. 25 of 2006) and the Technological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018); or

• involves delivering a programme largely or wholly concerned with information and communications technology, which leads to a major award at QQI level 8 and/or level 9 as validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland.

241

Legal Professionals

2419

Intellectual Property Professionals

242

Business, Research and Administrative Professionals

2421

• Chartered and certified accountants, and taxation experts specialising in tax, compliance, regulation, solvency or financial management or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience.

• Qualified accountants with at least three years’ auditing experience, who are full members of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) and whom have relevant work experience in the areas of US GAAP reporting and Global Audit and Advisory Services and the employment concerned is in MNC Global Audit Services.

• Tax consultant specialising in non-EEA tax consultancy and compliance with a professional tax qualification or legal qualification with tax specialism, and has a minimum of three years’ experience of tax consultancy requirements and regulations in the relevant non-EEA market.

2423

Management consultants and business analysts specialising in big data analytics with skills in IT, data mining, modelling, and advanced maths or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

2424

Business and financial project management professionals specialising in finance & investment analytics, risk analytics, credit, fraud analytics or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

2425

Actuaries, economists and statisticians specialising in big data analytics with skills in IT, data mining, modelling, and advanced maths or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience

243

Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors

2431

Architect

2432

Town Planning Officer

2433

Quantity surveyors

2434

Geospatial Surveyor / Land Surveyor / Geomatics Surveyor

2435

Architectural Technologist

2436

• Construction project managers / Construction Planner / Construction Scheduler

• Commercial Manager

244

Welfare Professionals

2442

Social Worker

246

Quality and Regulatory Professionals

2461

Quality control and planning engineers

2462

Quality assurance and regulatory professionals

2463

Environmental health professionals

247

Media Professionals

2473

Art Director in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role

312

Draughtspersons and Related Architectural Technicians

3122

BIM Coordinator/ Technician

321

Health Associate Professionals

3213

• PHECC registered Paramedics

• PHECC registered Advanced Paramedic Practitioners

3218

• Prosthetists

• Orthotists

• Respiratory physiologist

341

Artistic, Literary and Media Occupations

3411

Animation Background and Design Artist in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role

3417

Riggers (within the Games Industry)

342

Design Occupations

3421

• Location Designer in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role

• Character Designer in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role

• Prop Designer in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role

• Animation Layout Artist in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role

344

Sports and Fitness Occupations

3442

High performance coaches and directors employed by

• National sports organisations, or

• High profile sports organisations engaging in international competition

353

Business, Finance and Related Associate Professionals

3531

Estimator

354

Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals

3542

Business sales executives specialising in International Sales Roles or ITB2B sales roles and with fluency in the official language of a state which is not a Member State of the EEA and is not an official language of an EEA state

3543

International marketing experts with required domain knowledge specialising in product strategy development and management with technical and product/service knowledge (pharmaceutical, medical devices, Software B2B, SaaS products)

Note: “SOC-3” and “SOC-4” refer to applicable levels in the Standard Occupational Classification system (SOC 2010).”

Amendment of Schedule 4 to Principal Regulations

ISB SI

Reg. 5 S.I. No. 213/2026 - Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 Open official source

5. The Principal Regulations are amended by substituting for Schedule 4 the following—

“Regulations 9, 25, 36, 50 and 65

Schedule 4

Employments in respect of which an employment permit shall not be granted

SOC-3

Categories of employment

SOC-4

Employment

122

Managers in Hospitality and Leisure Services

1225

Leisure and sports facilities managers

1226

Travel agency managers

124

Managers in Health and Care Services

1242

Residential, day and domiciliary care managers

(with the exception of those working in disability services)

125

Managers in Other Services

1251

Property, housing and estate managers

1252

Garage managers

1253

Hairdressing and beauty salon managers

1254

Shopkeepers – wholesale and retail

1255

Waste disposal and environmental services managers

1259

Other managers in other services not elsewhere classified (includes Betting shop manager, Graphic design manager, Library manager, Plant hire manager, Production manager)

(with the exception of Safety Manager)

222

Therapy Professionals

2229

Other therapy professionals not elsewhere classified

(with the exception of orthoptists, and chiropractors who are members of the Chiropractic Association of Ireland)

(with the exception of Play Therapists working in disability services)

244

Welfare Professionals

2443

Probation officers

2449

Other welfare professionals not elsewhere classified

312

Draughtspersons and Related Architectural Technicians

3121

Town planning technicians

321

Health Associate Professionals

3219

Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified (includes Acupuncturists, Homeopaths, Hypnotherapists, Massage therapists, Reflexologists, Sports therapists)

(with the exception of Genetic Counsellor)

323

Welfare and Housing Associate Professionals

3231

Youth and community workers

(with the exception of Family Support Workers working in disability services)

3233

Child and early years officers

3234

Housing officers

3235

Counsellors

3239

Other welfare and housing associate professionals not elsewhere classified

(with the exception of Project Officer working in disability services)

(with the exception of Support Worker)

331

Protective Service Occupations

3311

NCOs and other ranks

3312

Police officers (sergeant and below)

3313

Fire service officers (watch manager and below)

3314

Prison service officers (below principal officer)

3315

Police community support officers

3319

Other protective service associate professionals not elsewhere classified

344

Sports and Fitness Occupations

3443

Fitness instructors

352

Legal Associate Professionals

3520

Legal associate professionals

(with the exception of employment of a person fluent in the official language of a State which is not a member of the EEA and is not an official language of an EEA state and who has market knowledge of that non-EEA state)

354

Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals

3544

Estate agents and auctioneers

3546

Conference and exhibition managers and organisers

356

Public Services and Other Associate Professionals

3561

Public services associate professionals

3563

Vocational and industrial trainers and instructors

(with the exception of mobility instructors and Guide Dog mobility instructors for the visually impaired)

(with the exception of Autism Assistance Dog Instructor)

3564

Careers advisers and vocational guidance specialists

(with the exception of career guidance teachers in secondary schools)

3565

Inspectors of standards and regulations

3567

Health and safety officers

(with the exception of Construction Safety Officers)

411

Administrative Occupations: Government and Related Organisations

4112

National government administrative occupations

4113

Local government administrative occupations

412

Administrative Occupations: Finance

4121

Credit controllers

(with the exception of employment of a person fluent in the official language of a State which is not a member of the EEA and is not an official language of an EEA state, in a role in credit control where the employment is supported by an enterprise development agency)

4122

Bookkeepers, payroll managers and wages clerks

(with the exception of employment of a person fluent in the official language of a State which is not a member of the EEA and is not an official language of an EEA state in a role in accounts payable where the employment is supported by an enterprise development agency)

4123

Bank and post office clerks

4124

Finance officers

4129

Other financial administrative occupations not elsewhere classified

413

Administrative Occupations: Records

4131

Records clerks and assistants

4132

Pensions and insurance clerks and assistants

4133

Stock control clerks and assistants

4135

Library clerks and assistants

4138

Human resources administrative occupations

415

Other Administrative Occupations

4151

Sales administrators

4159

Other administrative occupations not elsewhere classified

416

Administrative Occupations: Office Managers and Supervisors

4161

Office managers

4162

Office supervisors

421

Secretarial and Related Occupations

4211

Medical secretaries

4212

Legal secretaries

4213

School secretaries

4214

Company secretaries

4215

Personal assistants and other secretaries

4216

Receptionists

4217

Typists and related keyboard occupations

511

Agricultural and Related Trades

5111

Farmers (with the exception of Pig Manager)

5112

Horticultural trades

5113

Gardeners and landscape gardeners

5114

Groundsmen and greenkeepers

5119

Other agricultural and fishing trades not elsewhere classified

(with the exception of sea fisher in the Irish fishing fleet)

(with the exception of speciality forestry harvesting technician)

523

Vehicle Trades

5236

Boat and ship builders and repairers

5237

Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers

524

Electrical and Electronic Trades

5244

TV, video and audio engineers

5249

Other electrical and electronic trades not elsewhere classified

(with the exception of lineworker working on behalf of ESB Networks)

531

Construction and building trades

5319

Other construction and building trades not elsewhere classified

(with the exception of –

• Plastic Lining Technicians

• Steel Fixers

• Fencing Operators / Erectors

• Curtain Wallers)

541

Textiles and Garments Trades

5411

Weavers and knitters

5413

Footwear and leather working trades

5419

Other textiles, garments and related trades not elsewhere classified

542

Printing Trades

5421

Pre-press technicians

5423

Print finishing and binding workers

543

Food Preparation and Hospitality Trades

5432

Flour confectioners

5433

Fishmongers and poultry dressers

(with the exception of fish filleter)

5434

Chefs

(with the exception of –

• Executive Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience

• Head Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience

• Sous Chef with minimum of 5 years’ experience

• Chef de Partie with minimum of 2 years’ experience

• Commis Chef with minimum of 2 years’ experience

who will be employed in establishments other than fast food outlets)

5435

Cooks

544

Other Skilled Trades

5441

Glass and ceramics makers, decorators and finishers

5443

Florists

5449

All other skilled trades not elsewhere classified

612

Childcare and Related Personal Services

6121

Nursery nurses and assistants

6122

Childminders and related occupations

6125

Teaching assistants

6126

Educational support assistants

613

Animal Care and Control Services

6131

Veterinary nurses

6132

Pest control officers

6139

Other animal care services occupations not elsewhere classified (with the exception of work riders)

614

Caring Personal Services

6142

Ambulance staff

(with the exception of paramedics)

6143

Dental nurses

6144

Houseparents and residential wardens

6146

Senior care workers

(with the exception of those working in disability services)

6147

Care escorts

6148

Undertakers, mortuary and crematorium assistants

621

Leisure and Travel Services

6211

Sports and leisure assistants

6212

Travel agents

6214

Air travel assistants

6215

Rail travel assistants

6219

Other leisure and travel service occupations not elsewhere classified

(with the exception of tourist guides fluent in the official language of a State which is not a member of the EEA and is not an official language of an EEA state)

622

Hairdressers and Related Services

6221

Hairdressers, barbers, and related occupations

6222

Beauticians and related occupations

623

Housekeeping and Related Services

6231

Housekeepers and related occupations

6232

Caretakers

624

Cleaning and Housekeeping Managers and Supervisors

6240

Cleaning and housekeeping managers and supervisors

711

Sales Assistants and Retail Cashiers

7111

Sales and retail assistants

7112

Retail cashiers and check-out operators

7113

Telephone salespersons

7114

Pharmacy and other dispensing assistants

7115

Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers

712

Sales Related Occupations

7121

Collector salespersons and credit agents

7122

Debt, rent and other cash collectors

7123

Roundspersons and van salespersons

7124

Market and street traders and assistants

7125

Merchandisers and window dressers

7129

Other sales related occupations not elsewhere classified

713

Sales Supervisors

7130

Sales supervisors

721

Customer Service Occupations

7211

Call and contact centre occupations

(with the exception of employment of a person fluent in the official language of a State which is not a member of the EEA and is not an official language of an EEA state, where the employment is supported by an enterprise development agency and is in—

• a customer service and sales role with relevant product knowledge,

• a specialist online digital marketing and sales role, or

• a specialist language support and technical sales support role)

7213

Telephonists

7214

Communication operators

7215

Market research interviewers

7219

Other customer service occupations not elsewhere classified

722

Customer Service Managers and Supervisors

7220

Customer service managers and supervisors

811

Process Operatives

8111

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives

(with the exception of

• Computer Numerical Control Operative

• Meat processor operative

• Seafood Operative)

8112

Glass and ceramics process operatives