Work permits for CNC operators in Ireland: a guide for employers

In short: Most factory and machine operative jobs are on the Ineligible List, but a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) operative is a named exception, so an employer in Ireland can hire one on a General Employment Permit. The salary must be at least €36,605 for a 39-hour week, the job must be advertised for 28 days first, and at least half the employer's staff must be EEA nationals.

Hiring a CNC operator? This guide is for manufacturers and engineering firms in Ireland that can’t fill a CNC role locally. We’re not a recruitment agency and can’t find candidates for you: we handle the permit once you have someone in mind.

Why CNC operatives can get a permit

The Ineligible List of Occupations rules out most process operatives (SOC codes 8111 to 8119) and plant and machine operatives (SOC codes 8121 to 8129). Each of those entries carries the same exception: “with the exception of Computer Numerical Control Operative”. The current list has been in force since 13 May 2026.

So the job must genuinely be a CNC operative role. A general machine operator, production operative or assembly worker is still ineligible, even in the same factory. The job title, the job description and the duties in the contract should all show CNC work.

Where we come in: the job description is where a CNC application is decided. We check that the duties, title and contract describe a CNC role clearly before the adverts go out, because changing them later means starting the adverts again.

The salary

Hours a week	Minimum annual salary
39 hours	€36,605

Only basic pay counts. Overtime, shift allowances and bonuses don’t count towards the minimum.

The 28-day advert

Before applying, the employer must carry out the Labour Market Needs Test: advertise the CNC job on JobsIreland and one other online jobs platform, both for 28 days in a row, unchanged. The application must then go in within 90 days of the advert first appearing.

The test isn’t needed if the salary is €68,911 or more, but that’s rare for CNC roles.

Where we come in: we write the adverts with you so the title, pay, hours and duties match the contract exactly, and track the 28 and 90 days.

What the employer needs

• The 50:50 rule: at least half the employer’s employees must be EEA nationals when the application is made (there are exceptions for start-ups registered with Revenue in the last two years, and for an employer with no employees)
• a Revenue statement of the employer’s monthly returns
• confirmation of whether there have been redundancies in the same role in the last six months
• the 28-day adverts
• a contract signed by the employer and the employee

What the employee needs

• a passport valid for at least six months
• evidence of the qualifications, skills or experience the job needs
• a passport-type photo, and their current immigration stamp if they already live in Ireland

The fees

Permit	Fee
6 months or less	€500
Over 6 months, up to 2 years	€1,000

If an application is refused, 90% of the fee is refunded.

How long it takes

Allow 28 days for the adverts, then the Department’s queue. On 11 November 2026 it was working on new General Employment Permit applications received on 12 October 2026. If the operator needs a visa, add time for that once the permit is issued. See our step-by-step guide for the whole process.

Common mistakes

• A “machine operator” title. If the role reads as a general operative job, it falls on the Ineligible List.
• Advert and contract don’t match on title, pay, hours or duties.
• Salary below the threshold once shift allowances and overtime are taken out.
• The 50:50 rule. Factories with a large non-EEA workforce can fail it.
• Applying after 90 days from the first advert.

After the permit

The first permit lasts up to two years and can be renewed for up to three more. After nine months the operator can change employer within the same type of job.

How Work Permit Consultants can help

Work Permit Consultants has prepared employment permit applications since 2007, and our team’s background includes work permit policy at the Department of Enterprise, so we know how the Department reads an application.

For a CNC operative application, we:

• check the role is a CNC role and not a general operative job, and that the job description shows it
• check the salary and the 50:50 rule before you start advertising
• draft the job adverts and track the 28-day and 90-day deadlines
• prepare the full application on Employment Permits Online as your agent, and get everyone signed
• deal with the Department if it asks for more information, until a decision is made

Hiring a CNC operator? Get a free assessment or send us a message.