Work permits for construction trades in Ireland: bricklayers, plasterers, carpenters, painters and more

In short: Construction craftspeople such as bricklayers, plasterers, carpenters and joiners, painters, floor layers, glaziers and tilers can get a General Employment Permit in Ireland. Because construction pay is set by law in the Sectoral Employment Order (SEO), a craftsperson must be paid at least the SEO craft rate: €23.74 an hour from 1 August 2026, about €48,145 a year on a 39-hour week. That's well above the usual permit minimum of €36,605. Proven experience in the trade is what counts, not a particular qualification.

Which construction jobs can get a permit

When the occupation lists were reviewed in May 2026, the Department said that “almost all occupations in the Construction sector are now covered”. The last trades to be opened up were steel fixers, plastic lining technicians, fencing operators and erectors, curtain wallers and concrete pump operators.

That includes the main craft trades:

• bricklayers and stone layers
• plasterers
• carpenters and joiners
• painters and decorators
• floor layers
• glaziers
• slaters and tilers
• stone cutters and wood machinists

General construction labourers and road and rail construction operatives are still on the Ineligible List of Occupations, so a permit can’t be issued for general labouring.

The trades, one by one

Every trade below follows the same permit rules: a General Employment Permit, the 28-day advert, the 50:50 rule and pay at or above the SEO rate. What changes from trade to trade is the work itself, and so what the job description and the worker’s experience evidence need to show.

Bricklayers and stone layers

Bricklayers build and repair walls, chimneys, arches and other structures in brick, concrete block and stone. Bricklaying is one of the craft trades in the construction SEO, so the craftsperson rate applies.

What the evidence should show: the types of work done, for example blockwork for new houses, facing brick, stonework or repairs, and for how long. Reference letters that only say “general construction” can make a bricklayer look like a labourer, which is an ineligible job.

Plasterers

Plasterers apply plaster and render to internal walls and ceilings and to the outside of buildings, from scratch coats and skimming to external render and decorative work. Plastering is a craft trade at the craftsperson rate.

What the evidence should show: internal plastering, skimming, external rendering or dry lining, and the kinds of projects (new builds, refurbishments, commercial work).

Carpenters and joiners

Carpenters work on site, building roofs, floors, stairs, partitions and formwork (shuttering) for concrete, and fitting doors, frames and skirting. Joiners usually make the components in a workshop: windows, doors, stairs and fitted furniture. Both are craft trades at the craftsperson rate.

What the evidence should show: whether the work is first fix, second fix, roofing, formwork or bench joinery. The job description should match the kind of carpentry the employer actually needs.

Painters and decorators

Painters and decorators prepare and finish surfaces inside and outside buildings: filling, sanding, priming, painting, spraying and wallpapering. Painting is a craft trade at the craftsperson rate.

What the evidence should show: the range of work (new builds, commercial interiors, external work, spraying or specialist finishes) and the length of experience in the trade, not just in general building work.

Floor layers

Floor layers prepare floors and lay timber, vinyl, carpet, laminate and other floor coverings. Floor laying is a craft trade at the craftsperson rate.

Slaters and tilers

Slaters lay slates and roof tiles; wall and floor tilers fit ceramic and stone tiles inside buildings. Both come under the craft trades at the craftsperson rate. The job description should say clearly whether the job is roofing or tiling, as they’re different jobs.

Glaziers and curtain wallers

Glaziers cut and fit glass in windows, doors and shopfronts. Glaziers are a craft trade at the craftsperson rate. Curtain wallers, who install the glass and metal facades of larger buildings, were made eligible in May 2026.

Stone cutters and wood machinists

Stone cutters shape stone for building and restoration; wood machinists set and operate the machines that cut and shape timber components. Both are craft trades in the SEO, at the craftsperson rate.

Steel fixers

Steel fixers cut, bend and fix the steel reinforcement for concrete. They became eligible for a General Employment Permit in May 2026, and the SEO has placed them in the Category A grade.

Other trades opened up in May 2026

Plastic lining technicians, fencing operators and erectors, and concrete pump operators also became eligible in May 2026. Check the pay grade that applies to each with us before advertising.

Electricians and plumbers

Electricians and plumbers can also be hired on a permit, but they’re covered by their own sectoral pay rules and have their own certification and registration requirements. Talk to us before advertising, so the pay and the evidence are right from the start.

The pay: why the SEO rate matters

For most jobs, a General Employment Permit needs a salary of at least €36,605. But the Department also requires basic pay to be at least any rate fixed by law for the job. In construction, that’s the Sectoral Employment Order, which sets minimum hourly rates for the whole sector.

Grade under the construction SEO	1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026	From 1 Aug 2026	Yearly, 39 hours (from 1 Aug 2026)
Craftsperson (bricklayers, plasterers, carpenters, painters…)	€23.00	€23.74	about €48,145
Category A worker (for example steel fixers)	€22.32	€23.03	about €46,705

The SEO’s normal working week is 39 hours, and the yearly figures are the hourly rate × 39 × 52. The SEO’s lower Category B rate is for general operatives, most of whose jobs aren’t eligible for a permit.

The SEO also requires the employer to pay into the sector’s pension and sick pay schemes. From 1 August 2026 the minimum employer pension contribution is €32.89 a week.

If the contract, the adverts and the application show a rate below the SEO rate, the application is likely to fail, even if the salary is above €36,605.

Where we come in: we check the contract and the adverts against the SEO rate in force on the date the application goes in, including the 1 August increases, so the pay never falls short.

Qualifications and experience

The Department asks that the worker has “the relevant qualifications, skills or experience” for the job. For craft trades, a formal qualification isn’t required: solid evidence of experience in the trade is what matters. Good evidence includes:

• reference letters from previous employers, with dates, the trade and the type of work
• a CV that matches the references
• any trade certificates or apprenticeship records you do have, translated into English if needed

Some other jobs on site are different: welding, electrical and plumbing work can involve specific certification.

Where we come in: we tell the worker exactly what evidence to gather for their trade and check the reference letters before they’re submitted.

How the application works

1. The employer advertises the job on JobsIreland and one other online jobs platform, both for 28 days in a row, showing the SEO rate as the minimum pay. This is the Labour Market Needs Test.
2. The 50:50 rule: at least half the employer’s staff must be EEA nationals when the application goes in.
3. The application goes in on Employment Permits Online within 90 days of the advert, with the signed contract (at the SEO rate), the worker’s passport and experience evidence, and the employer’s recent Revenue returns.
4. Timing: the Department asks for applications at least 12 weeks before the start date. On 30 October 2026 it was working on new General Employment Permit applications received on 24 September 2026.

For the full process, including visas and registering on arrival, see our step-by-step guide.

Common questions

We’re a subcontractor. Can we hire on a permit? Yes, if you employ and pay the worker directly. The permit is tied to the employer, so your company must be registered with Revenue as an employer and meet the 50:50 rule itself.

Does the SEO rate go up? Yes. It rose on 1 August 2025 and again on 1 August 2026. A permit renewal must meet whatever rate is in force then.

How Work Permit Consultants can help

We prepare permit applications for builders, contractors and subcontractors hiring craftspeople. 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 construction trades application, we:

• confirm the trade is eligible and which SEO grade applies
• set the pay correctly in the contract and the adverts, at or above the SEO rate
• check the experience evidence for each worker
• check the 50:50 rule for your company before you advertise
• draft the adverts, prepare the applications and follow them up with the Department

Hiring several craftspeople for a project? We can run the adverts and applications together so the workers can start at the same time. Get a free assessment or send us a message.