In short: on 28 October 2026, the Department was working on Critical Skills applications received on 20 October 2026 and new General Employment Permit applications received on 22 September 2026. Applications are dealt with in date order, so the gap between the two dates is roughly how long a new application waits before someone starts working on it.
Current processing dates
The Department deals with applications in the order they arrive. The date shown is the date of the applications it was working on. The wait is the gap between that date and the Department’s update.
| Permit | Working on applications received on | Roughly how far behind |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | 20 October 2026 | about 8 days |
| General Employment Permit | 22 September 2026 | about 5 weeks |
| Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit | 23 October 2026 | about 5 days |
| Other permit types | 7 September 2026 | about 7 weeks |
| Renewals | 10 August 2026 | about 11 weeks |
Figures as of 28 October 2026, from the Department’s current processing dates page.
How the dates have moved
Each row is one update from the Department. If the “working on” date moves forward by about a week every week, the queue is steady. If it moves more slowly, the wait is growing.
| Department update | Critical Skills | General Employment | ICT | Other types | Renewals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 October 2026 | 20 October 2026 | 22 September 2026 | 23 October 2026 | 7 September 2026 | 10 August 2026 |
| 23 October 2026 | 16 October 2026 | 20 September 2026 | 20 October 2026 | 31 August 2026 | 6 August 2026 |
What this means for your start date
The processing date is only part of the timeline. For a General Employment Permit, plan for:
- The Labour Market Needs Test. Most jobs must be advertised for 28 days before you apply. See the General Employment Permit page for how it works.
- The Department’s queue. Currently about 5 weeks for new General Employment Permits.
- A decision and, if needed, a visa. Once the permit is granted, people who need an entry visa apply for it next.
The Department asks for applications at least 12 weeks before the job is due to start. Critical Skills applications skip the advert and are moving much faster, at about 8 days.
Where we come in: we plan the adverts and the application so nothing waits on paperwork. A complete application avoids requests for more information, which add weeks on top of the queue.
Renewals
Renewals are taking the longest, at about 11 weeks. Apply as soon as your renewal window opens, and keep an eye on your immigration stamp dates too. We’ll tell you the earliest date you can apply for your permit.
How Work Permit Consultants can help
We have prepared employment permit applications for Irish employers and their staff since 2007. We:
- check which permit fits the job and salary;
- run the job adverts for the Labour Market Needs Test;
- register the employer and prepare the full application on the Employment Permits Online portal;
- follow the application through to a decision and handle any questions from the Department.