Written answers
Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Work Permits
Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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159. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permits issued since 2022 and to date in 2025 disaggregated by sector, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66495/25]
Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Ireland operates a managed employment permits system, which seeks to maximise the benefits of economic migration while minimising disruption to the domestic labour market.
The system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages that are critical to supporting enterprise and economic growth.
The Department has issued 138,168 employment permits since 2022. A detailed breakdown by economic sector is set out in the table below.
| - | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Sector | Issued | Issued | Issued | Issued |
| Grand Total | 39,962 | 30,979 | 39,398 | 27,829 |
| A - Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing | 4,311 | 1,384 | 3,625 | 1,769 |
| B - Mining & Quarrying | 15 | 30 | 37 | 94 |
| C - All Other Manufacturing | 702 | 766 | 981 | 1,129 |
| C - Manufacture of Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals | 683 | 877 | 829 | 533 |
| C - Manufacture of Computers, Electronics & Optica | 610 | 845 | 570 | 389 |
| C - Manufacture of Food, Drink & Tobacco | 357 | 268 | 353 | 460 |
| C - Manufacture of Medical Devices | 312 | 281 | 289 | 242 |
| D - Electricity & Gas & Air Conditioning Supply | 209 | 371 | 463 | 316 |
| E - Water Supply - Sewerage Waste Management & Rem | 25 | 87 | 85 | 74 |
| E - Water Supply Waste Management & Remedial Activ | 1 | |||
| F - Construction | 1,474 | 1,349 | 1,525 | 1,834 |
| G - Wholesale & Retail Trade | 324 | 294 | 441 | 530 |
| H - Transport & Storage | 512 | 907 | 1,282 | 1,238 |
| I - Accommodation & Food Services activities | 2,722 | 2,605 | 3,359 | 3,100 |
| J - Information & Communication Activities | 10,832 | 5,009 | 6,787 | 3,238 |
| K - Financial & insurance Activities | 3,351 | 2,374 | 2,318 | 1,541 |
| L - Real Estate Activities | 21 | 14 | 24 | 37 |
| M - All other Professional, Scientific & Technical | 1,072 | 1,010 | 806 | 653 |
| M - Professional, Scientific&Technical Activities | 388 | 283 | 286 | 442 |
| N - Administrative & Support Service Activities | 86 | 80 | 89 | 83 |
| O - Public Administration & Defence | 41 | 15 | 23 | 48 |
| P - Education | 207 | 246 | 357 | 417 |
| Q - Health & Social Work Activities | 9,792 | 10,036 | 12,507 | 7,086 |
| R - Arts , Entertainment and Recreation | 340 | 336 | 586 | 561 |
| S - Other Service activities | 1,574 | 1,511 | 1,772 | 1,876 |
| T - Domestic- Activities of Households as Employer | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| No Sector Entered | 132 |
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