Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is developing a new Employment Permits system – Employment Permits Online. The new system will deliver an improved customer experience and a more efficient and responsive service.
What is happening to the employment permit system in Ireland?
- The Department is transitioning to the new Employment Permits Online system, and as part of this change, the current EPOS system will be taken offline. During this downtime, no new employment permit applications can be submitted.
- This will result in a temporary pause in our ability to lodge any new applications, which could lead to delays — particularly for roles with urgent start dates.
- At this stage, the Department has not confirmed the exact date or duration of the downtime, but we will notify you as soon as this information is available.
What is EIG Ireland doing to prepare?
- Progressing permit applications already in progress as quickly as possible.
- Closely monitoring the situation and awaiting confirmation of launch dates.
- Sharing regular updates as more information becomes available.
What will be different about Employment Permits Online (EPO) once launched?
The new system is designed to improve the application experience for all users.
Key changes include:
- Portal accounts for all users – Employers, employees, and agents will each need to register for a portal account, which will be used for all future applications.
- Joint application process – Applications can be completed collaboratively by the employer and prospective employee (/agent), with each party entering their own information and signing electronically.
- Application tracking – You’ll be able to track the progress of applications through a new status update feature (e.g., draft, processing, issued, etc.).
- Centralised record-keeping – Portal accounts will store a record of current and past applications for easy access.
- Enhanced data protection – Sensitive information will only be viewable through your secure portal account, with email notifications prompting you to log in when new messages are available.
Support tools, including video guides, FAQs, and a detailed user manual, will be released in advance to help users become familiar with the new system.
What to Expect
To prepare for the transition, there will be some downtime of the current system immediately prior to the launch date, during which applications will not be able to be submitted. DETE will provide more details, including a further update on these transitional arrangements.