Irish Employment Permits by Sector (2026)

Sector	Permits issued	Share
Q - Health & Social Work Activities	7,227	27.1%
I - Accommodation & Food Services Activities	2,760	10.4%
J - Information & Communication Activities	2,707	10.2%
S - Other Service Activities	1,934	7.3%
F - Construction	1,830	6.9%
A - Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing	1,744	6.5%
H - Transport & Storage	1,324	5.0%
C - All Other Manufacturing	1,196	4.5%
K - Financial & Insurance Activities	1,044	3.9%
C - Manufacture of Food, Drink & Tobacco	816	3.1%
M - All other Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities	729	2.7%
M - Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities of Head Offices, Management Consultancy Services	574	2.2%
G - Wholesale & Retail Trade	554	2.1%
R - Arts, Entertainment and Recreation	396	1.5%
C - Manufacture of Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals	364	1.4%
P - Education	339	1.3%
C - Manufacture of Computers, Electronics & Optical Equipment	292	1.1%
D - Electricity & Gas & Air Conditioning Supply	271	1.0%
C - Manufacture of Medical Devices	162	0.6%
N - Administrative & Support Service Activities	133	0.5%
B - Mining & Quarrying	110	0.4%
E - Water Supply - Sewerage Waste Management & Remedial Activities	63	0.2%
L - Real Estate Activities	29	0.1%
O - Public Administration & Defence	20	0.1%
T - Domestic - Activities of Households as Employers	7	0.0%
No Sector Entered	4	0.0%

These are national totals, not employer breakdowns. The sector file does not name companies, so we cannot attribute a sector to a named employer. Use the employer directory for named companies.

Source: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (Ireland), “Employment permits issued to companies”, covering January–August 2026.

Ireland does not publish wages. The DETE file records how many employment permits each company was issued — not what those jobs pay. A permit issued earlier this year is history, not a live vacancy, and it is not a promise that the same employer will sponsor again.

How to get sponsored in Ireland

Target employers that already hire from abroad. Every company listed here was issued at least one employment permit during January–August 2026 — they have been through the process and know how it works.
Get a job offer, then apply for the permit. In Ireland the permit is tied to a specific job offer. Most skilled roles go through the Critical Skills or General Employment Permit — the guide explains which is which. There is no lottery.
Beat the filter first. Sponsored roles draw many applicants and most are screened by software before a person reads them, so get your resume ATS-ready before you apply.

Search sponsored jobs in Ireland on LinkedIn → Scan your resume free

A permit issued earlier this year means an employer has sponsored — not that they have an opening now. New to this? Read how Irish employment permits work →

Irish employment permits by sector

How to get sponsored in Ireland

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