Meridian · Freshness tracker

What's changed.

Dated updates to visa, tax, residency, citizenship, housing, and labour policy across every country tracked. Every entry cites its primary source and the date we last verified it.

Subscribe via RSS ↗ · 8 entries shown

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Category All categoriesVisa & immigrationResidencyCitizenshipTaxationLabourHousingHealthcareOther
In force 1 Mar 2026
Announced Visa & immigration

Sub-standard salary thresholds (healthcare, agri-food) phased out by 2030

The December 2025 roadmap formalised the phasing-out of sub-standard Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) thresholds for healthcare and agri-food sectors by 2030 (rather than 2026 as originally planned). Sub-standard thresholds rise by 9% in 2026 as the first step.

Who it affects: Employers in healthcare, care, and agri-food sectors relying on sub-standard employment permits.

DETE — Employment Permits Salary Thresholds Roadmap 2025 ↗ · Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Mar 2026
Announced Visa & immigration

Salary-threshold roadmap: CSEP rises from €38,000 to €40,904 on 1 March 2026

DETE published a gradual-increase roadmap in December 2025 following a ministerial review. The Critical Skills Employment Permit minimum salary rises from €38,000 to €40,904 (a 7.66% increase) on 1 March 2026. The non-degree CSEP threshold rises from €64,000 to €68,911. Further increases are scheduled annually through to 2030.

Who it affects: Employers making CSEP applications from 1 March 2026 onwards; existing permit holders at the prior threshold are unaffected for the current permit cycle.

DETE — Employment Permits Salary Thresholds Roadmap 2025 ↗ · Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Mar 2025
In force Visa & immigration

Atypical Working Scheme processing times extended under volume pressure

ISD reported that the Atypical Working Scheme — used for short-term specialist assignments that fall outside standard employment permits — saw processing times extend to 8–12 weeks in early 2025 from the previous 2–4-week norm. Applicants are advised to build this into project timelines.

Who it affects: Short-term specialist assignments, locum medical workers, and employers using the Atypical Scheme.

Irish Immigration Service ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Oct 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Seasonal Employment Permit introduced

A new short-term permit for seasonal employment (horticulture, soft-fruit picking, agriculture) up to seven months per calendar year. Initially piloted in late 2024 and rolled out formally in 2025. Designed to address targeted labour shortages without creating long-term residence pathways.

Who it affects: Non-EEA workers in seasonal agricultural sectors; horticulture and agri-food employers.

Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · Government of Ireland ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 2 Sept 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Reduced CSEP salary threshold for recent non-EEA graduates

A lower Critical Skills Employment Permit salary threshold was introduced for recent non-EEA graduates who have graduated in the previous 12 months with a relevant degree. Designed to retain international-student talent in the Irish labour market post-study.

Who it affects: Recent non-EEA graduates of Irish higher-education institutions transitioning to employment permits.

Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 2 Sept 2024
In force Visa & immigration

First-time permit holders can change employer after 9 months (was 12)

Under the Employment Permits Act 2024, first-time employment-permit holders can change employer after nine months of permit holding, reduced from the previous 12-month restriction. The new role must be in a similar field to the original permit to preserve policy intent.

Who it affects: First-time Critical Skills and General Employment Permit holders.

Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 2 Sept 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Labour Market Needs Test simplified — newspaper ad removed

The long-standing requirement to advertise jobs in a national newspaper for three days was dropped. New requirement is simpler: two online platforms, one of which must be EURES (the European Employment Services portal), for 28 consecutive days.

Who it affects: Employers applying for General Employment Permits and other non-Critical Skills routes.

Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 2 Sept 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Employment Permits Act 2024 enters force — largest reform in over a decade

The Employment Permits Act 2024 entered force on 2 September 2024, consolidating and modernising the eight previous employment-permit types into a single statutory framework. Key operational changes: permit holders can change employer after 9 months (previously 12), agencies can be the employer of a permit holder, labour-market testing is simplified to two online advertisements (including EURES) for 28 days, and newspaper advertisement is no longer required.

Who it affects: All non-EEA employment-permit applicants, existing permit holders, and Irish employers.

Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment ↗ · Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) ↗ · Government of Ireland ↗ · verified 2026-04-19