Caregiver Jobs in Ireland With Visa Sponsorship (2026): Care Worker Permits, Quota, Pay and How to Apply

Ireland does sponsor caregivers from outside the EU, but through a specific, capped route that most job adverts do not explain. In Irish permit terms a “caregiver” is usually a care worker or home carer, and that role is eligible for a General Employment Permit subject to a quota of 1,495 permits from 13 May 2026. This guide explains exactly how that route works, what employers must do, what you will be paid, and how to avoid the scams that target care workers.

Important: This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. QuickHireAlert is an independent publisher, not a recruiter, employer or government body, and we cannot arrange jobs or permits. Rules, quotas and thresholds change, so check the current position with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) before you act.

Quick Answer

Can foreigners get caregiver jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship? Yes, but only through an employer. Care worker and home carer roles are eligible for a General Employment Permit, with a reduced minimum salary of €32,691 a year (€16.12 an hour) from 1 March 2026. The route is capped by a quota of 1,495 permits that began on 13 May 2026. The employer must normally advertise the job for at least 28 days under the Labour Market Needs Test before applying. You do not need a QQI Level 5 qualification for your first permit, but you will need one (or an approved equivalent) when renewing after two years.

What “Caregiver” Means Under Irish Permit Rules

Irish employment permits are tied to occupation codes (the SOC 2010 system), not to job titles in adverts. Several roles that people call “caregiving” are treated differently:

Source: Schedules 4 and 5 of the Employment Permits Regulations, as substituted by S.I. No. 213 of 2026.

The practical difference matters. If you have experience in hospital or nursing-home care, the healthcare assistant route has no quota and may be the better fit. If your experience is in home care, elderly care in people’s homes or residential care, the care worker and home carer route is the one that applies.

The Care Worker and Home Carer Quota

Under Regulation 37 of the Employment Permits Regulations 2024, a quota is a maximum number of General Employment Permits for an occupation, and it lasts for as long as it takes for that number of permits to be granted. It is not an annual allowance.

The care worker and home carer quota has been set and extended several times:

• 500 permits from 2 September 2024, under the original 2024 Regulations;
• 1,000 additional permits announced by DETE in March 2025, under S.I. No. 64 of 2025;
• 1,495 permits from 13 May 2026, under S.I. No. 213 of 2026, which is the quota now in force.

When a quota fills, DETE’s practice (shown in its notices for other quota roles) is to announce it on its Latest Updates page and reject applications still waiting to be processed. As of mid-October 2026, DETE had not posted a notice that the care worker and home carer quota was full. Check that page before an employer applies for you.

What the Employment Permit Requires

From the employer

• A genuine job offer from an employer registered with the Revenue Commissioners and trading in Ireland, who will employ and pay you directly.
• The Labour Market Needs Test. In most cases the job must be advertised with the Department of Social Protection’s employment services and the EURES network for at least 28 consecutive days, plus an advert on another online platform, before a valid application can be made. See DETE’s Labour Market Needs Test page.
• The 50:50 rule. At the time of application, at least half of the employer’s staff must be EEA nationals, with limited exceptions.
• Pay of at least €32,691 a year and €16.12 an hour, set by Schedule 8 of the Regulations (inserted by S.I. No. 643 of 2025) from 1 March 2026.

From you

• Relevant skills and experience. The permit does not require a degree, and DETE does not require QQI Level 5 for the first permit. Employers set their own hiring criteria and many ask for care experience, a care qualification or a willingness to train.
• Vetting. Care work with older people and other vulnerable adults is “relevant work” for Garda vetting purposes, so expect the employer to arrange vetting after you arrive, and to ask for police clearance from countries where you have lived.
• English. There is no set English test for this permit, but employers need you to communicate safely with clients, families and colleagues, and most will assess this at interview.

The QQI Level 5 rule at renewal

Regulation 14 of the 2024 Regulations sets out what a renewal application needs. For a care worker or home carer who has been working in Ireland on a permit for two years or more, it must include either:

• a relevant QQI Level 5 qualification in health and social care, or an equivalent qualification; or
• if that is not available, a declaration signed by the employer, the clinical lead and the permit holder confirming that you have the appropriate skills.

In practice, plan to complete a QQI Level 5 award in your first two years. Some employers pay for the course or arrange it through work.

Caregiver Pay in Ireland

Source: S.I. No. 643 of 2025 and the HSE consolidated salary scales, 1 June 2026.

The HSE figures are public-sector scales. Most sponsored care jobs are with private home-care providers, nursing homes and disability service organisations, which set their own pay. Their pay must still meet the permit minimum. Ask for the hourly rate, guaranteed weekly hours and any unsocial-hours premiums in writing before you accept an offer.

How to Get a Caregiver Job in Ireland: Step by Step

1. Check the quota. Look at DETE’s Latest Updates for any notice about care workers or home carers.
2. Target the right employers. Private home-care providers, nursing homes, residential care and disability services hire care workers. Check that a company is a real Irish business (for example on the Companies Registration Office register) before sharing documents.
3. Prepare an Irish-style CV. Two pages at most, listing your care settings (home care, dementia care, palliative care), the tasks you performed, any certificates (first aid, manual handling, medication training) and references.
4. Interview and receive a written offer. The offer should state the job title, pay, hours and location. These must match what goes on the permit application.
5. The employer runs the Labour Market Needs Test and applies. Applications are made on Employment Permits Online. The fee for a new permit of six months to two years is €1,000, and 90% is refunded if the application is refused. Processing times change, so see our guide to permit processing times.
6. Apply for a visa if you need one. Once the permit is granted, nationals of visa-required countries apply for a Long Stay (D) employment visa. See our Ireland work visa guide.
7. Arrive, register and start work. Register your immigration permission (you will receive Stamp 1), complete Garda vetting if not already done, and keep copies of your permit and contract.

After You Start: Renewal, Changing Jobs and Family

• Permit length: a General Employment Permit is issued for up to two years at first and can be renewed for up to three more. After five years, DETE says holders can apply to Immigration Service Delivery for long-term residence. See our permit renewal guide and Stamp 1 vs Stamp 4.
• Changing employer: after nine months with your first employer, you can move to another employer in the same occupation without a brand-new permit. The rules are in our guide to changing employer.
• Family: family reunification for General Employment Permit holders is usually possible after 12 months, subject to income and accommodation requirements. Eligible spouses and partners receive Stamp 1G, which allows them to work.

Common Mistakes and Scams to Avoid

• Paying for a job or “sponsorship”. Where the employer applies, section 55 of the Employment Permits Act 2024 prohibits the employer or its agent from recovering any charge, fee or expense related to the application from you, including by deductions from your pay.
• Believing “visa sponsorship guaranteed” adverts. No one can guarantee a permit. DETE decides each application, and the quota can fill.
• Accepting a job title that does not match the work. The permit covers a specific occupation, employer and location. Working outside those terms puts your permission at risk.
• Accepting pay below the permit minimum, or unclear “hours as needed” contracts. The annual and hourly minimums both apply.
• Ignoring the QQI deadline. Leaving your Level 5 qualification until the month before renewal is the most common avoidable problem for care workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a caregiver job in Ireland with visa sponsorship?

Yes, if an Irish employer offers you a job as a care worker or home carer and successfully applies for a General Employment Permit for you. The role is eligible for a permit, but it is subject to a quota of 1,495 permits that started on 13 May 2026, and the employer must first advertise the job under the Labour Market Needs Test. A job advert alone does not mean the employer will sponsor you.

Is there a quota for care worker permits in Ireland?

Yes. The Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 213 of 2026) allow a maximum of 1,495 General Employment Permits for care workers or home carers, counted from 13 May 2026. Once that number has been granted, no more permits can be issued for the role until the quota is renewed. Healthcare assistant roles are not subject to this quota.

Do I need QQI Level 5 before applying for a care worker permit?

No, not for the first permit. The requirement applies at renewal: if you have worked in Ireland as a care worker or home carer on a permit for two years or more, the renewal application must include a relevant QQI Level 5 qualification in health and social care or an equivalent, or a declaration signed by your employer, the clinical lead and you confirming you have the required skills. Many employers ask for care experience or training when hiring.

What is the minimum salary for a care worker permit?

From 1 March 2026 the minimum is 32,691 euro a year and 16.12 euro an hour for a General Employment Permit as a care worker, home carer or healthcare assistant. Employers can pay more, and HSE pay scales for comparable grades are higher.

Can an employer or agency charge me for my employment permit?

Where the employer is the applicant, section 55 of the Employment Permits Act 2024 says the employer, or an agent acting for them, may not deduct from your pay or recover from you any charge, fee or expense related to the application. Be very cautious of anyone asking you to pay for a job offer or for sponsorship.

Can I bring my family on a care worker permit?

Family members of General Employment Permit holders can apply to join them under Immigration Service Delivery’s family reunification rules, usually after 12 months and subject to income and accommodation requirements. Eligible spouses and partners of General Employment Permit holders receive Stamp 1G, which allows them to work.

Related Guides

• Healthcare Assistant Jobs in Ireland for Foreigners
• Nursing Jobs in Ireland for Foreigners
• Jobs in Ireland With Visa Sponsorship
• Entry-Level and No-Experience Jobs in Ireland

Official Sources

• Irish Statute Book: S.I. No. 213 of 2026 (Ineligible List and quotas from 13 May 2026), S.I. No. 643 of 2025 (minimum remuneration from 1 March 2026) and S.I. No. 444 of 2024 (Regulations 14 and 37)
• DETE: General Employment Permit, Labour Market Needs Test, Latest Updates and renewal of a permit: Health Care Assistant
• HSE: consolidated salary scales, 1 June 2026
• National Vetting Bureau: Garda vetting
• Immigration Service Delivery: Stamp 1G for spouses and partners of permit holders

Last checked against official sources on 14 October 2026.