Dairy Farm Jobs in Ireland With Visa Sponsorship (2026): Eligible Roles, Quotas and Pay

Dairy farm jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship are one of the few farm routes open to workers from outside Europe, but they are narrower than most job adverts suggest. Irish employment permits are tied to specific occupations, and most farm work is on the Ineligible List. The dairy farm assistant role is an exception, along with a small number of other agri-food roles. This guide explains which farm jobs can lead to a permit, what the employer must do, the 2026 pay rules and quotas, and what we could and could not confirm from official sources as of October 2026.

Important: This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. QuickHireAlert is an independent publisher, not a recruiter, employer or government body. We cannot arrange jobs, permits, visas or accommodation, and nobody can guarantee them. Employers decide job offers, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) decides employment permits and Immigration Service Delivery decides visas. Quotas and rules change, so check DETE’s latest updates before you or an employer act.

Quick Answer

Can foreigners get dairy farm jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship? Yes, but only as a dairy farm assistant, and only through an Irish employer who applies for a General Employment Permit. General farm workers are on the Ineligible List; dairy farm assistants and pig farm assistants are named exceptions. The offer must pay at least €36,605 a year (€18.05 an hour) from 1 March 2026, and the employer must normally advertise the job for 28 days first. DETE introduced a quota of 850 permits for dairy farm assistants in December 2025, but we could not confirm whether places are currently available, so check with DETE before an application is made.

Which Farm Jobs Can Get a Work Permit?

Eligibility depends on the occupation, not the job title in an advert. This table summarises the main farm and agri-food roles under the Ineligible List in Schedule 4 of the regulations, as substituted by S.I. No. 213 of 2026, and the quotas in Schedule 5.

Sources: Schedules 4 and 5 of the Employment Permits Regulations 2024 as substituted by S.I. No. 213 of 2026; minimum pay in S.I. No. 643 of 2025; DETE announcement of 18 December 2025; DETE notice of 26 August 2026. The €36,605 figure is the standard General Employment Permit minimum, which applies to any role without a reduced rate.

The Ineligible List also covers other agricultural and fishing trades (SOC 5119), except sea fishers in the Irish fishing fleet and speciality forestry harvesting technicians, and other general agriculture occupations (SOC 9119), except horticulture workers. If a farm job does not fit one of the eligible roles, an employer cannot get a permit for it simply by calling it something else: DETE looks at the duties.

Dairy Farm Assistant Jobs

Dairy farm assistants work on milking farms, typically helping with milking, feeding, calf rearing, herd care, cleaning and general yard work. Hours are often early and seasonal, with the busiest period around spring calving. Employers set their own requirements, and many look for practical experience with dairy cattle and milking equipment. The regulations do not set a qualification for this permit.

The route is a General Employment Permit, not a Critical Skills permit. That means:

• the employer must normally complete a Labour Market Needs Test before applying (see below);
• the offer must meet the €36,605 annual and €18.05 hourly minimums;
• the employer must be registered with the Revenue Commissioners and trading in Ireland, and, under section 22 of the Employment Permits Act 2024, at least half of its employees must generally be Irish, EEA, Swiss or UK nationals, with limited exceptions; and
• the permit names the employer, the role and the location.

DETE’s 2026 permit statistics show 1,959 employment permits issued in agriculture, forestry and fishing from January to September 2026. That figure covers the whole sector and every permit type, so it does not tell you how many dairy permits remain available.

The Dairy Quota: What We Could Confirm

This is the part of the route that changes most often, so here is exactly what the official sources say:

• 25 November 2025: DETE announced that the dairy farm assistant quota set by S.I. No. 444 of 2024 had been filled.
• 17 December 2025: a new quota of 850 permits for dairy farm assistants took effect, alongside 1,000 for meat processing operatives, under S.I. No. 643 of 2025 (DETE announcement).
• 29 May 2026: DETE’s Review of the Occupations Lists 2025 recommended extending the dairy farm assistant eligibility and its 850 quota.
• May 2026 regulations: the replacement quota schedule in S.I. No. 213 of 2026 lists horticulture workers and butchers but does not list dairy farm assistants or meat processor operatives.
• 26 August 2026: DETE said the 1,000 meat processing quota under S.I. No. 643 of 2025 was oversubscribed and almost filled, and asked employers not to submit new applications.

DETE has not published a notice on the dairy farm assistant quota since December 2025. We therefore cannot say whether the dairy quota is open, filled or no longer applies. Before an employer advertises or applies, check DETE’s latest updates page or contact DETE directly. Be wary of anyone who claims to have guaranteed quota places.

Pay: Permit Minimums and the Minimum Wage

• Dairy farm assistant, pig farm assistant, pig manager and butcher: the standard General Employment Permit minimum of €36,605 a year and €18.05 an hour from 1 March 2026. A lower €34,009 applies only where the applicant holds a relevant degree at Level 8 or higher, included on the Irish Register of Qualifications and awarded in the 12 months before the application.
• Horticulture worker and meat processor operative: a reduced minimum of €32,691 a year and €16.12 an hour.
• National minimum wage: €14.15 an hour from 1 January 2026. It is the legal floor for almost all employees, but a permit role must pay at least the permit minimum, which is higher.

Both the annual and the hourly permit minimums apply, so check the contract’s weekly hours as well as the salary. Overtime and premiums vary by employer. Our guide to jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship explains how the thresholds compare across permit types.

What the Employer Must Do

The Labour Market Needs Test

For a General Employment Permit, the employer must normally show that the job could not be filled from within Ireland and the EEA. Under Regulation 9 of S.I. No. 444 of 2024 and DETE’s Labour Market Needs Test guidance, the vacancy must be advertised:

• with the Department of Social Protection’s employment services (JobsIreland.ie) and on EURES, and on at least one other online job platform;
• for at least 28 consecutive days, without changing the advert during that period; and
• with a description of the job, the employer’s name, the minimum annual pay, the location and the hours of work.

The permit application must then be made within 90 days of the advert first appearing.

The accommodation and training declaration

For horticulture workers, meat processor operatives and sea fishers, Regulation 8(p) of S.I. No. 444 of 2024 requires the employer to sign a declaration that the worker will have access to suitable accommodation and training, including language training. This declaration is not listed for dairy farm assistants, so do not assume a dairy job includes housing. Our guide to jobs in Ireland with accommodation explains what to check.

No fees from the worker

Section 55 of the Employment Permits Act 2024 prohibits an employer from deducting from your pay, or otherwise recovering from you, any charge connected with the permit application, your recruitment or travel expenses it has paid. Treat any request to pay for a job or a “visa job” as a warning sign.

Horticulture, Meat Processing and Seasonal Work

Horticulture workers are eligible for a General Employment Permit with the reduced €32,691 minimum and a quota of 971 from 13 May 2026. Meat processor operatives have the same reduced minimum, but DETE’s 26 August 2026 notice asked employers not to submit new applications because the quota was almost filled.

Seasonal Employment Permit: a seasonal permit was piloted in the horticulture sector in 2025. According to an Agriland report of 18 June 2026, DETE has confirmed a second pilot phase for the 2027 growing season, but the number of permits had not been agreed. We could not confirm the details on DETE’s own website, so check with DETE before relying on this route. It does not cover dairy farming.

Applying From Pakistan, India, the Philippines and Other Countries

Employment permits are not limited by nationality: the same eligibility, pay and quota rules apply to every non-EEA applicant. Citizens of Pakistan, India and the Philippines are not on Ireland’s visa-exempt list in Schedule 1 of the Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) Order 2014, so after DETE grants a permit you also need an employment visa before travelling. The permit does not guarantee the visa.

1. Find an Irish employer offering a dairy farm assistant (or other eligible) role.
2. The employer completes the Labour Market Needs Test, if required.
3. The employer applies on Employment Permits Online. The fee is €1,000 for a permit of more than six months and up to two years, and 90% is refunded if the application is refused.
4. If the permit is granted, apply for an employment visa. See our Ireland work visa guide.
5. On arrival, register your immigration permission.

Processing times change, so see our guide to work permit processing times. Country-specific advice is in jobs in Ireland for Pakistanis and jobs in Ireland for Indians.

After You Start: Renewal, Changing Employer and Family

• Permit length: DETE says a General Employment Permit can be issued for an initial two years and renewed for up to three more. After five years, holders can apply for long-term residence. See our permit renewal guide and Stamp 1 vs Stamp 4.
• Changing employer: DETE will not normally consider a change of employer within the first nine months. Our guide to changing employer on a work permit explains the rules.
• Family: family reunification is not automatic. It is decided by Immigration Service Delivery under its family reunification policy, and since 12 June 2026 General Employment Permit holders must also show that they can accommodate the family members joining them.

How to Spot Farm Job Scams

• “Guaranteed visa” or “guaranteed quota place” offers. Only DETE and Immigration Service Delivery decide permits and visas.
• Fees for a job or a permit. The law prohibits employers from recovering permit or recruitment costs from you.
• Job titles that do not match an eligible role. A “farm worker” or “farm labourer” job is not eligible unless it is genuinely a dairy or pig farm assistant post.
• Pay below the permit minimum, or unclear hours. Ask for a written contract showing annual pay, hourly rate and weekly hours.
• Vague accommodation promises. Ask where you will live and what it costs before you accept.

More checks are in our guide to entry-level and no-experience jobs in Ireland.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can foreigners get dairy farm jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship?

Yes, but only in the dairy farm assistant role and only through an employer. General farm workers are on the Ineligible List, but dairy farm assistants are an exception and can be employed on a General Employment Permit. The employer must normally advertise the job for 28 days first, pay at least the permit minimum and apply for the permit. Nobody can guarantee a permit: DETE decides each application, and the role has been subject to a quota.

Is the dairy farm assistant quota open?

We cannot confirm it. DETE introduced a quota of 850 permits for dairy farm assistants on 17 December 2025, and its May 2026 review of the occupation lists recommended extending it. However, the quota schedule that took effect in May 2026 does not list dairy farm assistants, and DETE has not published a notice on whether the quota is open, filled or no longer applies. Check DETE’s latest updates page or ask DETE before an employer applies.

What is the minimum salary for a dairy farm assistant work permit?

From 1 March 2026, the standard General Employment Permit minimum applies: 36,605 euro a year and 18.05 euro an hour. Unlike horticulture workers and meat processor operatives, dairy farm assistants do not have a reduced rate. A lower minimum of 34,009 euro applies only where the applicant holds a relevant degree at Level 8 or higher, included on the Irish Register of Qualifications and awarded in the 12 months before the application.

Can general farm workers get a work permit in Ireland?

Generally, no. Farm workers are on the Ineligible List for employment permits, with exceptions only for dairy farm assistants and pig farm assistants. Farmers are also ineligible, except pig managers, and so are horticultural trades, gardeners and landscape gardeners, and groundsmen and greenkeepers. Horticulture workers are a separate exception with their own quota.

Do dairy farm jobs in Ireland come with accommodation?

Some do, but it is not guaranteed and it is not a condition of a dairy farm assistant permit. The regulations require employers of horticulture workers, meat processor operatives and sea fishers to declare that the worker will have access to suitable accommodation and training, but that declaration does not cover dairy farm assistants. Agree any accommodation and any charge for it in writing before you accept an offer.

Can I apply for a farm job in Ireland from Pakistan, India or the Philippines?

Yes. Employment permits are not limited by nationality, so the same rules apply to applicants from Pakistan, India, the Philippines and other non-EEA countries. Citizens of these three countries are not on Ireland’s visa-exempt list, so after the permit is granted they also need an employment visa before travelling. Neither the permit nor the visa is guaranteed.

Is there a seasonal work permit for farm jobs in Ireland?

A Seasonal Employment Permit was piloted in the horticulture sector in 2025. According to an Agriland report of 18 June 2026, DETE has confirmed a second pilot phase for the 2027 growing season, also in horticulture, but the number of permits had not been agreed. We could not confirm the details on DETE’s website, so check with DETE before relying on it. It does not cover dairy farming.

Can I bring my family if I work on an Irish farm?

Possibly, but not automatically. Family reunification for General Employment Permit holders is decided by Immigration Service Delivery under its family reunification policy. Since 12 June 2026, General Employment Permit holders must also provide evidence that they can accommodate the family members joining them. Check the current policy before you make plans.

Related Guides

• General Employment Permit Ireland
• Ireland Occupation Shortage List 2026
• Jobs in Ireland With Accommodation for Foreigners
• Jobs in Ireland With Visa Sponsorship
• Entry-Level and No-Experience Jobs in Ireland
• Jobs in Ireland for Foreigners

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 pay from 1 March 2026 and the December 2025 quotas), S.I. No. 444 of 2024 (Regulations 8 and 9), Employment Permits Act 2024 (sections 22 and 55) and Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) Order 2014 (Schedule 1)
• DETE: General Employment Permit, Labour Market Needs Test, Latest updates, New quotas for meat processing and dairy (18 December 2025), Review of the Occupations Lists 2025 and Employment permit statistics 2026
• Immigration Service Delivery: Amendments to non-EEA family reunification policy (12 June 2026)

Last checked against official sources on 17 October 2026.