Last updated: 11 November 2026 | Checked against the CSO (Labour Force Survey Q2 2026 and Earnings Analysis 2025), DETE employment permit statistics 2025, the RTB Rent Index Q1 2026 and the HSE jobs site on 11 November 2026.
Galway is the main city of the west of Ireland. Its jobs market is much smaller than Dublin’s, but unemployment in the West region is below the national rate, pay is close to the national median and rents are lower than in Dublin.
This guide uses official figures to show which sectors employ the most people in Galway, what people earn, how many work permits are issued, what rent costs and where to find live vacancies. It also covers what international applicants need to know.
Quick answer
- Jobs: 280,200 people were employed in the West region (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon) in Q2 2026, and the unemployment rate was 4.5%, against 5.1% nationally (CSO).
- Pay: median weekly earnings among Galway residents were €764.59 in 2025, above the State median of €759.21 but below Dublin’s €848.06 (CSO).
- Work permits: DETE issued 1,104 employment permits for Galway in 2025, 3.6% of the national total of 31,044.
- Rent: the average new tenancy in Galway City was €2,004 a month in Q1 2026 (RTB), against €2,335 in County Dublin.
- Foreign applicants: most non-EEA nationals need an employment permit. A General Employment Permit generally needs at least €36,605 a year.
Live Jobs in Galway
These Galway vacancies were open when we checked on 11 November 2026. We list a job only after reading it on the employer’s own vacancy page. They are HSE or HSE-funded posts that need professional registration or a care qualification, so read each specification for the contract, pay and requirements before you apply.
3 open vacancies · checked on 11 November 2026. Closed jobs are removed automatically.
Nurses (NMBI registration needed)
- Staff Nurse, Theatre, Galway University Hospitals (HSE). Permanent, whole-time; open to all applicants; closes 27 November 2026, 10:00 Irish time. Apply only through the online form; CVs are not accepted. View the vacancy.
Other roles
- Social Care Worker (Corlann Disability Services), Ballybane, Co Galway (Corlann, HSE-advertised). Permanent, whole-time; open to all applicants; closes 19 November 2026, 17:00 Irish time. Reference 106221. Section 38 employer advertised through the HSE. View the vacancy.
- Senior Pharmacist, Galway University Hospitals (HSE West and North West). Permanent or specified purpose, part-time or whole-time; open to all applicants; closes 1 December 2026, 10:00 Irish time. Reference G2026. Check the job specification for registration requirements. View the vacancy.
For more vacancies, filter the HSE job search by county Galway, which showed 18 results on 11 November 2026. Several of the Galway results are Corlann Disability Services posts, which the HSE site advertises on the organisation’s behalf. Our HSE jobs page and our guide to how to apply for HSE jobs explain each step of the HSE process.
Which Sectors Employ the Most People in Galway?
The CSO reports employment for the West region (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon), so the figures below cover all three counties, not Galway alone.
| Sector (CSO, Q2 2026) | People employed, West region |
|---|---|
| Industry (manufacturing, energy, water) | 44,500 |
| Human health and social work | 38,800 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 33,000 |
| Education | 26,700 |
| Construction | 22,100 |
| Accommodation and food service | 18,500 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 18,500 |
| Public administration and defence | 15,100 |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 13,800 |
| Information and communication | 11,300 |
| All sectors | 280,200 |
Industry is the biggest employer in the region, ahead of health and social work. Health and social work comes second, so nursing, healthcare assistant and allied health roles are a main route for many applicants. See our guides to nursing jobs in Ireland and nurse salary in Ireland.
Pay in Galway
The CSO publishes earnings by county in its Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources 2025. Median weekly earnings among Galway residents were €764.59, up 5.0% on 2024. That is about 0.7% above the State median (our arithmetic) and 9.8% below Dublin’s. The figures are based on where employees live, not where they work, and they include part-time work.
| CSO, 2025 | Median weekly | Mean weekly |
|---|---|---|
| Galway | €764.59 | €942.53 |
| Dublin | €848.06 | €1,149.74 |
| State | €759.21 | €974.08 |
The CSO figures show a gap between men and women in Galway: median weekly earnings were €820.63 for men and €706.05 for women, so men’s median was 16.2% higher (our arithmetic).
For pay by sector and role, see our guides to the average salary in Ireland and the highest-paying jobs in Ireland. The legal pay floor is in our minimum wage guide, and our salary calculator shows take-home pay.
Work Permits and Employers in Galway
DETE publishes employment permits by county. In 2025 it issued 31,044 permits in total. Dublin received 14,627 and Cork 2,973. Galway received 1,104 (3.6% of the total), and DETE refused 121 permit applications there that year.
DETE’s list of companies that received permits in 2025 has no county column, so we cannot rank Galway employers from it. Matching by name, the Galway employers on the 2025 list include Galway University Hospital (72 permits), Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe, Co Galway (41), Medtronic Vascular Galway Unlimited Company (17), NUI Galway (15), Galway Truck and Van Centre (8) and Galway Roscommon Mental Health Service (6). Employers whose names do not include Galway are not counted, so this is not a full picture. A company on that list is not necessarily hiring now, so always check its own vacancies. The full list is in our guide to companies that receive employment permits.
If you need a permit, read our guides to the General Employment Permit and the Critical Skills Employment Permit, and to jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship.
Rent in Galway
The RTB Rent Index reports average rents by area. Galway City is the dearest of the Galway figures, and the average for new tenancies there was up 13.3% on a year earlier.
| RTB Rent Index, Q1 2026 | New tenancies (monthly) | Sitting tenants (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Galway City | €2,004 (+13.3%) | €1,445 |
| County Galway including Galway City | €1,718 (+10.7%) | €1,303 |
| County Galway excluding Galway City | €1,452 (+8.9%) | €1,128 |
| National average | €1,839 (+9.1%) | €1,513 |
| County Dublin | €2,335 (+7.8%) | €1,960 |
A new tenancy in Galway City costs €331 a month less than in County Dublin (our arithmetic), although the two figures cover different areas. Sitting tenants pay less: the Galway City average for existing tenancies was €1,445, which is €559 below the new-tenancy figure. See our guides to rent in Dublin and the cost of living in Ireland.
How to Find a Job in Galway
- Start with the HSE if you are a health professional. HSE West and North West recruits in Galway. Check your registration (NMBI for nurses, the Medical Council for doctors) first.
- Look at HSE-funded organisations too. Some advertise on the HSE jobs site on the organisation’s behalf, and the vacancy page says so.
- Use the employers’ own careers pages and the main Irish job boards, and apply to roles that match your qualifications rather than sending generic applications.
- Tailor your CV to each vacancy and read the job specification closely.
- Beware of fees. A genuine employer or recruiter will not ask you to pay to apply or to be considered.
Part-Time and Student Work in Galway
- The minimum wage is €14.15 an hour for workers aged 20 and over in 2026, with lower youth rates below that age. See the minimum wage guide.
- Part-time workers need at least 40 hours in the previous 5 weeks to get public holiday benefit. See bank holidays in Ireland.
- Annual leave builds up with the hours you work. See annual leave in Ireland, and sick leave in Ireland for statutory sick pay.
- Students on a Stamp 2 permission can work up to 20 hours a week during term and 40 hours a week in the holiday periods (June to September and 15 December to 15 January), according to the Irish Immigration Service. They must not engage in any other business or trade.
Jobs in Galway for International Applicants
EEA, UK and Swiss citizens can work in Ireland without a permit. Most other nationals need an employment permit or an immigration permission that allows work, and the employer must apply for the permit. Many entry-level roles are on the Ineligible Occupations List and cannot be supported with a permit. Our guide to jobs in Ireland for foreigners sets out the options, and our guide to jobs in Dublin compares the capital.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it easy to find a job in Galway?
The unemployment rate in the West region (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon) was 4.5% in Q2 2026, below the national rate of 5.1% (CSO). Competition still varies by sector, so apply to roles that match your qualifications and registration.
What is the average pay in Galway?
CSO figures for 2025 put median weekly earnings among Galway residents at €764.59 and mean weekly earnings at €942.53. The State median was €759.21. These figures include part-time work.
Which industries employ the most people in Galway?
In the West region (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon), industry employed 44,500 people in Q2 2026, health and social work 38,800, wholesale and retail 33,000, and education 26,700 (CSO).
How many work permits are issued for Galway?
DETE issued 1,104 employment permits for Galway in 2025 and refused 121. The national total was 31,044 issued. Your employer applies for the permit on your behalf.
Can foreigners get jobs in Galway?
EEA, UK and Swiss citizens can work in Ireland without a permit. Most other nationals need an employment permit or an immigration permission that allows work, and the employer applies for the permit. Many entry-level roles cannot be supported with a permit. See our guide to jobs in Ireland for foreigners.
How much is rent in Galway?
The RTB Rent Index for Q1 2026 puts the average new tenancy in Galway City at €2,004 a month, up 13.3% on a year earlier. For County Galway excluding the city it was €1,452 a month.
Is Galway cheaper than Dublin?
On rent, yes: €2,004 for a new tenancy in Galway City against €2,335 in County Dublin in Q1 2026 (RTB). Pay is lower too, with median weekly earnings of €764.59 in Galway against €848.06 in Dublin in 2025 (CSO).
Where can I find the latest jobs in Galway?
Use the live list on this page, filter the HSE job search by county Galway, and check employers’ own careers pages. A genuine employer will not ask you to pay to apply.
Related Guides
- jobs in Dublin
- jobs in Cork
- jobs in Limerick
- rent in Dublin
- cost of living in Ireland
- average salary in Ireland
- jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship
- HSE jobs
Sources
- CSO: Labour Force Survey Quarter 2 2026 (tables QLF07 and QLF08, West region)
- CSO: Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources 2025, County
- DETE: Employment permit statistics 2025 (permits by county and company listing)
- RTB: Rent Index Q1 2026 (area tables)
- HSE jobs: job search
- Irish Immigration Service (Stamp 2 conditions)
Last verified: 11 November 2026. The West region covers Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. Earnings figures are by place of residence. Rents are RTB averages and vary by property type and area. Confirm permit rules on enterprise.gov.ie.
Get an email when Ireland's permit rules change
Salary thresholds, occupation lists and visa rules change every year. Subscribe and we will tell you when they do, plus new job guides. Free, no spam.
Subscribe free
