Jobs in Waterford 2026: Who’s Hiring, Live Jobs and Pay

Last updated: 12 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 12 November 2026.

Waterford is the main city of Ireland’s South-East. The labour market is smaller than in Dublin or Cork, pay is a little below the national median and rents in Waterford City are well below Dublin’s.

This guide uses official figures to show which sectors employ the most people in the region, 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 about jobs in Waterford.

Live Jobs in Waterford

These Waterford vacancies were open when we checked. We list a job only after reading it on the employer’s own vacancy page and confirming that it is open to all applicants. They are HSE posts that need professional registration, so read each specification for the contract, pay and requirements before you apply.

For more vacancies, search the HSE jobs page and the careers pages of the employers you want to work for. Our guide to how to apply for HSE jobs explains each step of the HSE process.

Which Sectors Employ the Most People in Waterford?

The CSO reports employment for the South-East region, which covers Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford, so the figures below include all four counties.

Health and social work is the biggest employer in the region, followed by industry. That makes nursing, midwifery, healthcare assistant and allied health roles the main route for many applicants. See our guides to nursing jobs in Ireland and nurse salary in Ireland.

Pay in Waterford

The CSO publishes earnings by county in its Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources 2025. Median weekly earnings among Waterford residents were €730.77. That is about 3.7% below the State median and 13.8% below Dublin’s (our arithmetic). The figures are based on where employees live, not where they work, and they include part-time work.

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 Waterford

DETE publishes employment permits by county. In 2025 it issued 31,044 permits in total. Dublin received 14,627, and Waterford received 695, about 2.2% of the total (our arithmetic). DETE refused 67 permit applications in Waterford that year.

DETE’s list of employers does not show the county of each job, so we cannot rank Waterford employers on its own. Two employers on the 2025 top 50 list have Waterford in their name: University Hospital Waterford, with 91 permits, and Kel-Tech Engineering (Waterford) Limited, with 69. The full list is in our guide to companies that receive employment permits. A company on that list is not necessarily hiring now, so always check its own vacancies.

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 Waterford

The RTB Rent Index reports average rents by area. Waterford City is cheaper than Dublin, and the figure for new tenancies was up 10.7% on a year earlier.

A new tenancy in Waterford City costs €912 a month less than in County Dublin (our arithmetic), although the two figures cover different areas. For other cities, the RTB’s Q1 2026 averages for new tenancies were €1,903 in Cork City, €1,921 in Limerick City and €2,004 in Galway City. See our guides to rent in Dublin and the cost of living in Ireland.

How to Find a Job in Waterford

• Start with the HSE if you are a health professional. HSE Dublin and South East recruits for Tipperary South, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford and Wicklow, according to the HSE vacancy pages. Check your registration (NMBI for nurses and midwives, the Medical Council for doctors) first.
• 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. See our Irish CV format guide.
• 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 Waterford

• 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. Read our guide to part-time jobs for students in Ireland.

Jobs in Waterford 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 Waterford?

The unemployment rate in the South-East region (Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford) was 4.9% in Q2 2026, against 5.1% nationally (CSO). Competition still varies by sector, so apply to roles that match your qualifications and registration.

What is the average pay in Waterford?

CSO figures for 2025 put median weekly earnings among Waterford residents at €730.77 and mean weekly earnings at €890.05. The State median was €759.21. These figures include part-time work.

Which industries employ the most people in Waterford?

In the South-East region, health and social work employed 36,400 people in Q2 2026, industry 34,100, wholesale and retail 27,400 and education 22,800 (CSO).

How many work permits are issued for Waterford?

DETE issued 695 employment permits for Waterford in 2025 and refused 67. The national total was 31,044, of which Dublin received 14,627.

Can foreigners get jobs in Waterford?

Yes, but most non-EEA nationals need an employment permit or another permission that allows work. The employer applies for the permit, and a General Employment Permit generally needs a salary of at least €36,605. Many entry-level roles are on the Ineligible Occupations List.

How much is rent in Waterford?

The RTB Rent Index for Q1 2026 gives an average of €1,423 a month for a new tenancy in Waterford City and €1,371 for County Waterford including the city. The national average was €1,839.

Is Waterford cheaper than Dublin?

Rent is lower: €1,423 for a new tenancy in Waterford City against €2,335 in County Dublin (RTB, Q1 2026). Median weekly earnings are also lower, at €730.77 in Waterford against €848.06 in Dublin (CSO, 2025).

Where can I find the latest jobs in Waterford?

Check the HSE jobs site, the careers pages of employers in Waterford, and the main Irish job boards. Read each vacancy on the employer’s own page before you apply, and never pay a fee to apply.

Related Guides

• jobs in Cork
• jobs in Galway
• jobs in Limerick
• jobs in Dublin
• rent in Dublin
• cost of living in Ireland
• average salary in Ireland
• part-time jobs for students in Ireland
• jobs in Ireland with visa sponsorship
• HSE jobs

Sources

• CSO: Labour Force Survey Quarter 2 2026 (tables QLF07 and QLF08, South-East region)
• CSO: Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources 2025, County
• DETE: Employment permit statistics 2025 (permits by county and company listing)
• ESRI and RTB: The RTB Rent Index, Q1 2026
• HSE jobs: job search
• Irish Immigration Service (Stamp 2 conditions)

Last verified: 12 November 2026. The South-East region covers Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. Earnings figures are by place of residence. Rents are RTB averages for new tenancies and vary by property type and area. Confirm permit rules on enterprise.gov.ie.