The much-anticipated Employment Permits Act 2024 and
accompanying Regulations commenced on 2 September. The new
framework consolidates all previous Employment Permit legislation
and provides the Minister for Enterprise, Trade an Employment with
enhanced executive powers to introduce and amend elements of the
system by way of Regulations to swiftly respond to changes to
labour market needs.
In addition to the broader scope for executive intervention, the
Act's key features include a new "change of employer"
process, a streamlined Labour Market Needs test rules, a new
Seasonal Employment Permit and additional compliance
obligations.
As all these new elements have been widely reported on, rather
than analyse them in further detail, the purpose of this piece is
to encourage timely interaction with Ireland's business
community to ensure success of the new framework.
