The government has recently confirmed a new Roadmap for Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) Salary Thresholds.

The first increase will take effect from March 1, 2026, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) has confirmed.

The roadmap outlines a gradual approach to increasing salary thresholds across all employment permit types, while removing very low thresholds on a phased basis for certain roles in the agri-food and healthcare sectors.

The MAR is the lowest annual salary that must be paid to a non-EEA worker for an employment permit to be issued or renewed.

Key changes

From March 1, there are a number of key changes.

General employment permit MAR thresholds will rise by 7.66% in March 2026, instead of the previously planned 14.7%.

Critical skills employment permit thresholds will rise by 7.66%, instead of 15.8%.

Sub-standard MAR thresholds (for example, healthcare and agri-food sectors) will be phased out by 2030, rather than 2026, increasing by 9% in 2026.

Therefore, the minimum salary for general employment permits will rise from €34,000 to €36,605. This will apply for dairy farm assistant and meat deboner roles.

The minimum salary for critical skills employment permits will increase from €38,000 to €40,904.

For meat processors, horticultural workers, healthcare assistants, and home carers, the minimum salary will increase from €30,000 to €32,691.

There will be lower starting thresholds that will apply for recent graduates, reflecting their early career stage.

2023 roadmap

This new roadmap follows a review of the 2023 plan to raise salary thresholds over two years.

The review considered feedback from public consultation, which received over 150 submissions from employers, permit holders, trade unions, and representative bodies.

This review also looked at business challenges linked to rising costs and global economic conditions, and concerns from migrant worker advocacy groups about permit renewals under quickly implemented higher thresholds.

Instead of completing the increases by 2026, the new plan introduces a gradual implementation through to 2030. 

This approach ensures balance between worker rights and business sustainability, in line with the Employment Permits Act 2024, the DETE explained.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke said that the intention of this new roadmap is to "strengthen Ireland’s competitiveness in attracting the vital skills and talent our economy needs".

"To balance the rights of workers with the needs of businesses, the changes will be introduced on a phased basis. This will give all sectors sufficient time to prepare," Minister Burke added.

Dairy quota

The government is being urged to lift the quota of general employment permits for dairy farm assistant roles.

This comes as the DETE issued an update on the quota, announcing that it has been filled.

"The Employment Permits Regulations 2024, Statutory Instrument No 444/2024 established the maximum number of general employment permits that may be granted to dairy farm assistants," the DETE said.

"This quota has now been filled.

"No new applications for dairy farm assistant should be submitted."

Dairy farmers have told Agriland they are concerned, having received correspondence from the department stating that their application has been rejected due to the quota being filled.

There is high demand in Ireland for skilled workers in agriculture, especially come springtime, but labour shortages are a major challenge for dairy farms.