A renewal is not a rubber stamp. The Department assesses your application against the rules in force when it decides, and those rules move: salary thresholds rose on 1 March 2026 and are now reviewed every year against national earnings data. A salary that comfortably cleared the bar two years ago can quietly fall below it by renewal time, and renewals are currently the slowest standard queue at the Department, around 14 weeks. The good news is that renewals are simpler than first applications in one big way, there is no labour market test, so no advertising.
Renewal time is also the moment to look up. After 5 years with the same employer you can apply for a permit of unlimited duration with no fee at all, and after 5 consecutive years on permits you may not need a permit again because the Stamp 4 route opens. If you hold a Critical Skills permit, you never renew it: at 21 months you go straight to Stamp 4. We check which of these doors is open for you before you spend a cent on the wrong one.
Made for people like you
General Employment Permit holders
Your first GEP runs up to 24 months and renews for up to 3 further years. Renewal is how you bridge to the 5-year milestones.
Dependant and Reactivation permit holders
The same 4-month window and keep-working rule apply. Dependant permit renewals carry no fee at all.
People near a 5-year milestone
You may not need a renewal at all. We check whether the unlimited permit or the Stamp 4 route is already open before you pay a fee.
Employers managing permit deadlines
A missed renewal window puts your employee out of the system. We help you diary the windows and keep the paperwork renewal-ready.
Do you qualify?
Renewal is assessed against today's rules, not the rules when your permit first issued. The two things that trip people up are timing and the salary threshold in force at renewal.
You will need
- A renewal application lodged on the EPOS portal within 4 months before expiry, or at the very latest 1 month after it
- A salary that meets the threshold in force at renewal, €36,605 for most General Employment Permit roles since 1 March 2026
- Employment continuing on the terms the Department approved, with any changes, such as short-time working, already notified
- An employer still registered with Revenue and trading in Ireland, with at least half the workforce EEA nationals
- A Revenue statement of the employer's monthly returns dated within 3 months, where the employer has not been granted a permit in the past 12 months
This route is not for you if
- You hold a Critical Skills permit. There is no CSEP renewal; after 21 months of employment you apply to ISD for Stamp 4 instead
- You are more than 1 month past expiry. The renewal route has closed; the Reactivation permit may be the way back in
- You are moving to a new employer or a different role. That is the change of employer process or a fresh application, not a renewal
- You have already completed 57 months on a General Employment Permit. Stamp 4 is usually the smarter next step than another fee
Standard renewal vs the 5-year unlimited permit
Standard renewal
- Fee
- €750 or €1,500
- Duration granted
- Up to 3 further years
- When to file
- Within 4 months of expiry
- Salary check
- Current threshold applies
- Labour market test
- Not required
Unlimited-duration permit
No fee- Fee
- None
- Duration granted
- Unlimited
- Who qualifies
- 5 years with the same employer
- Salary check
- Current threshold applies
- What it signals
- Stamp 4 and citizenship in view
How the journey works
- 01
Diary the window
Month -4We work back 4 months from your permit expiry date and target day one of the window. With renewals currently taking around 14 weeks, filing early is the whole game: it keeps the decision inside your permit's lifetime.
- 02
Salary and terms health check
Week 1We check your current salary against the threshold in force, not the one from your original grant. Thresholds rose on 1 March 2026 and are indexed to national earnings each year, so a raise may be needed before you file. We also confirm any changes to your hours or terms were notified to the Department.
- 03
Gather the renewal pack
Week 1-2Passport, current permit and IRP details on your side; the contract, salary evidence and, where needed, a fresh Revenue statement of monthly returns on the employer's side. We check the pack against the Department's renewal requirements before anything is filed.
- 04
Submit through Employment Permits Online
The renewal is lodged on the EPOS portal with the fee, €750 for a permit of up to 6 months or €1,500 for 6 up to 36 months. Applications are processed strictly in date order, so a complete, correct filing on day one buys you the shortest possible wait.
- 05
Keep working while it processes
Because you filed within the window, you can continue working for the same employer while the renewal is decided, even if the old permit's expiry date passes in the meantime. If the Department raises a query, we respond quickly so you do not lose your place in the queue.
- 06
Permit issues, then align your IRP
The renewed permit issues to you with a certified copy to your employer. Your immigration registration is separate: apply to renew your IRP at least 1 month before the card expires. If you applied before expiry, you can remain on your existing conditions for up to 12 weeks while the new card is processed.
- 07
Plan the exit ramp
Year 5At renewal time we map your 5-year position. Five years with the same employer unlocks the no-fee unlimited permit; five consecutive years on permits opens the Stamp 4 application to Immigration Service Delivery, after which no permit is needed at all.
What to gather
Start collecting these early. Weak or missing documents are the most common avoidable cause of delays and refusals.
Passport bio page
Valid for the full renewal period
Current employment permit
Permit number and expiry date to hand
Current IRP card
Your Stamp 1 registration, in date
Employment contract
Current terms, salary stated clearly
Salary evidence
Recent payslips showing the approved terms were honoured
Hours and pay rate detail
The threshold is checked against a 39-hour week
Employer Revenue statement
Monthly returns dated within 3 months, if no permit granted to the employer in the past 12 months
Copies of notifications to DETE
Any short-time working or change-of-terms notices already sent
EPOS account access
Working portal logins, with the mobile multi-factor authentication step set up
Every case is different. We confirm your exact list at consultation.
What it costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal, permit up to 6 months | €750 | Paid on application through EPOS. |
| Renewal, 6 up to 36 months | €1,500 | The standard renewal for a further 3 years. |
| Unlimited permit after 5 years, same employer | No fee | The renewal fee is waived for unlimited-duration permits. |
| Refund if refused or withdrawn | 90% back | Refunded to the applicant, even if someone else paid. |
| Our consultation | Fixed fee | Agreed up front at booking, no surprises. |
Under the Employment Permits Act 2024, your employer can never deduct or recover permit fees from you. Government fees are set by DETE and can change; we confirm the current figures before anything is paid.
How long it takes
Guide figures from current official processing information. Individual cases vary.
Renewal decision
~14 weeks
As of July 2026 the Department is processing renewals received in early April. Renewals are the slowest standard queue, so file on day one of your 4-month window.
Late filing grace
1 month
A renewal can still be lodged up to 1 month after expiry. Past that, the renewal route closes.
IRP renewal
Up to 12 weeks grace
Apply at least 1 month before your card expires; if filed before expiry you stay on existing conditions for up to 12 weeks.
Review, if refused
~6.5 months
The current review queue, which is exactly why the renewal should be right first time.
Why applications get refused
Most refusals are preventable. These are the patterns we see and design out of every application.
Filing late
The window is fixed by regulation: 4 months before expiry, at latest 1 month after. Miss both and there is nothing to renew; you are looking at the Reactivation permit route to get back into the system.
Avoid it: Diary the window the day your permit issues and file on day one, not in the final weeks.
Salary below the new threshold
The minimum salary must be met at renewal, not just at first grant. Thresholds rose on 1 March 2026, €36,605 for most General Employment Permit roles, and are indexed to national earnings every year, with recent annual adjustments averaging 4.9%.
Avoid it: Check the current threshold the week you file and agree any needed raise with the employer before submitting.
Changed terms never notified
If you were put on short-time working or your terms and conditions changed and the Department was not told, that failure directly counts against renewal applications.
Avoid it: Notify DETE at the time any change happens and keep copies to include in the renewal pack.
The 50:50 rule has slipped
At renewal the employer's workforce must still be at least half EEA nationals. Where it has drifted below, only a 1-year permit may issue, and only with an Enterprise Ireland or IDA letter showing real progress back towards 50%.
Avoid it: Employers should check the workforce mix well before the window opens, not on filing day.
Missing or stale employer Revenue statement
Where the employer has not been granted a permit in the preceding 12 months, the renewal needs a Revenue statement of monthly statutory returns dated within 3 months of the application. An old or missing statement stalls or sinks the file.
Avoid it: Pull a fresh statement in the same week you submit, not months earlier.
Renewing the wrong thing
Critical Skills permits are not renewable at all, the route is Stamp 4 at 21 months. And a GEP holder past 57 months may be paying €1,500 for a renewal when a Stamp 4 application would end the permit cycle entirely.
Avoid it: Before any renewal, count your months. We check the 21 and 57-month positions and the 5-year milestones first.
Common questions
When exactly can I apply to renew my permit?+
Within the 4 months before your permit expires, or at the very latest within 1 month after expiry. With the renewal queue at around 14 weeks as of July 2026, the smart move is to file on the first day the window opens.
Can I keep working if my permit expires while the renewal is pending?+
Yes. As long as the renewal was submitted within the window, you can continue working for the same employer while the Department processes it. Your IRP card is separate: apply to renew it at least 1 month before it expires, and if you did, you can remain on your existing conditions for up to 12 weeks while the new card comes through.
How much does a renewal cost?+
€750 for a permit of up to 6 months, €1,500 for 6 up to 36 months. Dependant/Partner/Spouse permit renewals are free, and the unlimited-duration permit after 5 years with the same employer has no fee. If a renewal is refused or withdrawn, 90% of the fee is refunded. Your employer can pay, but can never recover the cost from you.
Why can I not renew my Critical Skills permit?+
Because you are not meant to. The CSEP is a one-time, 2-year permit; after 21 months of employment you apply directly to Immigration Service Delivery for Stamp 4, which lets you work without any permit. Your Revenue Employment Detail Summary is the proof of when your employment started.
My salary met the threshold when the permit issued. Is that enough?+
No, and this is the most common renewal shock. The minimum salary is the floor at which a permit can be issued or renewed, so the figure in force on renewal applies. Thresholds rose on 1 March 2026, to €36,605 for most General Employment Permit roles, and are now reviewed annually against national earnings. Recent annual adjustments have averaged 4.9%, so build the check, and possibly a raise, into your renewal plan.
Does the job need to be advertised again for a renewal?+
No. The Labour Market Needs Test is a first-application requirement only. No advertising, no jobsireland.ie listing, nothing of the sort is needed at renewal.
How long do renewals take right now?+
Around 14 weeks as of July 2026, which makes renewals the slowest standard queue at the Department. Applications are processed in strict date order of complete applications, so filing early and complete is the only lever you control. If you filed within the window, you keep working throughout the wait.
What happens after 5 years on permits?+
Two doors open. If you have spent 5 years with the same employer, you can apply for a renewal permit of unlimited duration with no fee. And after 5 consecutive years lawfully working on permits, you may not need a permit at all: you can apply to Immigration Service Delivery for Stamp 4. GEP holders can also reach Stamp 4 at 57 months of employment. We help you pick the door that gets you off the renewal treadmill fastest.
Grounded in official sources
Ready to talk through your next step?
Book a consultation with our team and leave with a clear, personal plan grounded in the official rules.
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