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Labor Market Needs Test

 Discover Labor Market Need Test, Advertisement, and Application Requirements. Learn more below.

What is Labor Market Needs Test?

The government’s policy is that employment opportunities that arise in Ireland should, in the first instance, be offered to suitably skilled Irish and other EEA nationals and should only be offered to non-EEA nationals where no suitable candidate emerges from within the EEA to fill the vacancy. However, it is at the employer's discretion to decide and select a suitable candidate for their company.

What does the Labour Market Needs Test involve?

​The Employer must advertise the vacancy:

1. With the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Employment Services/EURES employment network for at least 28 days.

2. The notice must be placed on an additional online platform, also for a minimum of 28 continuous days. The online platform can be any website, software or electronic technology that provides online publication of information, with the principal purpose being to publish offers of employment.


Note:

  • Both notices placed with the Department of Social Protection Employment Services/EURES employment network and on the additional second online platform must contain the following information:

    • a description of the employment

    • the name of the employer

    • the minimum annual remuneration

    • the location/s of employment

    • the hours of work

  • Applications for employment permits subject to the LMNT must be made within 90 days (or 120 days if the employer is a third level institution), from the day in which the notice was first published. 
     

One of the most common reasons for a refusal of General Employment Permit applications is related to the Labour Market Need Test.

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Who needs the Labour Market Needs Test?

The Labour Market Needs Test is REQUIRED:

  • General Employment Permit

  • Contract for Services Employment Permit


The Labor Market Needs Test is NOT REQUIRED:​

  • Where the job is included on the Critical Skills Occupations List.

  • Where the job is offered to a non-EEA national who holds a General Employment Permit and was made redundant within the previous six months.

  • Where a recommendation from Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland has been made in relation to the job offer (this applies to client companies of Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland only). 

  • Where the job offer is for a Carer of a person with exceptional medical needs and the non-EEA national has been providing care to the person before the application was made. That person has developed a high level of dependence on that non-EEA national.
     

​Employment permits cannot be issued to an occupation listed on the Ineligible List of Occupations, regardless of remuneration.

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