How do you hire an Irish employee in 2026?
Ireland requires written terms of employment within 5 days of a new hire starting. Unfair dismissal protection kicks in after 12 months, half the UK threshold. Get the sequence right before day one.
· Ireland guide
Illustration · Dublin, Ireland
Ireland has five hiring steps: offer letter, work-authorisation check, written terms of employment, onboarding admin, first payday.
Written terms must reach the employee within 5 days of starting. Missing the deadline is a breach of law.
Unfair dismissal protection begins after 12 months of service. Probation is capped at 6 months by law.
What does the end-to-end Irish hire process look like?
Five steps from accepted offer to first payslip: offer letter, work-authorisation check, written terms of employment, onboarding admin, first payday.
The 5-day written-terms deadline is the clock to watch. It starts on the employee's first day.
| Step | What happens | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, and key terms | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept |
| 2. Work-authorisation check | Confirm right to work: EU/EEA free movement or INIS employment permit for non-EEA nationals | Teamed | Before the employee starts |
| 3. Written terms of employment | Statement of main terms under the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts | Teamed (legal employer) | Within 5 days of start date |
| 4. Onboarding admin | Revenue PAYE registration, pension auto-enrolment setup, benefits, bank details | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| 5. First payday | First payslip issued, payroll submission filed with Revenue | Teamed | End of first pay period |
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Issue the offer letter
Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, salary, start date, notice period of 1 week minimum, and any conditions such as work-authorisation or references.
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Complete the work-authorisation check
Confirm EU/EEA free movement or obtain an employment permit for non-EEA nationals before the employee starts. Retain documentary evidence either way.
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Issue the written terms of employment
The written terms of employment must reach the employee within 5 days of starting. Teamed's standard Irish contract covers all requirements under the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts.
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Complete onboarding admin
Register the employee with Revenue for PAYE, set up auto-enrolment pension, collect the P45 or new-employee declaration, and arrange bank details and benefits. This runs across days 1 to 7.
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Issue the first payslip
Run the first payroll at the end of the first pay period and file the payroll submission with Revenue. The employee receives their payslip and PRSI record begins.
What must an Irish offer letter include?
The offer letter is what the candidate decides on. It is not the legal contract.
Include the role title, reporting line, start date, salary, working pattern, location, notice period, probation terms, and any conditions such as references or work-authorisation checks.
Three things to get right in an Irish offer letter:
- Probation length. Ireland caps probation at 6 months for most employees under the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Regulations 2022. State the probation period clearly. Do not set it longer than the cap without legal advice.
- Notice within probation. The minimum employer notice after 7 days of service is 7 days. If you want a different notice period during probation, state it in the offer and the contract.
- Conditional offers. If the offer depends on a satisfactory work-authorisation check or references, say so in writing. Hiring a non-EEA national without an employment permit is an offence under Irish immigration law.
Teamed's standard Irish offer letter template covers these points. Clients set the commercial terms; Teamed holds the legal-employer position and drafts in line with current law.
Ireland work-authorisation checks: EU free movement and employment permits
EU and EEA nationals have the right to work in Ireland without a permit. No pre-employment check is required, but you should retain evidence of their nationality.
Non-EEA nationals need an employment permit issued by the Department of Enterprise before they start work. Hiring without one is a criminal offence.
EU and EEA nationals
Citizens of EU and EEA member states can work in Ireland without any permit. Retain a copy of their passport or national identity card as evidence of their right to work. This is good practice, not a legal requirement, but it demonstrates due diligence.
Irish citizens who have been living abroad and returning home present the same document set. British citizens, post-Brexit, retain Common Travel Area rights and can work in Ireland without a permit.
Non-EEA nationals: employment permits
Non-EEA nationals require an employment permit from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment before starting work. The most common categories are the Critical Skills Employment Permit and the General Employment Permit. The permit is typically applied for by the employer and must be in place before the employee's first day.
Hiring a non-EEA national without a valid permit exposes the employer to criminal liability under the Employment Permits Acts 2003 to 2014. Teamed does not employ non-EEA nationals in Ireland without a valid permit in place.
Employment permits are required for non-EEA nationals to take up employment in Ireland. The employment permit must be in place before work begins. Citizens of the EU, EEA, and UK (Common Travel Area) are exempt.
Source: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Permits
Practical steps
Before the offer is made: confirm the candidate's nationality. For EU/EEA nationals, collect and retain a passport or ID copy. For non-EEA nationals, begin the permit application early as processing times vary. Teamed manages the permit timeline and flags any risk before the start date is set.
The Irish written contract: what must it contain?
Every employee must receive written terms of employment within 5 days of starting.
This is a legal requirement under the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994 to 2014, updated by the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Regulations 2022.
What the written terms must include:
- Full name and address of employer and employee
- Job title or description of the work
- Place of work (or statement that the employee works at various places)
- Date employment began
- Expected duration for a fixed-term contract, or a statement that it is indefinite
- Rate or method of calculating pay, and the pay reference period
- Pay intervals (weekly, fortnightly, monthly)
- Terms and conditions on hours of work, including overtime
- Paid leave entitlement
- Sick pay terms
- Pension and pension scheme details
- Notice period required by employer and employee
- Any collective agreements that directly affect the contract
- Probation period terms, if any
- Any training entitlement required by the employer
The 2022 EU Regulations added a requirement to state the probation period length, the training entitlement, and details of any work pattern predictability. These additions apply to all new contracts and to existing employees on request.
Teamed issues all written terms in Ireland as the legal employer. The document is reviewed annually against current legislation. Clients choose the commercial terms; Teamed ensures the legal substance is complete.
Onboarding admin in the first week
Days 1 to 7: Revenue PAYE registration, auto-enrolment pension setup, benefits, bank details, P45 transfer or new-employee declaration, equipment, and manager introduction.
Teamed handles the payroll and compliance side. The client handles the cultural side.
| Onboarding task | Who does it | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Written terms of employment issued | Teamed | Within 5 days of start |
| Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Before day 1 |
| P45 from previous employer, or new-employee declaration | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 |
| Revenue PAYE registration | Teamed (via Revenue Online Service) | Days 1 to 3 |
| Auto-enrolment pension setup (where applicable) | Teamed | Day 1 of eligibility |
| Benefits enrolment | Teamed (admin) and Client (decision) | Days 1 to 7 |
| Bank details collected for payroll payment | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 |
| Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 |
| 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 |
How does Teamed handle Irish employment for you?
Teamed becomes your legal employer of record in Ireland for from $599 per employee per month, with zero FX mark-up in any currency.
Irish payroll, benefits, and the full employment law stack run on one platform.
Real HR and legal experts handle your Irish hires, from the first offer letter through every Revenue payroll submission and annual P60 equivalent. An actual person, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is no setup fee and no exit fee. Employer cost passes through at cost, itemised on every invoice.
EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on one platform. Run the Crossover Calculator to see the month your Irish hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Ireland hiring overview; each guide here covers one layer of Irish employment law.
Key sources: Workplace Relations Commission, Revenue Commissioners: employing people, and Department of Enterprise: employment permits.
Frequently asked questions
When must Irish written terms of employment be given to a new hire?
Written terms of employment must be given to the employee within 5 days of starting work. This is required by the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994 to 2014 and the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Regulations 2022. The offer letter does not satisfy this requirement. The written terms must cover pay, hours, leave, notice, probation, pension details, and more.
Do you need to check the right to work before hiring in Ireland?
EU and EEA nationals have free movement rights and can work in Ireland without a permit. British citizens also retain Common Travel Area rights. Non-EEA nationals require an employment permit from the Department of Enterprise before they start work. Hiring without a permit in place is a criminal offence. Teamed manages the permit process and confirms authorisation before the start date.
What is the maximum probation period in Ireland?
The maximum probation period is 6 months for most employees. This cap was introduced by the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Regulations 2022. In exceptional circumstances, such as an extended absence during probation, the period can be extended to 12 months. During probation, after 7 days of service, the minimum employer notice is 7 days.
What notice period applies during an Irish probation?
There is no statutory minimum notice for either side in the first 13 weeks of employment. After 13 weeks, the statutory minimum employer notice is 1 week. Employee resignation notice is 1 week by law after the same threshold. These are the legal minimums; the contract can set longer periods.
When does unfair dismissal protection apply in Ireland?
Unfair dismissal protection applies after 12 months of continuous service under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. This is shorter than in the UK. From month 12 months onwards, dismissal requires fair grounds and a fair procedure. Getting the reason and process wrong can result in a compensatory award of up to 104 weeks pay.
The 5-day written-terms deadline catches companies out more than any other step. They think the offer letter is enough. It is not. The legal contract has to be in the employee's hands by day five. In Ireland, that clock starts on day one, not when it is convenient.
Ireland's 5-day deadline for written terms is real. Day five is not a target. It is the legal limit.
Unfair dismissal protection starts after 12 months. That is earlier than most companies expect.
The permit question for non-EEA nationals must be settled before the offer goes out. We handle the sequencing.
