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Ireland issued 30,981 Work Permits in 2023, Philippines and India Dominate

Ireland issued 30,981 work permits to foreigners last year. The visa approval rate remained 95% and the refusal rates counted to 5% (1,575) only. These visas were awarded to the citizens of 135 countries. Across 6,758 companies were awarded these visas as employers. Almost two-thirds of the total visas were awarded to Asian countries. Dublin (15,401) counted towards the most work permits as the county.

Indian nationals dominated the list where they were granted 11,893 work permits in 2023. Only 390 work visa applications of Indians were refused. Philippines remained at number two, surely famous for its nurses got 2,634 visas. Below are the top five countries whose nationals were given the most work permits in 2023:

  • India: 11,893
  • Philippines: 2,634
  • Brazil: 2,632
  • Pakistan: 1,533
  • China: 1,488

Almost one-third of the work permits have been issued to the Health and Social Care sector. Information and communication activities sectors remained second in the list. Accommodation and food services activities remained in the third most visa-awarding sector. Following are the 5 top occupational sectors in 2023:

  • Health and Social Care: 10,037
  • Information and communication: 5,009
  • Accommodation and food services: 2,606
  • Finance and Insurance: 2,373
  • Other Service Activities: 1,511

Countries List with Approval and Refusal of Work Permits in 2023

NationalityIssuedRefusedWithdrawn
Grand Total30,9811,575Grand Total
Afghanistan1131
Albania3051
Algeria173
Angola1
Argentina82111
Armenia6
Australia11473
Azerbaijan4
Bahamas21
Bahrain2
Bangladesh158115
Barbados3
Belarus39
Belize93
Bolivia676
Bosnia and Herzegovina9
Botswana5451
Brazil2,63225340
Brunei Darussalam111
Burkina Faso1
Burundi1
Cambodia11
Cameroon51
Canada226910
Cayman Islands1
Chile100172
China1,4886111
Colombia763
Congo61
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the12
Costa Rica4221
Cote d’Ivoire1
Cuba2
Dominica1
Dominican Republic4
Ecuador15
Egypt23422
El Salvador264
Eritrea1
Ethiopia7
Fiji3
Gabon11
Gambia6
Georgia111
Ghana264102
Grenada1
Guatemala71
Guinea1
Guyana2
Honduras273
Hong Kong392
India11,893390194
Indonesia6621
Iran, Islamic Republic of853
Iraq1212
Israel269416
Jamaica37
Japan23572
Jordan573
Kazakhstan2111
Kenya12063
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of1
Korea, Republic of10641
Kosova711
Kosovo72
Kuwait6
Kyrgyzstan101
Lao People’s Democratic Republic1
Lebanon6323
Lesotho14
Libya121
Macao1
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of3
Madagascar1
Malawi151
Malaysia598309
Maldives1
Malta1
Mauritius4481
Mexico332415
Moldova, Republic of2811
Mongolia537
Montenegro31
Morocco8362
Mozambique1
Myanmar16
Namibia2
Nepal228148
New Zealand524
Nicaragua32
Nigeria1,0058319
North Macedonia51
Oman181
Pakistan1,5339348
Palestine14
Panama82
Paraguay141
Peru10
Philippines2,6348536
Republic of Serbia2
Russian Federation22482
Rwanda3
Saint Kitts and Nevis2
Saudi Arabia3011
Senegal31
Serbia162
Seychelles32
Sierra Leone1
Singapore7423
Somalia1
South Africa1,3469153
Sri Lanka4683714
Sudan303938
Swaziland9
Syrian Arab Republic232
Taiwan11874
Tanzania, United Republic of1531
Thailand2163910
Tibet1
Togo2
Trinidad and Tobago181
Tunisia472
Türkiye429295
Turkmenistan1
Uganda401
Ukraine16663
United Arab Emirates31
United States of America1,0203311
Uruguay157
Uzbekistan9
Vanuatu5
Venezuela331
Vietnam1301838
Zambia2532
Zimbabwe579389
courtesy gov.ie

Occupation-wise distribution of Work Permits in 2023

Economic SectorNo. of visas
A – Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing1,385
B – Mining & Quarrying30
C – All Other Manufacturing766
C – Manufacture of Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals877
C – Manufacture of Computers, Electronics & Optica845
C – Manufacture of Food, Drink & Tobacco268
C – Manufacture of Medical Devices281
D – Electricity & Gas & Air Conditioning Supply371
E – Water Supply – Sewerage Waste Management & Rem87
F – Construction1,349
G – Wholesale & Retail Trade294
H – Transport & Storage907
I – Accommodation & Food Services activities2,606
J – Information & Communication Activities5,009
K – Financial & insurance Activities2,373
L – Real Estate Activities14
M – All other Professional, Scientific & Technical1,010
M – Professional, Scientific&Technical Activities283
N – Administrative & Support Service Activities80
O – Public Administration & Defence15
P – Education246
Q – Health & Social Work Activities10,037
R – Arts , Entertainment and Recreation336
S – Other Service activities1,511
T – Domestic- Activities of Households as Employer1
Grand Total30,981
courtesy gov.ie

County and area-wise distribution of Work Permits

IssuedRefusedWithdrawn
Grand Total30,9811,575641
No County Entered75916
Carlow16173
Cavan312185
Clare496306
Cork2,61312349
Derry1
Donegal3871914
Dublin15,401752265
Galway1,3878535
Kerry3842615
Kildare1,7345329
Kilkenny4912410
Laois213142
Leitrim5452
Limerick1,6008434
Longford120132
Louth649206
Mayo3781910
Meath1,1375318
Monaghan2403440
Offaly328107
Roscommon13882
Sligo220204
Tipperary5313317
Waterford6601610
Westmeath3912110
Wexford6063125
Wicklow275475
courtesy gov.ie