Shortage Occupations List in Ireland - Critical Skills Occupations List

Ireland uses its shortage occupations list to determine what type of skilled workers it needs from the non-EU countries. This list also helps foreigners interested in coming to Ireland to determine the required qualifications, experience, or skills needed for a work visa.

This list is called the Critical Skills Occupations List in Ireland and it became effective on December 20, 2023, when the Employment Permits Regulations 2023 were enacted.

Sector-wise salary in Ireland

In Ireland, the average salary is around €45,000. Furthermore, the full-time workers in Ireland on average make €3,683 a month, equating to €44,202 a year (pre-tax). Following are the salary levels against different occupational levels:

Occupation	Salary Range (€)
Supply Chain and Logistics	€32,000 – €180,000
Tech	€30,000 – €150,000
Accountancy	€25,000 – €185,000
Financial Services	€28,000 – €180,000
Engineering	€40,000 – €145,000
Digital Marketing	€30,000 – €150,000
Healthcare	€26,000 – €86,000
Science and Pharma	€35,000 – €130,000
IT	€32,000 – €147,000
HR	€25,000 – €153,000
Retail	€22,000 – €110,000
Sales	€26,000 – €160,000
Construction	€30,000 – €130,000

What is the Critical Skills Occupations List in Ireland?

The Critical Skills Occupations List is organized using the Standard Occupational Classification system (SOC 2010). This system groups workers into categories to help with data collection and analysis. Jobs that require specific skills are listed under “Employments with Specific Skills.”

If a foreigner from a non-EU worker has these skills, they can apply for a Critical Skills Employment Permit. However, if their job fits the broader category but lacks the specific skills mentioned, they may not qualify for the permit.

Critical Skills Occupations List in Ireland

SOC-3	Employment categories	SOC-4	Employment
112	Production Managers and Directors	1122	Site Manager
113	ICT Professionals	1136	Information technology and telecommunications directors
118	Health and Social Services Managers and Directors	1181	Senior health services and public health managers and directors
121	Managers and Proprietors in Agriculture Related Services	1213	Professional ForesterResource modelling, earth observation and data analyst
211	Natural and Social Science Professionals	2111	Chemical scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience
		2112	Medical laboratory scientistsBiological scientists and biochemists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience
		2113	Physical scientists in manufacturing (including food & beverages, medical devices), product development, analytical development, clinical co-vigilance, or biotechnology or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experienceMeteorologistOperational Forecaster
212	Engineering Professionals	2121	Civil EngineersStructural Engineers and Site Engineers
		2122	Mechanical engineers
		2123	Electrical engineers
		2124	Electronics engineers specialising in: Chip design, test engineering, or application engineering, or Process automation engineering, or Power generation, transmission and distribution, or Related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience
		2126	Design and development engineers specialising in: Quality control, or validation and regulation engineering (high tech industry; food and beverages), or Chip design, test engineering, or application engineering, or Process automation engineering, or Power generation, transmission and distribution, or Related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience
		2127	Production and process engineers specialising in: Quality control, or validation and regulation engineering (high tech industry; food and beverages), or Chemical process engineering, or Process automation engineering, or Power generation, transmission and distribution, or Related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experienceChemical Engineer
		2129	Material scientists Setting Out EngineerFaçade DesignerProject Engineer
213	Information Technology and Telecommunications Professionals	2133	IT specialist managersBIM Manager
		2134	IT project and programme managers
		2135	IT business analysts, architects and systems designers
		2136	Programmers and software development professionals
		2137	Web design and development professionals
		2139	All other ICT professionals not elsewhere classified
221	Health Professionals	2211	Medical practitioners
		2212	Psychologist
		2213	Industrial Pharmacists/ Pharmacists
		2217	RadiographersRadiation therapistsVascular technologists/physiologistsGastro Intestinal technologists/physiologists
		2218	Podiatrist/Chiropodist
		2219	AudiologistsPerfusionistsDieticianCardiac PhysiologistMedical Scientist
222	Therapy Professionals	2221222222232229	PhysiotherapistOccupational TherapistSpeech and Language Therapist Orthoptists
223	Nursing and Midwifery Professionals	2231	Registered Nurses
223	Nursing and Midwifery Professionals	2232	Registered Midwives
231	Teaching and Educational Professionals	2311	Academics who hold a qualification equivalent to Level 10 of the National Framework of Qualification in a given discipline awarded no less than two calendar years prior to the date of application for an employment permit, with a minimum of one academic year of relevant teaching experience, and the employment concerned is in a third level institution governed by the Irish Universities Act 1997 (No. 24 of 1997), the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 (No. 25 of 2006) and the Technological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018); or involves delivering a programme largely or wholly concerned with information and communications technology, which leads to a major award at QQI level 8 and/or level 9 as validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland.
242	Business, Research and Administrative Professionals	2421	Chartered and certified accountants, and taxation experts specialising in tax, compliance, regulation, solvency or financial management or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience. Qualified accountants with at least three years’ auditing experience, who are full members of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) and whom have relevant work experience in the areas of US GAAP reporting and Global Audit and Advisory Services and the employment concerned is in MNC Global Audit Services. Tax consultant specialising in non-EEA tax consultancy and compliance with a professional tax qualification or legal qualification with tax specialism, and has a minimum of three years’ experience of tax consultancy requirements and regulations in the relevant non-EEA market.
		2423	Management consultants and business analysts specialising in big data analytics with skills in IT, data mining, modelling, and advanced maths or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience
		2424	Business and financial project management professionals specialising in finance & investment analytics, risk analytics, credit, fraud analytics or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience
		2425	Actuaries, economists and statisticians specialising in big data analytics with skills in IT, data mining, modelling, and advanced maths or related and relevant specialist skills, qualifications or experience
243	Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors	2431	Architect
		2433	Quantity surveyors
		2435	Architectural Technologist
		2436	Construction project managersCommercial Manager
244	Welfare Professionals	2442	Social Worker
246	Quality and Regulatory Professionals	2461	Quality control and planning engineers
		2462	Quality assurance and regulatory professionals
		2463	Environmental health professionals
247	Media Professionals	2473	Art Director in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role
312	Draughtspersons and Related Architectural Technicians	3122	BIM Coordinator/ Technician
321	Health Associate Professionals	3213	PHECC registered ParamedicsPHECC registered Advanced Paramedic Practitioners
321	Health Associate Professionals	3218	ProsthetistsOrthotistsRespiratory physiologist
341	Artistic, Literary and Media Occupations	3411	Animation Background and Design Artist in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role
342	Design Occupations	3421	Location Designer in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the roleCharacter Designer in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the roleProp Designer in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role Animation Layout Artist in 2D or 3D animation, with at least one year’s experience in the role
344	Sports and Fitness Occupations	3442	High performance coaches and directors employed by National sports organisations, or High profile sports organisations engaging in international competition
353	Business, Finance and Related Associate Professionals	3531	Estimator
354	Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals	3542	Business sales executives specialising in International Sales Roles or ITB2B sales roles and with fluency in the official language, apart from English, of a state which is not a Member State of the EEA
354	Sales, Marketing and Related Associate Professionals	3543	International marketing experts with required domain knowledge specialising in product strategy development and management with technical and product/service knowledge (pharmaceutical, medical devices, Software B2B, SaaS products)