Reading the permit data, month by month

In May most of what we added to IrishTalents was writing that turns the official employment permit records into something you can use in your search.

A monthly read of the permit numbers

We started writing up each month of employment permit data from the Department of Enterprise. The first issue, Employment Permit Insights for April 2026, covers how many permits were issued that month and which employers, sectors, counties and nationalities they went to. Two companion pieces look at the employers whose permit activity grew most in April and the employers that first appear in the 2020 to 2026 permit records this year. Each one explains how to use the signal, since a company's permit history tells you about the past and does not promise a sponsored role today.

Employers with the most permits, by sector

Two new rankings list the employers with the most visible permit activity in 2026, one for technology companies and one for healthcare and social care. Both are meant as a starting point for your own shortlist of companies to research, alongside the full company directory.

Answers for the hard questions on an application

Two guides cover the questions international candidates most often get stuck on. One explains how to answer "Do you need visa sponsorship?" honestly, starting from what the employer is really asking, and the other covers salary expectations on Irish applications.

Research an employer before you apply

We also wrote about the work that comes before an application. There is a five-signal filter for reading a job advert for sponsorship clues, a method for checking a company's sponsorship history on IrishTalents, and a 30-day plan for applying from abroad that puts those steps into a routine.

The 2026 occupation changes, explained

Ireland confirmed changes to the occupations that qualify for employment permits in 2026, with new Critical Skills roles, new General Employment Permit roles and changes to quotas. Our guide to the 2026 changes sets out what changed and what it can mean for international candidates. The guide is information, so always confirm the details with the Department before you apply.

For recruiters and hiring teams

Recruiters got a checklist for sponsorship-ready candidates, a practical way to judge whether a candidate from outside the EU is ready for a work permit conversation.

Smaller things

• The blog home page started opening with our permit data and latest insights, with links straight to the company permit data.