How to Hire Welders from Abroad in Ireland (2026)

7 min

1. The welder shortage in Ireland and local pay realities

Industrial construction, structural steel fabrication, and mechanical engineering contractors in Ireland face a persistent shortage of qualified welders. The demand is heavily concentrated in specific industrial hubs: the pharmaceutical and biotech clusters around Cork (such as Ringaskiddy and Little Island), major infrastructure and commercial builds in the Greater Dublin Area, process engineering projects in Kildare, and advanced manufacturing in the Mid-West region around Shannon and Limerick.

Domestic recruitment for coded welders is competitive. Employers frequently report that local advertising yields few applicants with valid certifications in high-demand processes like TIG (GTAW) stainless steel pipework or heavy structural MIG/MAG (GMAW/FCAW). While some firms manage by hiring subcontractors through mechanical agencies, agency hourly bill rates can strain project margins. Sourcing directly from non-EU countries is an established route, but it requires advance planning and a clear understanding of Irish employment permit regulations.

In Ireland, pay for welders is governed either by market competition or by Sectoral Employment Orders (SEOs) in the construction and mechanical engineering building services sectors. Hourly rates for experienced coded welders typically range from 20.00 EUR to 28.00 EUR per hour for standard hours, depending on region, process, and test standards. This equates to a full-time base salary range of 40,000 EUR to 58,000 EUR per year based on a 39-hour week, before overtime. Rates for high-purity orbital or specialized pressure vessel welders in the pharmaceutical sector can exceed this range.

2. The permit process: Department of Enterprise rules and filings

To hire a non-EU welder in Ireland, you must secure an employment permit before the worker travels. The relevant state authority is the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE). Employers should always verify current statutory thresholds and processing policies directly on the official DETE website (enterprise.gov.ie).

Welders generally fall under the General Employment Permit (GEP) scheme. Unlike roles on the Critical Skills Occupations List, a General Employment Permit requires the employer to complete a Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT) to demonstrate that no suitable Irish or EU/EEA candidate was available to fill the vacancy.

The mandatory steps for the LMNT and permit application are:

Publishing the vacancy: You must advertise the job with the Department of Social Protection via the Jobs Ireland portal and the EURES network for a minimum of 28 consecutive days.
Additional advertising: You must also advertise the position for at least 3 consecutive days in a national newspaper or on a recognized employment website.
Filing the application: Once the 28-day LMNT period closes, the permit application is submitted through DETE's online portal, the Employment Permits Online System (EPOS). Either the employer or the worker can lodge the application, but in practice, Irish employers or their legal representatives usually handle filing to ensure documentation is correct.
Minimum remuneration threshold: DETE enforces strict minimum annual remuneration rules for General Employment Permits. You must ensure the offered salary meets or exceeds DETE's statutory baseline (which reached 34,000 EUR in 2024 and is scheduled to step up to 39,000 EUR) or the applicable SEO rate for craftspersons, whichever is higher.

If the worker is from a visa-required country (such as India, the Philippines, or Nigeria), they must apply for an entry visa through Immigration Service Delivery (ISD), part of the Department of Justice, after DETE grants the employment permit.

3. Timelines: From job offer to site start

Hiring a non-EU welder into Ireland is not a fast solution for immediate labor shortfalls. Employers should project a timeline of 4 to 6 months from the day they decide to recruit abroad to the day the worker stands on site.

A realistic breakdown of the timeline includes:

Labour Market Needs Test: 4 weeks (28 days mandatory advertising period).
Document gathering and filing: 1 to 2 weeks to collect trade certificates, passports, contracts, and complete EPOS forms.
DETE permit processing: 6 to 10 weeks, depending on DETE backlog and application volume at the time of submission.
Entry visa processing (where applicable): 4 to 8 weeks through the relevant Irish embassy or visa office via the AVATS system.
Travel and initial onboarding: 1 to 2 weeks for flights, arrival, and site induction.

Upon entry into Ireland, the worker must register with ISD at the Burgh Quay Registration Office in Dublin or at a local Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) office in regional locations to obtain their Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card. They must also register for tax with Revenue before their first payroll run.

4. Pay rates, qualification testing, and housing obligations

When bringing welders to Ireland, trade qualification recognition and local housing are the two operational areas that demand early attention.

Qualification testing and standards: Ireland follows European standards for structural steel and pressure systems. Welder qualifications are typically governed by EN ISO 9606-1 (for steels) or ASME Section IX (for pressure vessels and piping). Foreign vocational certificates alone are rarely sufficient for compliance on Irish sites operating under EN 1090 structural execution classes. Employers should request recent, third-party witnessed test certificates (such as those issued by TÜV, Lloyds Register, or equivalent accredited bodies). Many Irish contractors require incoming welders to perform a practical coupon test upon arrival or arrange for a recognized test house to witness tests in the country of origin prior to filing the permit.

Pay rules and sectoral agreements: You must pay non-EU welders the exact rate specified in the employment permit application, which must comply with local labor law. If your site falls under a Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) for the mechanical or construction sector, you must pay the applicable statutory SEO rate for craftspersons, including statutory entitlements for travel allowances, sick pay, and pension contributions where covered by the SEO.

Housing realities: Ireland is experiencing a severe residential housing shortage. Employers are not legally required to pay for permanent housing for General Employment Permit holders, but failing to assist arriving workers with accommodation often leads to recruitment failure or rapid departure. Responsible employers arrange and cover at least 4 to 8 weeks of initial temporary accommodation (such as serviced apartments or guesthouses) and assist the worker in finding long-term private rental housing.

5. What hiring a non-EU welder costs you

Below is a realistic summary of the direct expenditure required to bring one non-EU welder to Ireland on a General Employment Permit. These figures are estimates and exclude long-term wages.

DETE permit fee: 1,000 EUR for a 2-year General Employment Permit (900 EUR is refunded if the permit is refused).
Labour Market Needs Test advertising: 0 EUR on Jobs Ireland; up to 300 EUR if using commercial job portals.
Qualification verification and coding tests: 300 EUR to 800 EUR per candidate for test coupons and witness testing by an accredited body.
Travel and entry visa: 100 EUR entry visa fee plus 400 EUR to 900 EUR for single-way airfare.
Initial temporary housing support: 1,500 EUR to 3,500 EUR depending on the region and duration of temporary accommodation provided.
IRP registration card fee: 300 EUR (paid locally in Ireland upon registration).
Total estimated setup cost range: 3,600 EUR to 6,900 EUR per worker.

6. Ethical recruitment and fee prohibition

Under Irish law and international labor standards, a legitimate employer or recruitment intermediary never asks a job applicant to pay for their own recruitment, permit processing, or job placement. All permit fees, mandatory recruitment advertising costs, and legal charges associated with filing must be borne by the employer.

Workers who are asked by agencies or third-party brokers to pay thousands of Euros for an Irish job offer or permit application are being defrauded. Utilizing unregulated brokers who charge candidates fees exposes your company to legal liability, potential permit revocation by DETE, reputational damage, and severe supply chain compliance audits. Employers should explicitly confirm in writing to candidates that no fees are required at any stage of the application process.

7. Finding welders directly on the Workuro registry

If you have evaluated the lead times and statutory requirements and decided to hire abroad, sourcing candidates directly helps avoid agency overheads. Workuro operates a public registry where skilled tradespeople from outside the EU publish their profiles, list their certifications, and indicate their desire to relocate to Ireland.

You can search the registry specifically for welders holding EN ISO 9606 or ASME IX credentials who have stated a preference for moving to Ireland. As an employer, you can view candidate details, inspect their trade history, and contact them directly to conduct interview screenings and arrange practical weld tests.

Workuro is a young, growing registry. We do not act as an employment agency, we do not charge per-hire placement fees, and we do not handle immigration paperwork. Employers manage their own selection and permit filing process directly with DETE, ensuring complete transparency and compliance from initial contact to the worker's first day on site.