Irish residents who want to sponsor non-EEA family members will now have to prove they earn at least the Irish median gross salary—currently €44,300—and can provide suitable accommodation before visas are issued. The revised Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy, published on 26 November, replaces the flat €30,000 benchmark that had been in place for nearly a decade.
The new sliding scale sets higher targets for larger families; for example a sponsor with three children must show net earnings of €47,164 (about €64,200 gross). Applications must be lodged while relatives are still overseas and an application fee will be introduced next year.
![Income Threshold for Non-EEA Family Reunification Jumps to €44,300 in Ireland]()
For multinationals the tighter rules mean extra lead-time and cost when relocating key staff who fall outside the EU/EEA talent pool. Mobility teams should factor the salary test into assignment planning and, where necessary, boost allowances or adjust contractual pay to meet the threshold. Landlords may also see increased demand for larger properties that satisfy the ‘suitable accommodation’ test.
The Government argues the change protects public finances and encourages economic self-sufficiency, noting that Ireland’s 1.6 % population growth last year was seven times the EU average. Business groups accept the rationale but caution that high thresholds could deter mid-level talent in sectors like IT and financial services where total compensation often relies on bonuses that may not be counted as reckonable income.
Officials say the policy will be reviewed annually, with thresholds indexed to earnings data from the Central Statistics Office. Sponsors who fall short may still apply in “compelling humanitarian circumstances,” but approvals will be rare and subject to Ministerial discretion.
The new sliding scale sets higher targets for larger families; for example a sponsor with three children must show net earnings of €47,164 (about €64,200 gross). Applications must be lodged while relatives are still overseas and an application fee will be introduced next year.
For multinationals the tighter rules mean extra lead-time and cost when relocating key staff who fall outside the EU/EEA talent pool. Mobility teams should factor the salary test into assignment planning and, where necessary, boost allowances or adjust contractual pay to meet the threshold. Landlords may also see increased demand for larger properties that satisfy the ‘suitable accommodation’ test.
The Government argues the change protects public finances and encourages economic self-sufficiency, noting that Ireland’s 1.6 % population growth last year was seven times the EU average. Business groups accept the rationale but caution that high thresholds could deter mid-level talent in sectors like IT and financial services where total compensation often relies on bonuses that may not be counted as reckonable income.
Officials say the policy will be reviewed annually, with thresholds indexed to earnings data from the Central Statistics Office. Sponsors who fall short may still apply in “compelling humanitarian circumstances,” but approvals will be rare and subject to Ministerial discretion.
