Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has obtained Cabinet sign-off for an overhaul of Ireland’s Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy, announced on 8 December 2025. Key measures include raising the minimum earnings a sponsor must prove to the current national median salary (€44,300) and introducing application fees and accommodation-suitability checks. International Protection beneficiaries will also have to meet the new income bar, ending previous exemptions.
The reforms will be written into the International Protection Bill 2025, which also grants the State power to revoke refugee status on security grounds. Officials say the package creates a ‘rules-based, efficient’ system aligned with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, but an Oireachtas committee has warned against overly harsh thresholds.
Companies and individuals facing these new requirements can simplify the process by engaging VisaHQ, which provides real-time guidance on Irish visas, family-reunification rules, and end-to-end document handling. Visit https://www.visahq.com/ireland/ for expert assistance and streamlined application support.
![Family-reunification rules tightened: income test and fees on the way]()
For corporate mobility programmes, the higher salary floor could hit middle-income assignees in ICT and financial services who wish to bring spouses and children from outside the EEA. Employers may need to raise allowances or explore Critical Skills Employment Permits, which carry more generous family-unit rights, to stay competitive in talent attraction.
Housing is another pinch point: sponsors must show ‘suitable’ accommodation before visas are issued – a challenge in Dublin and Cork where rental vacancy rates are below 1 %. Relocation providers expect increased demand for corporate-leased family apartments, driving costs up further.
The Department of Justice will open a 12-month implementation window and consult on fee levels in early 2026, giving businesses some time to adjust. Mobility teams should audit current and pipeline assignments, run salary-gap analyses and brief affected employees well before the rules become law.
The reforms will be written into the International Protection Bill 2025, which also grants the State power to revoke refugee status on security grounds. Officials say the package creates a ‘rules-based, efficient’ system aligned with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, but an Oireachtas committee has warned against overly harsh thresholds.
Companies and individuals facing these new requirements can simplify the process by engaging VisaHQ, which provides real-time guidance on Irish visas, family-reunification rules, and end-to-end document handling. Visit https://www.visahq.com/ireland/ for expert assistance and streamlined application support.
For corporate mobility programmes, the higher salary floor could hit middle-income assignees in ICT and financial services who wish to bring spouses and children from outside the EEA. Employers may need to raise allowances or explore Critical Skills Employment Permits, which carry more generous family-unit rights, to stay competitive in talent attraction.
Housing is another pinch point: sponsors must show ‘suitable’ accommodation before visas are issued – a challenge in Dublin and Cork where rental vacancy rates are below 1 %. Relocation providers expect increased demand for corporate-leased family apartments, driving costs up further.
The Department of Justice will open a 12-month implementation window and consult on fee levels in early 2026, giving businesses some time to adjust. Mobility teams should audit current and pipeline assignments, run salary-gap analyses and brief affected employees well before the rules become law.
