The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) published its weekly processing-date bulletin on 7 January 2026, and the snapshot confirms that delays remain significant for most Irish work-permit categories. As of this week, new General Employment Permit (GEP) applications submitted on or after 27 November 2025 are only now being examined, while Critical Skills Employment Permits (CSEP) lodged on 17 December 2025 have reached the assessment stage. ([enterprise.gov.ie](https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/current-application-processing-dates/?utm_source=openai))
In practical terms, first-time GEP applicants are facing end-to-end timelines of roughly nine to eleven weeks—longer if additional information is requested—whereas CSEP files are averaging five to six weeks from receipt to decision. Intra-Company Transfer permits show a mixed picture: new ICT applications dated 1 December 2025 are in process, but renewals submitted as far back as 10 September 2025 are only now being handled, highlighting a persistent renewal bottleneck.
If you need hands-on assistance navigating these Irish work-permit backlogs, VisaHQ’s Dublin-based team can help employers and assignees prepare decision-ready applications, track DETE queues in real time and arrange ancillary services such as Irish entry visas or passport renewals. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/.
![Processing-date bulletin shows Irish employment-permit queue still stretching back to November]()
DETE officials point out that holiday-period closures and a spike in filings ahead of the 1 March 2026 salary-threshold increases have slowed throughput. The department has reallocated staff and continues to encourage employers to submit “decision-ready” applications with complete documentation to avoid further delays. A new case-management system—currently in pilot—promises automated triage and digital document validation later this quarter.
For mobility teams, the bulletin is a critical planning tool. Companies with start dates in Q1 2026 should reassess onboarding schedules or explore Stamp 4 support letters for certain CSEP-eligible roles as a stop-gap. Renewal backlogs also create risk: transferees whose ICT permits expire before a renewal decision must either stop working or move to a bridging Stamp 1H, which can complicate payroll and social-insurance compliance.
DETE will publish its next processing update on 14 January. Employers are advised to track weekly movements; a reduction of more than five working days in any queue is generally a sign that additional case officers have been deployed to that stream.
In practical terms, first-time GEP applicants are facing end-to-end timelines of roughly nine to eleven weeks—longer if additional information is requested—whereas CSEP files are averaging five to six weeks from receipt to decision. Intra-Company Transfer permits show a mixed picture: new ICT applications dated 1 December 2025 are in process, but renewals submitted as far back as 10 September 2025 are only now being handled, highlighting a persistent renewal bottleneck.
If you need hands-on assistance navigating these Irish work-permit backlogs, VisaHQ’s Dublin-based team can help employers and assignees prepare decision-ready applications, track DETE queues in real time and arrange ancillary services such as Irish entry visas or passport renewals. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/.
DETE officials point out that holiday-period closures and a spike in filings ahead of the 1 March 2026 salary-threshold increases have slowed throughput. The department has reallocated staff and continues to encourage employers to submit “decision-ready” applications with complete documentation to avoid further delays. A new case-management system—currently in pilot—promises automated triage and digital document validation later this quarter.
For mobility teams, the bulletin is a critical planning tool. Companies with start dates in Q1 2026 should reassess onboarding schedules or explore Stamp 4 support letters for certain CSEP-eligible roles as a stop-gap. Renewal backlogs also create risk: transferees whose ICT permits expire before a renewal decision must either stop working or move to a bridging Stamp 1H, which can complicate payroll and social-insurance compliance.
DETE will publish its next processing update on 14 January. Employers are advised to track weekly movements; a reduction of more than five working days in any queue is generally a sign that additional case officers have been deployed to that stream.
