European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure IE-2024-27/3795 – measures in Ireland

New employment permits for sea fishers introduced to address skills shortage, with a quota of 150 permits

Country Ireland , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 03 July 2024
Context Labour Migration Management
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Active labour market policies (enhancing employability, training, subsidised job creation, etc.)
Author Roisin Farelly (IRN Publishing) and Eurofound
Measure added 23 April 2025 (updated 21 May 2025)

Background information

The new employment permits will replace the ‘Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) for non-EEA Crew in the Irish Fishing Fleet’. That scheme was established in 2016 and facilitated the recruitment of non-EEA fishers to work onboard certain fishing vessels. Following a review of the scheme in 2022, it was closed and recommended that the scheme be normalised into the Employment Permit System.

An implementation group was established to oversee the transition which included officials from the Department of Transport, the Workplace Relations Commission and an Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Content of measure

A new quota has been introduced of 150 General Employment Permits for the role of sea fisher in the Irish fishing fleet. The new quota was introduced following a recommendation by a cross-governmental group to move the management of non-EEA sea fishers from a previous scheme to the Employment Permit System. The role of sea fisher in the Irish fishing fleet will now be eligible for a General Employment Permit with a minimum salary requirement of €34,000. The permits were introduced because, Ireland has reached full employment and sea fisher is one of the occupations where there is a shortage.

Use of measure

150 permits available.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Particular professions
Migrants or refugees in employment
Sector specific set of companies
Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Public employment service
Public support service providers
No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Consulted Consulted
Form Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment invited submissions from representative bodies, government departments, agencies, and other interested parties to a consultation to review the eligibility of occupations for employment permits. Submissions were received from the fishing sector and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment had a series of engagements with representatives from this sector, migrants rights advocates and unions concerning access for non-EEA fishers through the General Employment Permit System

Views and reactions

No information

Sectors and occupations

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), New employment permits for sea fishers introduced to address skills shortage, with a quota of 150 permits, measure IE-2024-27/3795 (measures in Ireland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/IE-2024-27_3795.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.