IRELAND PEO & EOR
Hire in Ireland without
a local entity today
As a Global PEO & EOR service provider, we pride ourselves on our global reach, in-country knowledge, and ability to swiftly and efficiently mobilize workers around the world. Our robust PEO/EOR covers everything from global HR, payroll, compliance, in-country support, immigration, visas, and more.
Get started and hire in Ireland today with Gibson Watts Global.
DID YOU KNOW
- Halloween comes from Ireland! The festival’s origin dates back to the ancient Celtic celebration of ‘Samhain’, which was originally practised by Irish Celts around 2000 years ago.
- Ireland is famous for its iconic beverage Guinness. Despite this, more Guinness is actually sold in Nigeria than in Ireland itself!
- Ophidiophobics listen up! Ireland is one of the only countries in the world that has no wild snakes at all.
Forget software,
this is expansion
with a human touch
Ireland PEO Services
A stunning, welcoming, and hard-working country
A stunning and unique nation which is welcoming towards foreign businesses and expats, it’s no surprise that the Irish economy is regularly going from strength to strength. Ireland’s highly educated workforce and competitive corporation tax rates have been instrumental in driving the country’s growth throughout recent years.
Since the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, Ireland has attracted several multinational businesses, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google, who have established their European operations in the country.
Ireland’s capital city, Dublin, has been dubbed ‘the next Silicon Valley’ by many. Dublin is a growing hub for small and large businesses in the software and technology industries.
Working in Ireland
Financial Year Dates
The financial year in Ireland runs from 1st January to 31st December
Minimum Wage
The national minimum wage in Ireland for people aged 20 and over is €13.50 per hour, as of 1st January 2025.
Standard working hours
The standard working week is 39 hours, usually from 9.00am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. The maximum average working week cannot exceed 48 hours for most employees.
Overtime
Overtime is permitted, as long as the employee doesn’t work for more than 48 hours a week (typically over a four-month average), including overtime. Where overtime is applicable, it should be included in the employment contract, along with the agreed pay rate.
Holiday Allowance
Full-time employees in Ireland are entitled to a minimum of 20 days’ paid annual leave every year. The statutory leave year in Ireland runs from 1st April to 31st March.
Sick Leave
Eligible employees are entitled to up to 5 days of paid sick leave per year. This is paid at 70% of the employee’s regular wages, up to a daily maximum of €110. To be eligible, employees need to have worked for their employer for at least 13 weeks; and be certified as unable to work by a medical practitioner.
Maternity & Paternity Leave
Mothers are entitled to 26 weeks’ maternity leave, and can take up to 16 weeks’ additional maternity leave. This entitlement applies to full-time, casual and part-time workers, regardless of how long they have been working for their employer. 2 weeks must be taken before the baby is due, and at least 4 weeks after the baby is born.
Paternity leave is offered to: the father; the partner of the child’s mother; and the parent of a donor-conceived child. New parents are entitled to 2 weeks off work, and can start any time in the first 6 months after the baby’s birth.
Public Holidays
Ten Public Holidays are observed in Ireland:
- New Year’s Day
- Imbolc
- St Patrick’s Day
- Easter Monday
- Early May Bank Holiday
- Early June Bank Holiday
- August Bank Holiday
- October Bank Holiday
- Christmas Day
- St Stephen’s Day
Social Contributions
Employee social contributions relate to Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI), which is calculated as a percentage of an employee’s gross income. As of 1st October 2024, PRSI is calculated at 4% of an employee’s earnings.
Income Tax
Ireland has a progressive income tax system where employees contribute 20% of their salaries up to a certain amount. An employee’s 20% taxable income amount varies depending on their circumstances, and this will vary based on marriage or dependency status.
- A standard rate of 20% is applied to income within a weekly rate band
- A higher rate of 40% is applied to any income exceeding this band
Rate bands for the current and previous four tax years can be found in the Tax Rates, Bands, and Reliefs charts. Specific rate bands will also be detailed on an employee’s Tax Credit Certificate (TCC).
Health Care
Private and public healthcare services are both available in Ireland.
Private healthcare is provided by individual practitioners and healthcare companies. Patients typically cover the full cost of private treatment, though private health insurance can help with expenses.
Public healthcare is State funded. Many public health services are free, but some may require a fee. The HSE either delivers these services directly or funds other organisations to provide them.
In order to be eligible, individuals must be ordinarily resident in Ireland – meaning they have lived here for at least a year, or intend to stay for at least one year. Some visitors, such as those from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, may also be eligible for certain public health services.
If you are a resident of Ireland, you may also be entitled to healthcare within the EU.
Visas
To obtain a work visa in Ireland, a work permit must first be secured from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI). This requires having a job offer from a registered Irish employer, meeting the necessary skills and qualifications for the role, and satisfying the minimum salary threshold set by the Irish government. The two most common types of work permits are the Critical Skills Employment Permit, designed for highly skilled professionals in shortage occupations, and the General Employment Permit, which applies to roles where there is a labour shortage in Ireland.
An Ireland EOR provider can also provide guidance on this process. An EOR can provide a payroll solution in Ireland so that workers can easily set up in Ireland and businesses can easily place workers in-country.
13th salary?
There is no legal requirement for 13th salaries to be paid in Ireland. Instead, employers may choose to offer bonuses or additional pay as part of their incentive programs.
Cultural Information
Irish people are known for their hard-working nature, but also for valuing their free time. English is the official and most common language of Ireland; however, the Irish language is also commonly spoken and mandatorily taught in schools.
Ireland is a predominantly Roman Catholic country and around 80% of the population practice this religion. Other religious groups can be found throughout the country.
