Country

Hiring in Ireland: Complete Guide 2027

Everything you need to know about hiring and managing employees in Ireland

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Last updated on October 20, 2026
By Quentin Dupard
Numbers

Overview

Ireland is the English-speaking, common-law gateway to the euro area; Dublin hosts the European headquarters of most large US technology, pharma and financial groups. Employer on-costs are low for Western Europe: employer PRSI is 11.4% on weekly pay above €552 and the auto-enrolment pension (My Future Fund) adds 1.5% since January 2026, so budget 11–13% above gross before the EOR fee. Protection is real: unfair dismissal claims open after 12 months and go to the Workplace Relations Commission. An EOR gets you a compliant Irish hire in 1–2 days.

EUR

Currency

English

Primary Language

11-13%

Payroll Tax

Monthly

Pay Frequency

Employer Expenses and Deductions

Overview

Employer Costs

Employer Social Contributions

≈11.4% + 1.5%

Mandatory Benefits

Pension 1.5%

EOR Service Fee

$450–700/mo

Total Additional Cost

~20–25%

Employee Deductions

Income Tax

20–40% progressive

Employee Social Contributions

4.35% PRSI + USC

Mandatory Employee Benefits

1.5% pension

PAYROLL & SETUP

Setting Up Payroll in Ireland

Irish payroll runs monthly under PAYE Modernisation: every payment is reported to Revenue on or before payday through a Payroll Submission Request. The employer needs a Revenue employer registration (PAYE/PRSI number) and a CRO number. Employer PRSI is 11.4% on weekly pay above €552 and 9.15% at or below it (from 1 October 2026, up from 11.25% and 9%; +0.15 point each October to 2028), with no ceiling. Employees pay 4.35% PRSI, USC of 0.5% to €12,012, 2% to €28,700, 3% to €70,044 and 8% above, and income tax at 20% up to €44,000 (single, €46,500 from 2027) then 40%, less tax credits. Auto-enrolment (My Future Fund) started on 1 January 2026 for staff aged 23 to 60 earning over €20,000 with no workplace pension: employer 1.5%, employee 1.5%, state 0.5%, stepping up at years 4, 7 and 10 to 6% each. Minimum wage: €14.15 an hour since 1 January 2026. The EOR files the submissions, enrols the employee and issues payslips.

Labor Laws

Key Labor Laws &
Requirements

Employment Contracts

  • Written core terms within 5 days of starting
  • Probation up to 6 months (12 in exceptional cases)
  • Fixed-term contracts capped at 4 years in total

Leave & Time Off

  • 4 weeks' paid annual leave plus 10 public holidays
  • Statutory sick pay: 5 days at 70%, capped at €110 a day
  • Maternity 26 weeks, paternity 2 weeks, parent's leave 9 weeks

Termination Rules

  • Notice of 1 to 8 weeks by tenure (Minimum Notice Act)
  • Unfair dismissal claims at the WRC after 12 months' service
  • Redundancy: 2 weeks per year plus 1 bonus week, capped at €600/week

COMPLIANCE

Unfair Dismissal and Employment Status Compliance in Ireland

Unfair dismissal protection starts after 12 months' continuous service; claims go to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Notice follows the Minimum Notice Act: one week after 13 weeks' service, up to eight weeks after 15 years. Statutory redundancy is two weeks' pay per year of service plus one bonus week, capped at €600 a week. Probation is capped at six months (twelve in exceptional cases) under the 2022 transparency rules. Contractor status is the other trap: since the Supreme Court's Karshan judgment (2023), Revenue applies a five-step test and reclassifies contractors who work like employees. An EOR removes that risk by employing the person directly.

Key Challenges

  • Auto-enrolment pension (My Future Fund) live since January 2026
  • Unfair dismissal claims open after 12 months, heard by the WRC
  • Employer PRSI steps up 0.15 point every October until 2028
  • Dublin housing costs push salary expectations up
  • Tech, pharma and finance compete for the same hires

Country Highlights

Advantages

  • English-speaking, common-law jurisdiction inside the euro area
  • Low employer on-costs for Western Europe (11–13%)
  • Deep tech, pharma and financial services talent pool
  • Onboarding in 1–2 days through an EOR
  • Time zone bridging the US East Coast and Europe

Popular Industries & Roles

Technology

Avg. Salary: €60k-€110k

Dublin hosts the European headquarters of most large US software and internet companies, with deep engineering, product and data talent

Pharma & MedTech

Avg. Salary: €55k-€95k

Ireland is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical exporters, with manufacturing, quality and regulatory talent clustered around Cork and Dublin

Financial Services

Avg. Salary: €55k-€100k

Dublin's IFSC is a leading European centre for fund administration, aircraft leasing and fintech

Providers

Top 3 Providers in Ireland

Based on our analysis of pricing, compliance record, service quality, and customer reviews

All providers by country
#
Compliance-First EOR
3.9
from  
£149
/month

Boundless

  • Compliance-first EOR for European SMBs
  • From £149/month; pricing in 5 currencies
  • No setup fees, no minimum headcount
  • 110+ countries; G2 4.8/5 from 27 reviews
Full Review
Alternatives
#
Enterprise
4.4
from  
$599
/month

Deel

  • EOR in 130+ countries; owned entities in 120+
  • Contractor and EOR in one platform
  • 300+ integrations including Slack, Workday
  • AI-powered compliance automation
Full Review
Alternatives
#
Compliance-First EOR
4.5
from  
$599
/month

Remote

  • 100% owned entity model globally
  • Compliance-first with IP protection
  • Strong contractor management at $29/month
  • Ranked #1 for compliance on G2
Full Review
Alternatives
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Hiring in Ireland through an EOR, in short.

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How much does an employer pay on top of salary in Ireland?

Employer contributions in Ireland come to ≈11.4% + 1.5%; the largest mandatory line is Pension 1.5%. With the other statutory benefits and a typical EOR fee, budget ~20–25% on top of gross salary.

What does an EOR charge per employee in Ireland?

Published EOR fees in Ireland run $450–700/mo per employee per month, with any setup fee negotiated separately. The fee is flat, so it weighs less as the salary rises.

What does an employee in Ireland pay in tax and contributions?

Income tax is 20–40% progressive and employee social contributions are 4.35% PRSI + USC (1.5% pension), both withheld by the employer on every pay run.

How long does it take to hire through an EOR in Ireland?

1-2 Days once the employee's documents are in. The contract is issued by the EOR's local entity and payroll runs on the local cycle (Monthly).

Which EOR providers rank best in Ireland?

Boundless, Deel and Remote hold the first three places in our ranking for hiring in Ireland. The full top 10, with the questions to put to each provider before signing, is here: Top 10 EOR providers in Ireland.

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