Ireland, Irish Éire, is a country of western Europe occupying five-sixths of the westernmost major island of the British Isles. The country ranks among the top 10 wealthiest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita and ranks highly in human development, freedom of the press, economic freedom, and civil liberties. Ireland ranks well in most indicators for quality of life, particularly in relation to the ability to make ends meet, sense of purpose in life, and optimism. Overall, there has been an increase in life satisfaction among its citizens since 2011.
For global companies focused on hiring in Ireland, the country offers a stable regulatory framework, a skilled workforce, and strong employee protections.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Ireland.
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Fast-track your talent onboarding while ensuring 100% compliance with local regulations. using an Employer of Record in Ireland
Calculate net salary post deductions and compare it with the salary in other countries instantly.
Receive process support by an experienced team of experts & pay your talent on time and in their local currency, ideal for companies looking to hire employees or contractors in Ireland
Easily onboard your remote talent in Ireland through our Employer of Record (EOR) solution. Our subsidiaries and network partners make this process fast and 100% compliant.
Ireland, Irish Éire, is a country of western Europe occupying five-sixths of the westernmost major island of the British Isles. The country ranks among the top 10 wealthiest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita and ranks highly in human development, freedom of the press, economic freedom, and civil liberties. Ireland ranks well in most indicators for quality of life, particularly in relation to the ability to make ends meet, sense of purpose in life, and optimism. Overall, there has been an increase in life satisfaction among its citizens since 2011.
For global companies focused on hiring in Ireland, the country offers a stable regulatory framework, a skilled workforce, and strong employee protections.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Ireland.
The national holidays mentioned below are valid for the year 2026 and are critical for hiring in Ireland planning:
The national holidays mentioned below are valid for the year 2026. These are the recognized Statutory holidays in Ireland, which employers must comply with when using an Employer of Record in Ireland.
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | |
| February 2 | February Bank Holiday | Movable - First Monday in February |
| March 17 | St. Patrick’s Day | |
| April 6 | Easter Monday | Movable - First Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox |
| May 4 | May Bank Holiday | Movable - First Monday in May |
| June 1 | June Bank Holiday | Movable - First Monday in June |
| August 3 | August Bank Holiday | Movable - First Monday in August |
| October 31 | October Bank Holiday | Movable - Last Monday in October |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | |
| December 26 | Saint Stephen's Day |
The approximate time for sharing the contract with an employee in Ireland is 2 business days assuming no special requests or changes to our standard employment contract. Any such requests or changes would need to undergo internal and external review, directly leading to a time delay.
Using an EOR Ireland solution or Ireland EOR services can help reduce contract-sharing delays and ensure compliance.
NOTE: This number is subject to change and is only an estimation of the Contract Sharing Time. The estimated Contract Sharing Time begins from the moment that WorkMotion has received all required information from both the client and the employee.
Social security in Ireland is called Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI). Employers’ contributions depend on employees’ earnings and their social insurance classes. There are 11 different social insurance classes in Ireland: A, B, C, D, E, H, J, K, M, S, and P. Understanding salary tax in Ireland and PRSI contributions is critical for compliant payroll. Using Ireland EOR services ensures accurate contributions. Most employees in Ireland pay PRSI Class A.
The PRSI contributions by employers and employees for Class A employees are broken down as follows:
The maximum number of hours that an adult employee can work in an average working week is 48 hours. During the workday, employees must receive 15 minutes for every four and a half hours they work, or 30 minutes for every six hours.
There is no legal right to pay for working extra hours and there are no statutory levels of overtime pay.
Employees should check their contract of employment for:
Probation periods cannot be more than six months. In exceptional circumstances, the probation can be extended for up to a further six months (up to a maximum of 12 months in total). For a fixed-term contract, the length of any probationary period must be proportionate to the expected duration of the contract and the nature of the work and cannot be included in any renewal of a fixed-term contract (for the same function).
The statutory minimum for termination notice period by employers depend on employment duration:
| Duration of Employment (Continuous) | Minimum Termination Notice |
| 13 weeks to less than 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 years or more but less than 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years or more but less than 10 years | 4 weeks |
| 10 years or more but less than 15 years | 6 weeks |
| 15 years or more | 8 weeks |
Companies using an Employer of Record in Ireland should ensure termination notices comply with these statutory minimums.
The maximum number of hours that an adult employee can work in an average working week is 48 hours. During the workday, employees must receive 15 minutes for every four and a half hours they work, or 30 minutes for every six hours.
There is no legal right to pay for working extra hours and there are no statutory levels of overtime pay.
Employees should check their contract of employment for:
Probation periods cannot be more than six months. In exceptional circumstances, the probation can be extended for up to a further six months (up to a maximum of 12 months in total). For a fixed-term contract, the length of any probationary period must be proportionate to the expected duration of the contract and the nature of the work and cannot be included in any renewal of a fixed-term contract (for the same function).
The statutory minimum for termination notice period by employers depend on employment duration:
| Duration of Employment (Continuous) | Minimum Termination Notice |
| 13 weeks to less than 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 years or more but less than 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years or more but less than 10 years | 4 weeks |
| 10 years or more but less than 15 years | 6 weeks |
| 15 years or more | 8 weeks |
Companies using an Employer of Record in Ireland should ensure termination notices comply with these statutory minimums.
Social security in Ireland is called Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI). Employers’ contributions depend on employees’ earnings and their social insurance classes. There are 11 different social insurance classes in Ireland: A, B, C, D, E, H, J, K, M, S, and P. Understanding salary tax in Ireland and PRSI contributions is critical for compliant payroll. Using Ireland EOR services ensures accurate contributions. Most employees in Ireland pay PRSI Class A.
The PRSI contributions by employers and employees for Class A employees are broken down as follows:
Benefits
Employer Contribution
Maximum Base
WorkMotion operates through its own entity in Ireland, acting as the legal employer on your behalf.
As a result, your new hire is onboarded compliantly from day one, without you having to register a company, navigate revenue, or build local HR infrastructure.
WorkMotion generates an employment contract aligned with Irish employment law. This covers:
Contracts are issued in English and reflect the requirements of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994, which requires employers to provide written terms on or before the employee’s first day. No manual drafting, no local legal review required on your side.
WorkMotion registers the employee under Ireland’s Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system with the Revenue Commissioners, collects the employee’s Personal Public Service (PPS) number, and sets up the payroll record.
This step covers:
The three core deductions apply to every Irish employee. Real-time reporting (RTI) to Revenue begins with the first payroll run.
WorkMotion configures monthly payroll in euros, calculating gross-to-net pay, employer PRSI contributions (11.25% on most earnings), and all applicable employee deductions.
Payslips are generated and compliant with Irish statutory requirements.
WorkMotion also manages enrollment in Ireland’s auto-enrolment pension scheme, My Future Fund, which applies to employees aged 23–60 earning over €20,000 annually who are not already in a workplace pension scheme.
Employer contributions begin at 1.5% of salary and escalate over time.
WorkMotion enrols employees in all mandatory Irish benefits:
Optional supplementary benefits — such as private health insurance or life assurance — can be added to build a competitive package for the Irish market.
Each month, WorkMotion processes payroll, remits PAYE, PRSI, and USC to the Revenue Commissioners on schedule, and handles all required statutory filings.
Payroll submissions comply with Ireland’s real-time reporting requirements, with monthly returns due by the 14th of the following month (or by the 23rd for ROS filers).
Your finance team receives a clear, itemized invoice — no manual reconciliation, no chasing local vendors.
Irish employment law is active and frequently updated.
WorkMotion monitors regulatory changes — including shifts to the national minimum wage (now €14.15 per hour as of January 2026), gender pay gap reporting obligations, updates to statutory sick pay entitlements, and evolving pension auto-enrolment rules — and applies them to your employees’ records automatically.
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) oversees employment disputes in Ireland, and WorkMotion’s local HR and legal team ensures your employment arrangements remain defensible under Irish law at every stage of the employee lifecycle.
For most companies hiring 1 to 10 employees in Ireland, the comparison between EOR and a local entity setup comes down to speed, cost, and ongoing administrative commitment.
| Factor | WorkMotion EOR | Setting Up an Irish Entity |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | No entity setup cost — per-employee monthly fee only | Professional formation, legal fees, registered office, company secretary, and ongoing accounting typically range from several thousand euros in year one |
| Time to first hire | Days — contract generated and payroll configured within the onboarding window | Weeks to months — CRO registration, Revenue registration, payroll setup, and bank account opening are all required before hiring |
| Ongoing legal exposure | WorkMotion assumes employer-of-record liability for PAYE, PRSI, USC, and statutory compliance | Your entity carries full legal exposure for all employment obligations, Revenue filings, and WRC compliance |
| Ongoing admin burden | Payroll, filings, and compliance managed by WorkMotion | Annual returns, company secretarial obligations, payroll management, and employment law updates are managed internally or outsourced |
| Exit flexibility | Wind down employment with standard notice — no entity dissolution required | Entity closure requires formal strike-off with the CRO, which carries its own timeline and cost |
Using an Employer of Record (EOR) in Ireland is the right fit for companies that want to hire quickly, test a market, or maintain a lean operational footprint.
If you’re planning to build a large Irish team over several years and want full brand ownership of the employment relationship from the outset, WorkMotion’s Direct Hiring solution lets you register as a foreign employer in Ireland while WorkMotion handles payroll and compliance.
Use WorkMotion’s Employment Cost Calculator to see a full breakdown of employer costs in Ireland, including PRSI contributions, pension auto-enrolment, and the total cost of employment at any salary level.
Ireland’s employment framework is detailed, employee-protective, and actively enforced by the Workplace Relations Commission.
These are the compliance gaps that most often catch companies off guard.
Ireland is English-speaking and business-friendly, which leads some companies to assume the compliance requirements are minimal. They aren’t.
Irish employment law spans dozens of Acts and statutory instruments covering working time, minimum wage, leave entitlements, termination procedures, and data protection.
The WRC actively investigates complaints and can award compensation for breaches. WorkMotion manages this complexity so your employment arrangements are defensible from day one.
Revenue actively investigates contractor arrangements using its Code of Practice for Determining Employment Status.
If someone works exclusively for your company, follows your schedule, and is integrated into your team structure, Revenue is likely to view that as employment regardless of what the contract says.
The consequence: liability for unpaid PAYE, PRSI, and USC contributions, plus penalties and interest. WorkMotion’s Contractor Management service includes mandatory misclassification checks before each onboarding to flag this risk before it becomes a liability.
Ireland’s statutory sick pay entitlement has been expanding year on year.
Employees are now entitled to seven days of paid sick leave per year at 70% of their normal wage, capped at €110 per day, with further increases expected.
Overseas employers who don’t account for this in their employment cost planning face unexpected payroll obligations.
From 2025, Irish employers with 50 or more employees must publicly report gender pay gap data.
For growing companies that cross this threshold while operating through an EOR, the reporting obligation applies to the legal employer.
Ireland does not recognize at-will employment.
An employee with 12 or more months of service is entitled to a reason for dismissal and proper notice, and failure to follow fair procedures can result in an unfair dismissal claim before the WRC.
Notice periods are statutory minimums, and redundancy payments apply after two years of continuous service.
Ireland is one of Europe’s primary English-speaking talent markets, with a strong concentration of tech, SaaS, and fintech professionals — particularly in Dublin and the surrounding region.
German and Dutch SMEs that need English-speaking sales, marketing, or customer success hires often find Ireland a natural fit. WorkMotion handles the full employment setup so these companies can place their first Irish hire in days, not months, without opening a subsidiary.
Ireland’s common-law system, English-language environment, and EU membership make it a frequent first stop for US companies expanding into Europe.
Rather than navigating entity setup and Revenue registration before their first hire, US-based SaaS and tech companies use WorkMotion’s EOR Ireland service to get an Irish employee on payroll quickly.
Post-Brexit, Ireland has become an important EU market entry point for UK companies seeking a presence in the single market.
HR and People Ops teams at UK-based SMEs use WorkMotion to hire Irish employees compliantly without the complexity of incorporating a separate Irish entity — particularly for initial market-testing hires in sales or business development.
So, you’ve found the right candidate in Ireland, but what’s next?
WorkMotion handles everything that comes next.
Ireland’s employment framework is detailed and actively enforced, and getting it right from the first hire matters. WorkMotion is the only EOR provider with IEC Gold Compliance Certification – giving your HR and legal teams the confidence that your Irish employment arrangements are legally sound from the off.
Whether you’re hiring your first employee in Dublin or building out a distributed Irish team, WorkMotion gets you there in days. Book a demo today and start hiring in Ireland.
WorkMotion operates through its own entity in Ireland — meaning your employee is hired directly by WorkMotion’s Irish legal entity, not routed through an intermediary partner.
This matters for compliance accountability: WorkMotion assumes full employer-of-record liability for PAYE, PRSI, USC, and all statutory obligations under Irish employment law, with no third-party arrangement sitting between your hire and the legal employer.
With WorkMotion’s EOR Ireland service, onboarding typically completes within days of receiving the required employee information — including the employee’s Personal Public Service (PPS) number.
This is significantly faster than setting up an Irish entity, which requires Companies Registration Office (CRO) registration, Revenue registration, payroll setup, and bank account opening before a single hire can be made.
Revenue applies its Code of Practice for Determining Employment Status to assess whether a contractor arrangement is genuinely self-employment or disguised employment.
If Revenue determines the relationship is employment, your company faces liability for unpaid PAYE, PRSI, and USC contributions, plus penalties and interest.
WorkMotion is the first and only EOR provider to achieve IEC Gold Compliance Certification – independently audited across 1,000+ checkpoints covering licensing, employment law, payroll, data protection, benefits, and more.
The audit is conducted by The IEC Group’s International EOR Compliance Division and covers all 10 compliance domains relevant to international employment.
If you’re evaluating employer-of-record companies in Ireland and want independently verified compliance assurance, WorkMotion is the EOR provider for you.
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