Employment-permit processing dates published: Critical Skills backlog down to nine days

The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) has updated its public dashboard of employment-permit processing dates, confirming that as of 24 September it is now handling Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) applications received on 16 September—just nine calendar days ago. General Employment Permit (GEP) files are at 19 August, while intra-company transfer renewals remain stuck in early July. For multinationals, the improvement in the CSEP queue is significant: earlier this summer wait-times peaked at six weeks, delaying project start dates. DETE credits a new case-triage team and extended overtime for the faster turnaround. However, long queues persist for appeals (14 April) and some renewals, meaning employers should still plan for multi-month lead times when rotating existing staff. Immigration advisers say companies should: (1) file digitally through the Trusted Partner portal to avoid administrative rejects; (2) schedule GNIB/ISD registration appointments early for arriving staff; and (3) monitor the 31 August 2026 cut-off for Stamp 4 continuity announced last year. Bridging letters may be needed if the employee’s immigration permission expires before their permit is renewed. DETE will publish a new Key Performance Indicator framework in Q4 that links processing targets to application fees—raising the possibility of fee rebates if service standards slip. Mobility teams should watch the consultation paper expected in October.