Ireland’s home support sector is caught between rising demand — an ageing population and a policy push towards care at home — and a domestic labour pool that cannot staff the hours already commissioned. Since home care roles were opened to the employment permit system, international recruitment has become a core part of how providers actually deliver rosters.
Home care has its own permit conditions, distinct from nursing home and hospital roles, and this guide covers what makes it different.
Home carer hiring — the essentials
- Route: General Employment Permit under the home care provisions
- Reduced minimum salary: €32,691 since 1 March 2026 (up from €30,000) — one of the sub-standard rates being phased up to the full threshold by 2030
- Qualification and experience conditions apply — typically QQI Level 5 in care (or equivalent) and relevant experience
- Permit numbers for home care roles have operated under quota arrangements — check current availability before planning volume
What salary do home carers on permits require in 2026?
Home carers sit in the reduced-threshold band alongside healthcare assistants, meat processing operatives and horticultural workers: a minimum of €32,691 since 1 March 2026. Two planning notes. First, that figure is a floor, assessed against a 39-hour week — rosters and guaranteed hours need to support it. Second, the Government’s remuneration roadmap phases these reduced rates out by 2030, so the gap to the full €36,605 threshold will close over the coming years. Model your care rates against where thresholds are going, not just where they are.
What qualifications does an international home carer need?
- Care qualifications at QQI Level 5 standard (or recognised equivalent) — the anchor requirement for care roles in the permit system
- Relevant care experience, evidenced through references and employment history
- English strong enough for care notes, medication prompts and family communication — assess it properly at screening, not on arrival
- Garda vetting once in Ireland, before client-facing work
How is home care different from nursing home recruitment?
Nursing homes concentrate staff on one site; home care distributes them across a county. That changes what a good international hire looks like: transport (a driving licence is often decisive), housing near the client cluster rather than near an office, and lone-working readiness all matter more. It also changes retention — carers who feel isolated leave. Providers who get accommodation, transport and a peer network right in the first eight weeks keep their hires; the wider healthcare picture, including nursing homes and HCAs, is covered in our healthcare recruitment guide.
Sourcing-wise, the Philippines is the deepest pool for care roles — excellent English and a strong care culture — with the trade-off of D-visa processing time, which our Philippines hiring guide walks through.
Let Recruitroo handle recruitment and immigration
Recruitroo sources qualified, experienced carers, verifies QQI-equivalent credentials, runs the LMNT and permit process under the home care conditions, and coordinates visas, arrival and Garda vetting timing — so rosters fill with people who stay. Tell us the geography and the hours you need covered.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for a home carer on an employment permit?
€32,691 since 1 March 2026 — the reduced healthcare band, which the Government’s roadmap increases progressively until it merges with the standard threshold by 2030.
Do home carers need an Irish qualification?
The permit conditions are built around QQI Level 5-standard care qualifications or recognised equivalents, plus relevant experience. Credential mapping is worth doing before offer stage, not after.
Are there limits on how many home care permits are available?
Home support roles have operated under quota arrangements within the permit system. Check the current position before planning a multi-hire campaign — quota timing can shape your whole recruitment calendar.
This guide reflects Irish employment permit rules for home care roles as of August 2026. Salary thresholds, occupation lists and processing times change regularly — check current DETE guidance or ask Recruitroo before committing to a hire.