No. 7 of 2003 - Employment Permits Act 2003
What does this Law do:
This Act was enacted to allow nationals of the ten Accession States (Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Malta and Cyprus) to take up employment in the Irish labour market after Accession (1 May 2004) without requiring a Work Permit.
The Act provides that a Work Permit requirement may be reintroduced for nationals of these State if the labour market suffers a very serious disturbance in the first few years following Accession.The Act also states explicitly the requirement for an Employment Permit where it is proposed to employ a non-EEA national. It creates a criminal offence for both an employee and an employer where a contract of employment is entered into in the absence of such a permit.
Contact Department: Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Signed by the President on: 10.04.2003