What changed
For years, Dairy Farm Assistant permits ran on a national quota. When the quota filled, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) stopped accepting applications and rejected any still waiting in the queue. That happened in November 2025, and plenty of farmers lost workers they had already lined up.
In December 2025 the Government set a fresh quota of 850 permits. Then, on 13 May 2026, the Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 213/2026) replaced the whole schedule of quota-limited jobs with a new list of 15 occupations. Dairy Farm Assistant isn't on it. The rules came into force on 22 May 2026.
Dairy Farm Assistant is still an eligible role for a General Employment Permit. It simply no longer has a quota attached in the Regulations.
DETE's notices page still shows an old message saying "no new applications for Dairy Farm Assistant should be submitted." That notice is dated 25 November 2025 and refers to the old quota. DETE hasn't published any notice closing dairy applications since.
What it means for your farm
- No race against a national cap. Under the current Regulations, your application doesn't depend on how many other farms applied before you.
- Less risk of a rejected application. Farmers no longer face a filled quota wiping out months of work and a worker who was ready to travel.
- You can plan more than one hire. If you need a second pair of hands for calving and a full-timer for the year, you can go for both.
What still applies
No quota doesn't mean no rules. Every Dairy Farm Assistant permit still needs:
- A Labour Market Needs Test. The job must be advertised on JobsIreland and EURES, plus a second online platform, for at least 28 days before the permit application goes in.
- The minimum salary. The basic pay must meet the General Employment Permit threshold of €36,605 a year, in force since 1 March 2026. On a 39-hour week, that works out at €18.05 an hour.
- A proper contract and a genuine role. A full-time position with a written contract of employment, on a farm that's registered and trading.
- The visa and travel process. Once DETE grants the permit, the worker still applies for an entry visa and registers with immigration on arrival.
We handle the advertising, paperwork and permit application from start to finish, and we check DETE's current position before every application, because DETE decides each case.
The spring calving timeline
To have someone milking by February, you need to start now. A permit hire takes several months from first advert to arrival.
Processing times vary, so the earlier the advert goes up, the more margin you have. Every week you wait now shortens the window before the cows start calving.
Talk to us before the rush
We place experienced dairy farm assistants with Irish farms, with the permit paperwork handled for you. Ring Eddie for a straight answer on your farm, your timeline and the candidates available now.
This page explains the position under the Employment Permits Regulations as amended by S.I. 213/2026, as of the date above. It is general information, not legal advice. Employment permit rules change during the year, and DETE decides every application, so we confirm the current position before any farmer commits to a hire.