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Pay and working conditions in European countries

Ireland

Country: Ireland

The national minimum wage is €14.15 an hour since 1 January 2026, the official languages are Irish and English, and the official shortage lists point to ICT, engineering, science and health professionals. Find out where to look for a job, how to get your PPS number and what changes if you come from outside the EU.

National minimum wage: €14.15 an hour since 1 January 2026 for workers aged 20 and over. Younger workers get lower rates: €12.74 at 19, €11.32 at 18 and €9.91 under 18.
Working time: no more than 48 hours a week on average (usually averaged over four months). You get a 15-minute break after 4.5 hours and 30 minutes after 6 hours, 11 hours’ rest in every 24 hours and 24 hours’ rest a week.
Overtime: employers have no legal obligation to pay extra for overtime – it depends on your contract or sector agreement, although many employers pay higher rates.
Holidays: at least 4 weeks of paid annual leave a year, plus 10 public holidays.
Contract: within 5 days of starting, your employer must give you the core terms in writing (including your pay and expected working hours); the full written statement of terms follows within one month.

published: 2014-09-01
last modification: 2026-10-03

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Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.

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