- within Law Department Performance, Strategy, Litigation and Mediation & Arbitration topic(s)
INCREASED MINIMUM SALARY THRESHOLDS FOR WORK PERMITS
The Government announced new increased minimum salary thresholds which will occur in phases, with the first increase to apply from 1 March 2026, raising general employment permits to €36,605 (from €34,000) and critical skills permits to €40,904 (from €38,000), while meats processors, horticultural workers, healthcare assistants and home carers rise to €32,691 (from €30,000). These adjustments are part of a gradual roadmap to balance worker rights and business needs, with further increases planned until 2030, applying to both new and renewal applications.
For more information, see here: Government unveils roadmap for gradual increase in employment permit salary thresholds.
PLATFORM WORK DIRECTIVE
The EU Platform Work Directive aims to improve working conditions for individuals performing work through digital labour platforms, covering activities from ride-hailing and food delivery to online microtasks. The Directive introduces a rebuttable presumption of employment, meaning that when indicators of control and direction by a platform are present, the legal starting point is that an employment relationship exists.
This shifts the burden of proof to the platform to demonstrate genuine self-employment, addressing widespread misclassification in the gig economy. It applies across the EU to all digital labour platforms organising paid work, regardless of where the platform itself is established, and must be transposed by 2 December 2026. Draft implementing legislation is awaited.
For more information, see: Public consultation and survey on the European Union's Platform Work Directive - DETE.
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