Labour Market Needs Test: the complete employer guide
Know when the LMNT is required, where to advertise, and what your advert must contain — and how to run the 28-day process without voiding the test.
Last reviewed 11 October 2026 against official DETE & JobsIreland guidance
The LMNT at a glance
2 legs · 28 days- 2 Online platformsJobsIreland + one more
- 28 Continuous dayseach advert runs
- 5 Mandatory detailsin every advert
- 90 Days to applyfrom first publication
JobsMatch provides information and record-keeping tools, not legal or immigration advice. This guide is general information built from published official sources and rules change. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) decides compliance. Always check the current position on enterprise.gov.ie, or with a solicitor or authorised practitioner, before acting.
The basics
What is the Labour Market Needs Test?
Before most General Employment Permit applications, an employer must show that no suitable candidate was available in Ireland or the wider EEA. That proof is the Labour Market Needs Test — and it is procedural: get the mechanics wrong and the permit application fails, with no way to fix the test retrospectively.
Why it exists
It protects the resident labour market: the role is tested against Irish and EEA candidates before a non-EEA worker is sponsored.
Which permits
Most General Employment Permit and Contract for Services applications. Critical Skills permits do not require it.
When exemptions apply
Critical Skills occupations, high-salary offers, Enterprise Ireland / IDA-backed roles and certain other cases — each with conditions.
What you must do
Advertise the genuine vacancy on two online platforms for 28 continuous days each, then keep the evidence.
Advertising vs permit
The advertising is one stage of the permit application. Completing it is necessary, not sufficient.
No guarantee
Passing the advertising stage does not guarantee approval. DETE assesses the full application.
The process
The LMNT, step by step
Eight stages — from checking whether the test applies to submitting the permit application. Follow the path; expand any step for the detail that trips employers up.
- 1
Step 1 of 8
Check whether the LMNT is required
The test applies to most General Employment Permit and Contract for Services Employment Permit applications. Some roles are exempt. Confirm your specific application needs it before advertising.
What trips people upHide detail
Common exemptions include occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, job offers at or above the exemption salary, roles backed by an Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland recommendation, carers of a person with exceptional medical needs, and certain former-permit-holder cases. Exemptions carry conditions — check the current DETE guidance rather than assuming one applies.
- 2
Step 2 of 8
Prepare a genuine, accurate vacancy
Lock down the five details that must appear in both ads: employer name, a description of the employment, the minimum annual remuneration, the location(s), and the hours of work.
What trips people upHide detail
The vacancy must be real and the pay must match what you actually offer. Inconsistencies between the two ads, or between the ads and the permit application, are a common reason tests fail.
- 3
Step 3 of 8
Advertise on JobsIreland (Leg 1)
Publish the vacancy with the Department of Social Protection Employment Services / EURES network via JobsIreland.ie. This is something you do yourself in the government system.
What trips people upHide detail
Record the JobsIreland reference, the listing URL and the exact first-publication date — the application window is counted from this date.
- 4
Step 4 of 8
Advertise on a second qualifying online platform (Leg 2)
Run a separate advertisement on at least one additional online platform whose principal purpose is to publish offers of employment. Print adverts are no longer required.
What trips people upHide detail
A qualifying platform is any website, software or electronic technology that publishes information online with the principal purpose of publishing job offers. If a platform's suitability is unclear, check with DETE rather than assuming it qualifies.
- 5
Step 5 of 8
Check both advertisements match
Confirm both ads contain all five mandatory details and describe the same genuine vacancy, with consistent salary, location and hours.
- 6
Step 6 of 8
Run both ads for the full continuous period
Keep each advertisement running continuously for at least 28 days. Do not edit, amend or extend a running ad — doing so can restart the clock.
What trips people upHide detail
Removing an ad early, or changing its content mid-run, can invalidate that leg. The period must be continuous and the content stable.
- 7
Step 7 of 8
Preserve the evidence
Keep dated copies of both advertisements, the JobsIreland reference and URL, the second-platform name and URL, and the publication dates. This is what goes into the permit file.
- 8
Step 8 of 8
Complete the test, then apply
Submit the permit application within 90 days of the first publication date (120 days for a third-level institution), and make sure the role meets the other permit criteria too.
What trips people upHide detail
Passing the advertising stage does not guarantee the permit. DETE assesses the full application, including salary thresholds, occupation eligibility and the genuineness of the vacancy.
The window
The 28-day advertising period
Both ads run in parallel. Reaching Day 28 is necessary, but it does not by itself prove or certify compliance.
Publish both ads
JobsIreland + second platform, same vacancy
Run continuously
No edits, extensions or early removal
Period ends
Both legs ran the full 28 days
Review evidence
References, URLs and dated copies kept
Apply
Within 90 days of first publication
Work through it
Interactive LMNT checklist
A working checklist that mirrors the process, grouped into four colour-coded stages with live progress. Tick each item as you complete it — your progress is stored in this browser only, private to you and not a certificate of compliance.
Hiring internationally through JobsMatch? Posting a role in LMNT mode enforces the mandatory ad content, locks the listing against edits for the full run, tracks the day count and produces a dated evidence pack.
Your LMNT checklist
0 of 17 complete. Saved in this browser only — temporary, private, and not legal certification.
Prepare
· Confirm the test applies and lock the vacancy details.Advertise
· Publish both legs and record the references.Verify
· Check both ads match and the evidence is kept.Apply
· Mind the window and the other permit criteria.Nothing ticked yet. Work top to bottom — the stages follow the process above.
Get these right
The 5 details every advert must state
Both legs, identical
All five must appear on both your JobsIreland advert (Leg 1) and your second-platform advert (Leg 2), and the two must describe the same genuine vacancy.
These five are the statutory requirements. A JobsMatch listing can also capture extra product fields (SOC code, sector, career level) to mirror the JobsIreland advert — useful for consistency, but distinct from the statutory minimum above.
Learn from others
Avoid these LMNT mistakes
Most failed tests come down to a handful of avoidable errors. Check your plan against each before you publish.
Where to advertise
JobsIreland and the second platform
Leg 1 is JobsIreland.ie, the Department of Social Protection's employment service, which shares your vacancy with the EURES network across the EEA. You register and publish this yourself.
Leg 2 is a separate qualifying online platform: any website or technology that publishes information online with the principal purpose of publishing offers of employment. Print adverts are no longer required.
Two platforms — and where JobsMatch fits
You advertise on two online platforms. A JobsMatch listing can serve as one of them. The other must be a qualifying platform such as JobsIreland.ie or Gumtree.
Advertising via JobsIreland.ie (DSP / EURES) is itself a required leg, so it should always be one of your two platforms. JobsMatch does not publish to JobsIreland for you. JobsMatch + JobsIreland.ie covers both legs; so does JobsIreland.ie + Gumtree.
JobsMatch is not government-approved or pre-certified for the LMNT. A JobsMatch listing helps you organise and evidence an online advertising leg, but it does not publish your vacancy on JobsIreland and does not certify compliance. You run Leg 1 yourself, and the permit application is always yours.
Official sources
Check the rules first-hand
Every material claim on this page links to its official source. Verify the current position before you rely on it.
Last reviewed 11 October 2026. Related reading: the LMNT in brief · who sponsors in Ireland.
On JobsMatch
How JobsMatch helps you run the LMNT
Post a role in LMNT mode and the platform does the record-keeping for you across the employer dashboard. These tools organise and evidence your advertising leg — you still complete the required external publication on JobsIreland yourself.
Find it in your employer dashboard
Post in LMNT mode, then open the role to track both legs, record your JobsIreland reference and download the evidence pack. Your first listing is free.
Whether a JobsMatch listing satisfies an online advertising leg is our reading of the published rules, pending written confirmation from the Department. These tools are record-keeping and listing mechanics, not certification of compliance.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Tap a question to expand its answer.
What is the Labour Market Needs Test?
It is the step where an employer advertises a vacancy to show no suitable candidate was available in Ireland or the EEA before an employment permit can be issued for a non-EEA worker. It is procedural: the mechanics must be right.
Which permits require it?
The LMNT must be satisfied before most General Employment Permit and Contract for Services Employment Permit applications. It is not required for a Critical Skills Employment Permit.
When can an exemption apply?
Common exemptions include occupations on the Critical Skills Occupations List, job offers at or above €68,911, roles backed by an Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland recommendation, carers of a person with exceptional medical needs, and certain former-permit-holder cases. Each carries conditions — check the current DETE guidance.
Must I advertise on JobsIreland and another platform?
Yes. You must advertise with the Department of Social Protection Employment Services / EURES network via JobsIreland, and on at least one additional qualifying online platform.
Does JobsIreland distribute vacancies through EURES?
Yes. JobsIreland is the Department of Social Protection's service and shares vacancies with the EURES network across the EEA.
How long must the advertisements run?
Each advertisement must run continuously for at least 28 days.
What must both advertisements contain?
A description of the employment, the employer's name, the minimum annual remuneration, the location(s) of employment, and the hours of work.
Can I edit an advertisement during the advertising period?
No. A vacancy should not be amended or extended at any time during the 28 days. Changing a running ad can restart the clock.
What happens if an advertisement is removed?
If an ad is taken down before the continuous period is complete, that leg can be invalidated and you may have to advertise again.
When does the application deadline start?
It is counted from the first day the notice was published on JobsIreland.
How long after advertising can I apply?
The permit application must be submitted within 90 days of the first publication date, or 120 days if the employer is a third-level institution.
What evidence should I retain?
Dated copies of both advertisements, the JobsIreland reference and URL, the second-platform name and URL, and the publication dates.
Does JobsMatch guarantee LMNT compliance?
No. JobsMatch helps you organise the workflow, enforce the mandatory ad content, lock the listing against edits and keep evidence. It does not certify compliance, and it does not publish your vacancy on JobsIreland. DETE decides compliance.
Does the LMNT guarantee a work permit?
No. Passing the advertising stage does not guarantee approval. DETE assesses the full application, including salary thresholds, occupation eligibility and the genuineness of the vacancy.
Where can I get official clarification?
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (enterprise.gov.ie) and JobsIreland (jobsireland.ie) are the authoritative sources. For your specific case, a solicitor or an authorised employment-permit practitioner can advise.
Organise your LMNT with JobsMatch
Post a role in LMNT mode to enforce the mandatory ad content, lock the listing for the 28-day run, track the day count and generate a dated evidence pack for your permit file. You still complete the required external publication on JobsIreland yourself (120-day window for third-level institutions).
JobsMatch provides information and record-keeping tools, not legal or immigration advice. This guide is general information built from published official sources and rules change. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) decides compliance. Always check the current position on enterprise.gov.ie, or with a solicitor or authorised practitioner, before acting.