Expand your business into Ireland with or without having an Irish entity
Ireland is one of the world’s major destinations for foreign investment, and its advanced, diverse economy makes it an excellent place to do business. However, If you are planning an expansion into Ireland, you should be prepared for a potentially long process, with complex nationwide and EU-level law giving the country a unique regulatory environment. This can lead to a long expansion process that can take weeks or even months to complete
At Horizons, we provide a full range of outsourcing services to assist businesses with their Ireland expansion. Our employer of record, professional employer organization (PEO), and payroll services give you everything you need to build and expand your business in Ireland, even if you don’t have an in-country entity. Our in-house recruitment team can even find, recruit, and onboard your local workforce, as well as handling all ongoing HR administration.
Horizons provides everything you need to expand into Ireland quickly and effectively while potentially saving you thousands in setup costs.
How Horizons outsourcing can help you expand into Ireland
Horizons enables your business to expand its operations into Ireland, with or without an Irish subsidiary.
Rapid Market Entry
Horizons will enable you to source, hire, and onboard professionals across Ireland in as little as 48 hours.
Cost-Effective Expansion
Our PEO solution can help you benefit from cost savings of up to 85%, without the need to establish an Irish entity.
Payroll Outsourcing
Simplified Ireland salary & payroll processing, including social security payments, tax, and any other required contributions.
Employee Onboarding
Utilize the relevant provision for all types of Irish labor contracts, whether a fixed-term or open-ended contract.
Onsite Legal & HR Team
Full support for Ireland-specific contract renewals, terminations, annual leave management, HR, and strategic guidance.
Ensure Full Compliance
We ensure that employment contracts are fully compliant and adhere to Irish labor laws and best practices.
Hiring in Ireland - Employment Law Overview
📝 Ireland employment contracts
Formal, written employment contracts are legally required for every employee in Ireland. These contracts should include all relevant details of the role, such as compensation, expected duties, and any entitlements and benefits. The contract should be written in English and use the local currency of the Euro. Contracts must also be signed by both the employer and employee.
⏰ Working hours in Ireland
The standard working week in Ireland is 40 hours spread over five days. The maximum is generally 48 hours. Overtime is not legally required, but many employers do choose to offer it.
📅 National holidays in Ireland
Date | Description | 1 Jan | New Year’s Day |
|---|---|
17 Mar | St. Patrick’s Day |
22 Mar |
Mothering Sunday |
10 Apr | Good Friday |
13 Apr | Easter Monday |
4 May |
May Bank Holiday |
1 Jun |
June Bank Holiday |
21 Jun |
Father’s Day |
3 Aug | August Bank Holiday |
26 Oct |
October Bank Holiday |
25 Dec | Christmas Day |
26 Dec |
St. Stephen’s Day |
28 Dec |
St. Stephen’s Day |
29 Dec |
Bank Holiday |
🏖 Vacation in Ireland
In general, full-time employees in Ireland are entitled to four weeks (20 days) of paid vacation leave every year. This can vary in some cases, for example, if an employee is part-time or has only worked for part of the year.
😷 Sick leave in Ireland
There is no standard requirement for employees in Ireland to receive paid sick leave. However, many employers do choose to offer an annual allowance, and this should always be laid out in the employment contract.
👶 Maternity and paternity leave in Ireland
Female employees in Ireland are entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave, with a minimum of two weeks to be taken before the birth and four weeks afterward. This maternity leave is generally paid by the state. Mothers can also choose to take up to 16 additional weeks of unpaid leave.
Parents other than the mother can also take paid parental leave of up to two weeks until the child is six months old.
💰 Employee severance and terminations in Ireland
Employees in Ireland are generally entitled to notice of termination. The mandatory notice period ranges from one week to eight weeks depending on the employee’s length of service.
When an employee is made redundant, they are usually entitled to a severance payment of one week of pay plus two weeks for every year of service with their employer.
🏦 Tax laws in Ireland
Most employees and employers in Ireland need to pay into the country’s social security scheme (PRSI). Contributions are 4% of salary for employees earning over a certain level, and 8.5% to 10.75% from employers depending on income level.
There is also a payment called the Universal Social Charge (USC), which employees must pay at a rate of between 1% and 8% depending on salary.
Income tax in Ireland ranges from 20% to 40%, depending on income level.
Corporate tax in Ireland is usually 12.5%, but alternative rates apply to some different types of businesses and income.
🏥 Health Insurance in Ireland
Ireland has public healthcare, so employers do not need to offer private insurance to employees, although some do choose to.
💳 Ireland compensations & benefits
Compensation laws in Ireland
As of February 2020, the minimum age in Ireland for workers over the age of 18 is €10.10 per hour.
Benefit management in Ireland
Employees in Ireland often expect benefits packages as part of their employment agreements, so you may need to set up a benefits management system when hiring in the country. But setting up and managing a benefits system in Ireland can be complicated, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the country’s unique regulations and procedures.
Horizons can help to significantly simplify this step of your Ireland expansion by providing benefit management outsourcing. Our team can advise you and handle the setup of your benefits scheme, enabling you to focus on expanding your organization in Ireland.
Request a Proposal
Why choose Horizons' services for your expansion into Ireland?
At Horizons, we specialize in providing tailored employer of record, PEO, and payroll outsourcing services to give businesses everything they need to begin trading in Ireland as efficiently as possible. Our experts will ensure that you are ready to start trading and hiring in Ireland in as little as 48 hours and could save you more than 80% in expenditure, whether or not you’ve already registered a legal entity in the country.
Our team will handle all of your expenses, payroll, legal compliance, and more in Ireland, as well as any ongoing human resources work. And as the only global PEO with a dedicated in-house recruitment team, we can also find and hire your local workforce in Ireland, using our Irish subsidiary as employer of record for your employees so you don’t even need to register an Irish entity.
Talk to our Ireland experts today to find out how our tailored outsourcing services can help you to seamlessly expand into Ireland.
