Working in Healthcare in Ireland
Have you ever considered a career in the healthcare industry in Ireland?
Ireland has some great benefits when it comes to employment opportunities and currently has the lowest unemployment level it has had in 21 years with the percentage of people unemployed across the country at 4.2%.
As a direct comparison, the most recent figures for the rest of the EU showcase an unemployment rate of 6.6%.
It is clear to see that Ireland has great employment statistics, but do you know what some of the main benefits are of working in healthcare in Ireland?
6 Reasons to Work in Irish Healthcare
1. Pension
Ireland has been ranked in the top 20 for the provision of pension schemes.
Many employers in Ireland will often offer the opportunity for their employees to avail of a pension scheme.
The main benefit of pensions for employees is in helping to alleviate some financial pressure you can experience upon retirement.
After conducting research, Irish Life has pointed to the fact that where a pension plan is available to employees, 76% of workers are availing of the opportunity.
2. Sick Leave
Employees in Ireland are entitled to take sick leave days from their employment. Currently, the sick leave annual entitlement is 3 days per year.
However, as of July 2022, all workers in Ireland initially going to be entitled to the standard 3 days of paid sick leave, which will then be expected to rise after four years as a result of new legislation.
3. Paid Maternity Leave
Another benefit to working in Ireland surrounds maternity leave.
The current entitlement for pregnant women is 26 weeks of maternity leave which can become paid leave depending on your accumulated PRSI contributions.
4. Paid Annual Leave
Paid annual leave is a statutory requirement in Ireland and applies to workers across multiple contract types in a variety of industry sectors.
Specifically, most employees are entitled to 4 weeks (20 days) of paid annual leave from their employment.
5. Training and Career Progression
Training and career progression opportunities are additional benefits you can avail of when choosing to work in healthcare in Ireland, especially for those who are career-driven and looking to continually further their advancement in the field of healthcare.
With the healthcare industry continuing to evolve and adapt at great speed, the opportunity for workers to develop their skill sets and further their career progression is an additional benefit to working in the healthcare industry in Ireland.
In March 2022, Simon Harris launched an upskilling programme for healthcare workers who would like to enhance their skill set and complete training in caring for patients with dementia.
With a variety of upskilling opportunities such as the aforementioned, as a healthcare worker, you can massively improve your job prospects and career advancement by working in healthcare in Ireland.
6. Demand for Healthcare Workers
Ireland is currently experiencing a massive surge in demand for healthcare workers with recruitment soaring in multiple disciplines.
As an example, demand for healthcare workers was seen to increase by 50% in disciplines outside of Covid-19 patient care.
Additionally, projections have been made by the ESRI that have shown that over 15,500 healthcare workers will be needed in Irish hospitals by 2035 to keep up with the ever-growing pressure on the healthcare system.
With demand so high for healthcare workers, the potential for job opportunities will be widely available across the country.
Working in healthcare in Ireland can be a great opportunity for those new to the industry in addition to well-seasoned and experienced healthcare workers.
To learn more about Relocating to Ireland, click here.
If you are looking for a new healthcare role, browse and apply for our current healthcare roles, click here.
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