The REPA Scheme Explained: How Employers Can Prepare for the New Accreditation System

Introduction

The Recruitment and Employment Permit Accreditation Scheme, commonly referred to as REPA, represents a significant update to Ireland's approach to hiring non-EEA workers. The scheme is designed to strengthen ethical recruitment, ensure transparency and create a more reliable framework for employers. Preparing early will be essential for organisations that rely on international staffing, especially in healthcare.

What the REPA Scheme Is

REPA will be an accreditation program that verifies whether employers and recruiters meet defined standards for international hiring. These standards aim to protect workers and ensure that employers operate with transparency and accountability.

Key areas likely to be assessed include:

• accuracy of job offers
• clarity of employment terms
• compliance with salary and contract rules
• ethical recruitment practices
• proper record keeping
• transparent onboarding processes
• oversight of recruitment partners

Once accredited, employers are expected to benefit from smoother and more predictable permit approvals.

Why REPA Is Being Introduced

As international recruitment continues to expand, the Government aims to reduce risks such as:

• workers being charged illegal recruitment fees
• unclear or misleading job descriptions
• inappropriate accommodation or onboarding arrangements
• inconsistent employer documentation
• misuse of permit categories

REPA creates one clear standard that employers must meet in order to hire internationally.

How REPA Will Affect Employers

Once implemented, REPA may influence several areas of recruitment:

• permit applications may require evidence of compliance
• employers may need to adjust recruitment and HR policies
• documentation checks will likely increase
• accredited organisations may gain priority processing
• non-accredited employers may face longer timelines

Healthcare employers, who often hire large numbers of HCAs, should begin preparing now.

How Employers Can Prepare

To ensure readiness for the scheme, employers should:

• review HR documentation
• update contract templates
• consolidate recruitment processes
• assess compliance with ethical recruitment principles
• confirm that no worker fees exist in their recruitment chain
• work with agencies that already follow high ethical standards

Irish Hopes assists employers by conducting REPA readiness checks and aligning recruitment practices with expected requirements.

Conclusion

The REPA Scheme marks an important development in international recruitment regulation. Employers who prepare early will benefit from smoother approvals and stronger compliance. Irish Hopes supports organisations in meeting REPA standards and building ethical, transparent recruitment pipelines.