HSE (Health Service Executive)

Section 6 of the Health Act 2004 established the Health Service Executive to perform the functions the Act gives it. In practice it runs public health and social care services across Ireland, organised into six health regions: HSE Dublin and Midlands, HSE Dublin and North East, HSE Dublin and South East, HSE Mid West, HSE South West, and HSE West and North West. National teams, such as HSE People for staffing, support the regions.

Many large hospitals are voluntary hospitals funded by the HSE, known as Section 38 providers. The HSE's pay scales say their service arrangement requires them to follow public sector pay, so a staff nurse or physiotherapist is paid on the same consolidated pay scales in an HSE or a Section 38 hospital.

For most international nurses, midwives, doctors and therapists, the HSE or a Section 38 hospital is the first employer. Three things follow from that. Your pay is published in advance: from 1 June 2026 a staff nurse is paid €38,166 to €56,592 a year. Your Critical Skills Employment Permit can be granted at the public sector pay rate, because DETE accepts the pay agreement rate for public sector roles. And your recruitment follows a national process with fixed pre-employment checks.

1. Read the job specification and complete the application form in the advert, including any competency-based questions. Incomplete forms do not progress.
2. Applications may be ranked on the form alone, and interviews can be held in phases by ranking.
3. If successful, you move to pre-employment clearances: Garda vetting and overseas police clearance, recognition of your qualification and registration with your regulator, references and an occupational health check.
4. You receive a formal offer of employment and contract.

The HSE says candidates from outside Ireland hired into relevant roles for at least 2 years can apply, through the HR department of the service hiring them, for an international recruitment relocation package. It covers flights and accommodation up to €4,710 if you are based outside the EU, or €4,160 from the EU or UK, paid for up to 3 months against receipts. The HSE lists other costs that can be covered, including regulator registration and recognition fees, visa fees, RCSI aptitude test fees and the Atypical Working Scheme fee.

• Police clearance. The HSE says an offer may be withdrawn if you cannot provide police clearance from every country where you lived for 6 months or more.
• Starting before vetting. You cannot start relevant work until Garda vetting is complete.
• Private employers. Private hospitals and nursing homes set their own pay and are not bound by HSE scales.
• Closing dates. The HSE says applications must arrive by the stated closing date and time, with no exceptions.

Estimate your net pay with our HSE take-home pay calculator.