Irish employment agencies are regulated separately from ordinary company registration. Before paying an agency, sharing candidate data or accepting a role, check the Workplace Relations Commission’s current licensed-agency list and then match the agency to its legal company or proprietor. A CRO record confirms identity; it does not replace the employment-agency licence.
Direct answer
Open the WRC’s current employment-agency list and search the legal name, trading name, address or EA licence number. Match the result to the website, contract, invoice, bank account and CRO record. Confirm that the list is current. If the agency is absent or details conflict, pause payment and sensitive-data sharing and verify directly with the WRC.
Identify the agency approaching you
Start with the exact legal person. Ask for the licensed name, trading name, EA number, address and company or business-name number. Recruitment brands can differ from legal names, and fraudsters can copy a genuine agency’s branding while substituting contact or bank details.
Search the legal company and compare directors, registered office, status and filing history. Our guide to legal names versus trading names explains why the brand alone is not enough.
Which checks answer which question?
| Check | What it can confirm | What it cannot prove |
|---|---|---|
| WRC licensed-agency list | Listed name, trading name, address and EA number at the list date | Solvency, service quality or control of the contact details used |
| CRO company search | Company identity, status, officers, address and filings | Employment-agency authorisation |
| Business-name record | Who registered a trading name | That every activity under the name is licensed |
| Website and email checks | Consistency of domain, address and published contacts | Regulatory status without the official register |
| References and contract | Commercial experience, scope, fees and responsibilities | Future performance or financial strength |
How to use the WRC list
- Open the WRC employment-agency list page, not a saved third-party copy.
- Check the stated update date.
- Search the legal and trading names, allowing for punctuation and abbreviations.
- Match the address and EA licence number.
- Record the result and date for your file.
- Contact the WRC through official details if a recent renewal or discrepancy needs confirmation.
The WRC says employment-agency licences are renewed yearly. A licence number on a footer or invoice should therefore be checked against the current list rather than accepted as permanent.
Licence timing and changes
Record the edition date of the WRC list because agencies can renew, change address, change trading name or stop operating. If an agency says that a renewal is being processed but it does not appear on the current list, obtain confirmation through the WRC’s official contact details. Do not treat an old licence letter, a historic PDF or a search-engine snippet as current authority.
Repeat the check before a significant new engagement or renewal. Update your supplier file when the contracting entity, brand, address, ownership or bank account changes, because each change can affect identity verification even where the underlying agency remains licensed.
Match the licence to the CRO record
If the licensed party is a limited company, match its legal name and address to the CRO number. Review whether the company is normal, strike-off listed, dissolved or in an insolvency process. Check current and former directors and whether accounts or annual returns are overdue.
A valid licence does not establish that the agency is financially strong. For a large recruitment retainer, payroll arrangement or long credit exposure, use the Irish company credit-check workflow as well.
Payment and impersonation risks
Verify bank details through a trusted telephone number sourced independently from the WRC list, CRO record or established correspondence. Be cautious when instructions change suddenly, use a personal account, introduce an unrelated payee or demand cryptocurrency, gift cards or urgent transfer.
Jobseekers should question requests to pay for guaranteed employment, visas, equipment or background checks without a clear lawful basis and verifiable employer. Preserve messages and documents, and contact the appropriate authority or Gardaí where fraud is suspected.
Data protection and candidate information
Recruitment involves CVs, identity documents, references and sometimes sensitive information. Confirm who is the controller, the purpose of processing, retention, international transfers and security. Send only necessary information through verified channels.
A licence check does not replace data-protection diligence. Review the privacy notice, data-processing terms and breach process, especially where the agency will handle large candidate volumes or access your systems.
Contract checks for employers
- Legal agency name, trading name, EA number and company number.
- Permanent placement, temporary agency work or managed-service scope.
- Fees, refund or replacement periods and VAT.
- Responsibility for payroll, tax, employment rights and permits.
- Candidate ownership and introduction periods.
- Vetting, qualifications and reference responsibilities.
- Insurance, confidentiality and data protection.
- Licence maintenance, audit rights and termination.
Worked verification example
An agency emails under “Emerald Medical Careers”, asks for an up-front employer retainer and supplies EA 4321. The invoice names a different limited company and requests payment to another business. Search the WRC list for the brand, company and number. Then search the invoice company on Businesses.ie and independently call the listed agency.
If the licence belongs to a genuine agency but its official team did not issue the invoice, the approach may be an impersonation. Do not treat a copied valid number as proof that the sender controls it.
Red flags that require confirmation
- No result on the current WRC list.
- Licence name, address or number does not match the contract.
- The company is dissolved or strike-off listed.
- Email uses a lookalike or free domain.
- Bank account belongs to an unrelated person or company.
- The agency refuses a written fee and refund agreement.
- Pressure to share passports or pay immediately.
- Claims of guaranteed jobs, permits or outcomes.
Sources and editorial review
This guide was reviewed on 20 September 2026 using the WRC’s current employment-agency list and forms, its employment-agency licensing guidance, and CRO company-search information. Register entries and rules can change, so verify the live official sources at the decision date. This is general information, not legal, employment, data-protection or financial advice.