Far more Irish people are still emigrating than moving home, despite the substantial rise in the number of returning emigrants last year.
As the Central Statistics Office (CSO) revealed yesterday that the number of people working in Ireland has surpassed two million for the first time since 2008, a separate set of figures – showing a 14.4 per cent increase in immigration – indicates that an improving economy is making Ireland a more attractive place to live again.
For the first time since 2009, more people have moved to Ireland than emigrated. A total of 21,100 Irish people moved back to the Republic from abroad in the year to April this year – a jump of 74 per cent – while 58,200 people of other nationalities also moved here to live, up 1.7 per cent.
Improvements
Yet, despite economic improvements and a drop in unemployment to 8.3 per cent in July, emigration is still a desirable option among Irish people, with 31,800 moving abroad in the period.
Just one in 10 emigrants of all nationalities was unemployed before leaving Ireland, the figures show, indicating that they may be departing for the experience of living abroad, or because they are unhappy with their current job situation in Ireland.
Marie-Claire McAleer, head of research and policy at the National Youth Council of Ireland, said while the rise in the number of returning emigrants was welcome, young people would continue to leave in high numbers if issues such as high living costs and insecure working conditions are not addressed.
"Provision of quality jobs with career progression opportunities and decent wages, affordable accommodation and access to quality services are key factors in young emigrants' decision to return to Ireland and to remain living here," she said. Fianna Fáil spokesman on jobs Niall Collins said it was clear from the figures, which show 32,000 graduates emigrated in the period, that the Government's action plan for jobs was "failing to retain skilled Irish graduates".
“It is unacceptable that the number of highly qualified graduates leaving the country continues unabated. There is clearly a significant void in supports and opportunities for graduates which must be addressed,” he said.
‘Mistakes of past’
But, the figures indicate that the so-called brain-drain of graduates has come to an end, as the number of people (of all nationalities) moving here with a third-level qualification in the period outweighed those leaving by 6,200. This compares to a net outflow of 13,400 graduates in 2011.
The Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) said the figures show Ireland has an increasing demand for workers from overseas, as the economy improves, but warned of an urgent need for immigration policy reform.
"Thousands of people are living undocumented in this country because our work permit system and labour migration policies failed to respond to demand for workers during the boom years. There are no structures in place to stop that happening again," said MRCI policy and research officer Pablo Rojas Coppari.
“This trend of net inward migration is going to continue as the economy grows, and Ireland needs to act quickly to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past,” he added.
The popularity of Australia has fallen dramatically among Irish emigrants, with just 6,200 people moving there in the year to April 2016, down 17 per cent on the previous year, and 66 per cent since 2012. The UK accepted 16,600 people from Ireland in the period.
