A total of 566 600 non-Irish nationals resided in Ireland in April 2017. This is an increase from 550 500 in 2016, but has remained below the pre-recession peak of 2008 (575 600). Non-nationals currently represent 11.8% of the total population, up from 11.6% in 2016. In the twelve months to April 2017, immigration increased by 2% (84 600) from the previous year (82 300). With emigration of 64 800 in 2017 (a 2% decline from the previous year), net migration was 19 800. Net migration of Irish nationals continued to be negative, but at a much lower level than in recent years, while net migration of non-Irish nationals increased.
From 2016 to 2017, the stock of immigrants from all regions increased. As in previous years, the largest group of non-nationals in 2017 was from the 12 New EU Member States (250 300) who accounted for 5% of the total population. This group saw only a small increase from 249 400 in 2016. Citizens from outside Europe make up a further 2.9% of the total population (139 600), UK nationals 2.2% (107 700) and immigrants from other European countries 1.4% (69 000).
The share of total immigrants from the rest of the world (excluding the EU, Australia, Canada, and the United States) has risen to 27% in 2017. This increase may be attributed to highly skilled migration to fill skill shortages in the Irish labour market, as well as an increase in the number of international students. The increase in working age migrants (25-44) continued in 2017, accounting for over half (53%) of immigrants.
Approximately 124 200 entry visa applications for both short and long stays were received in 2016, an increase of 7.4% from 2015. The approval rate of entry visas was 90%, and the top five nationalities applying for visas were India (20%), China (13%), Russia (10%), Pakistan (8%) and Turkey (5%). The number of new employment permits in 2016 increased to 7 700 (from just over 6 000 in 2015). As in previous years, India was the largest nationality of employment permit holders with 32% of the total. Pakistan accounts for another 11% and the United States for 9%.
A total of 2 200 people applied for asylum in Ireland during 2016, a decrease of over 30% from the number of applications in 2015. Some 1 600 cases were finalised during 2016. The largest share of asylum claims came from Syria (11% of total applications), Pakistan and Albania (10% each), Zimbabwe and Nigeria. There was a marked increase in the number of appeals by refugee claimants from 1 400 in 2015 to 2 200 in 2016.
The 2015 International Protection Act, which creates a single application system and brings Ireland into line with other EU member states, came into force on 31 December 2016. Furthermore, a series of reforms have been implemented following a review of Direct Provision, the system of reception of asylum seekers in Ireland. Reforms include improvement to accommodation standards, increased allowances and improved access to further education.
In May 2017, the Supreme Court of Ireland declared the ban on working for asylum seekers to be unconstitutional, and commissioned a report by an intergovernmental task force. Following this report, Ireland decided to opt into the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive, which lays down standards for the reception of international protection applicants. In November 2017, the Government indicated that asylum seekers will be allowed to work no later than nine months after their application for asylum is lodged, if they have not yet received a decision on their case. Since 9 February 2018, those seeking international protection in Ireland may seek employment via the work permit system or may apply for a permission for self-employment.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP), approved in 2015 in response to the migration crisis, committed Ireland to receiving 4 000 refugees by the end of 2017. The commitment to take 1 040 refugees under the UN Resettlement Programme has been largely fulfilled by the end of 2017. Under the EU relocation programme, at the end of 2016, a total of 240 refugees had arrived in Ireland from Greece.
“Irish Educated, Globally Connected: An International Education Strategy for Ireland 2016-20” aims to increase the value of international education by 33% (to EUR 2.1 billion per annum) by 2020. This calls for an increase in the number of international Higher Education and English Language Training students in Ireland by 37 000, bringing the total number at any point in time to 176 000.
Revised regulations in the Immigrant Investor Programme targeting third-country nationals were published in late 2016, eliminating two investment categories and returning the investment thresholds from EUR 500 000 to 1 million.
