MigrantoImmigrants in Ireland
1M foreigners live in Ireland — 19% of the country's population
Immigrants in Ireland by country
The 3 largest groups make up 50% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 293559 |
| Ukraine | 125016 |
| Poland | 102708 |
| India | 70228 |
| Brazil | 48605 |
| Romania | 47700 |
| USA | 36363 |
| Lithuania | 34584 |
| Nigeria | 22078 |
| Philippines | 21796 |
| Spain | 20849 |
| Latvia | 20840 |
| Moldova | 19842 |
| South Africa | 18857 |
| China | 18391 |
| Italy | 17508 |
| Pakistan | 16059 |
| France | 15924 |
| Croatia | 15615 |
| Germany | 15484 |
| Australia | 11165 |
| Slovakia | 9573 |
| Hungary | 8628 |
| Russia | 8466 |
| Canada | 7811 |
| Portugal | 6795 |
By region of origin
74% of immigrants come from Europe
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Key facts
Immigrants in Ireland in numbers
Immigrants come from a wider range of countries than in 1990
The largest group's share fell from 78% to 28%.
Immigration drives population growth
43% of the population growth of Ireland since 1990 came from immigrants.
The immigrant population has grown 28% since 2020
The number of foreigners living in Ireland rose from 809.3K to 1M in four years.
British are the largest group by a wide margin
28% of all immigrants were born in the UK, while the next group accounts for just 12%.
1 in 5 residents of Ireland was born abroad
1M of 5.4M residents were born abroad — 19.2% of the population.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Brazil, Moldova, Croatia. Brazil climbed from outside the top 20 to #5.
Immigrant population in Ireland over time
Foreigners living in Ireland, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 225171 |
| 1995 | 244349 |
| 2000 | 350435 |
| 2005 | 524084 |
| 2010 | 660450 |
| 2015 | 699150 |
| 2020 | 809345 |
| 2024 | 1034444 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Ireland, by year
| Year | British | Ukrainians | Poles | Indians | Brazilians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 174509 | 375 | 489 | 738 | 264 |
| 1995 | 187615 | 550 | 732 | 1104 | 395 |
| 2000 | 239615 | 1503 | 2034 | 3069 | 1098 |
| 2005 | 282759 | 3171 | 40888 | 8174 | 3883 |
| 2010 | 288432 | 4039 | 107993 | 16348 | 8431 |
| 2015 | 278827 | 4527 | 115223 | 20363 | 14425 |
| 2020 | 285496 | 11086 | 108755 | 42645 | 30415 |
| 2024 | 293559 | 125016 | 102708 | 70228 | 48605 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Ireland
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Ireland
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Ireland?
Around 1M immigrants live in Ireland — the world's #60 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Ireland are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 19% of the population of Ireland — that's 1M out of a total population of 5.4M.
Where do most immigrants in Ireland come from?
Most immigrants in Ireland come from United Kingdom, Ukraine and Poland — these three countries account for about 50% of all immigrants.
How many British live in Ireland?
Around 293.6K British live in Ireland — about 28% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Ireland growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Ireland has grown from 699.2K to 1M, about 48%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Ireland come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Ireland. Their children born in Ireland are not included.
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Living in Ireland
See the full country overview