MigrantoMigration trends in Ireland
Europe
Ireland takes in more people than it loses: 1M immigrants against 710.3K emigrants. Net balance +324.2K — 6% of the country's population
5.4M
Population
1M
Immigrants
710.3K
Emigrants
+324.2K
Inflow
1 in 5 residents of Ireland was born abroad — and 1 in 9 people born in Ireland lives abroad
#60 in the world by net migration gain
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Ireland
Where people come from
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
225.2K immigrants · 925.3K emigrants
2005
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 50%
- Roughly 1 in 10 residents was now foreign-born
- The foreign-born population passed 500K residents
2010
- The gap between arrivals and departures was cut in half
2020
- The country became a destination — more people arriving than leaving
Today
- Surge of immigrants from Ukraine — 113.9K new arrivals
- Migration accounted for 63% of the country's population growth
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
- Net migration doubled — the surplus reached 324.2K
- Since 1990: 809.3K more foreign-born residents and 215K fewer emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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