Ireland saw a considerable increase in the number of work permits issued during the first half of 2024.
The Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment released its most recent figures, which show that between January and June 2024, 19,303 work permits were given in the nation – a 20.5% increase over the same period in 2023.
India ranked first among the countries of origin of foreign workers in Ireland, with 6,746 Indian nationals granted work permits.
Pakistan, South Africa, Brazil, and the Philippines were among the other top-origin nations.
Nigeria only contributed 2.5 percent of all work permits issued, with its citizens receiving work permits.
The broad foreign workforce that contributes to Ireland’s labor market is shown by the inclusion of nationals from China, the United States, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Malaysia in the top 10 list.
When it came to the number of work permits granted, the healthcare and social work sectors were the most active.
With 6,809 permits granted, this industry accounted for more than 35% of all permits.
With 3,282 permits, the information and communication industry came in second, demonstrating the high demand for IT and communication specialists.
The agricultural, forestry, and fishing industries each obtained 1,859 licenses, while the accommodation and food services sectors received 1,458.
With 9,241 licenses issued, Dublin, the capital city, received the most international workers.
Cork has 1,555 licenses, Kildare has 1,296 permits, Limerick has 929 permissions, and Meath has 803 permits.
The concentration of work permits in these counties serves as a visual cue of Ireland’s regional centres of employment and economic activity.
Furthermore, the rise in work permits in 2024 is consistent with the pattern seen in 2023. Ireland granted 30,981 work permits in total in 2023, with 1,005 of those going to Nigeria, one of the major recipients.
Healthcare, IT, agriculture, and lodging services were the industries with the largest percentage of work permits in 2023; these same industries also had the highest percentage in the first half of 2024.
