The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service published Immigration in Ireland: Annual Review 2018.
Key figures for 2018
Migration to Ireland
- In 2018, 142,924 people from non-EEA countries were registered as living in Ireland (increase of 12% or 14,969 on 2017 figures).
Visa applications
- In 2018, approximately 140,533 entry visa applications were received, an increase of 12% on 2017 figures.
- 121,220 visas were granted.
- Top 5 nationalities of visa applicants were:
- India (31,376)
- China (20,689)
- Russia (14,667)
- Nigeria (6,984)
- Pakistan (6,650)
Registration of permission to remain in Ireland
- The number of non-EEA nationals registered with permission to remain in Ireland (for longer than 90 days) was 142,924 in 2018.
- Top 5 registered nationalities were from:
- Brazil (22,414)
- India (21,701)
- China (12,487)
- USA (10,088)
- Pakistan (7,520)
Citizenship
- 8,225 citizenship certificates were issued in 2018.
- Top 5 nationalities awarded citizenship were:
- Poland (1,464)
- Romania (819)
- United Kingdom (687)
- India (629)
- Nigeria (479)
International Protection
- 3,673 new applications for international protection were received in 2018.
- Top 5 countries of application:
- Albania (459)
- Georgia (450)
- Syria (333)
- Zimbabwe (282)
- Nigeria (251)
Access to labour market
- Following the introduction of labour market access for International Protection applicants in June 2018, 2,889 applications were received, of which 1,965 were approved.
Accommodation for applicants
- 6,252 persons seeking international protection were residing in State-provided accommodation as at 31 December 2018.
Refugee Resettlement and Relocation programmes
- Between 2015 and 2018, over 2,000 people arrived in Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme:
- 1,130 programme refugees arrived under the Resettlement Programme during this period
- 1,022 arrived in the State under the EU Relocation Programme, which ended in March 2018
Return
- 5,028 people were deported/removed from Ireland in 2018 including:
- 4,797 persons refused entry into Ireland at ports of entry and returned to the place from where they had come.
- 163 unsuccessful asylum applicants and irregular migrants who were deported.
- 68 EU nationals returned to their countries of origin on foot of an EU Removal Order.
- 213 people returned voluntarily of which 91 were assisted by the International Organization for Migration.
- 22 asylum seekers were transferred under the Dublin Regulation to the EU Member State in which they first applied for asylum.
For more information:
