Eurostat released its annual “Migration and Asylum in Europe” compendium on 18 December, confirming that Ireland retains one of the highest net-migration rates per capita in the EU despite a 16 % dip in arrivals earlier this year. The publication draws on 2024-25 data and gives policymakers fresh comparative insights into labour-market impact, asylum trends and the post-pandemic recovery in mobility flows.
For Ireland, the figures underline the country’s continuing reliance on foreign workers: non-nationals accounted for 24 % of all ICT jobholders and 21 % of healthcare staff in 2025. They also highlight a shift in origin countries, with significant increases in arrivals from India and the Philippines partially offsetting fewer Ukrainians.
![Eurostat’s new migration report shows Ireland still among EU’s top talent magnets]()
Companies and individuals looking to navigate these evolving immigration rules can tap VisaHQ’s end-to-end support platform; the service tracks Irish policy updates in real time, guides users through each form and requirement, and offers live status monitoring at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/, helping HR teams and travellers avoid costly delays.
The report arrives just weeks before Ireland introduces the first phase of salary-threshold increases for employment permits in March 2026. Analysts say the Eurostat data will feed into ongoing government consultations on permit quotas and potential tweaks to the Highly Skilled Job Interview Pilot Scheme.
Compliance teams should note that benchmarking against EU averages may prompt Irish regulators to tighten fraud controls and speed up digitalisation of permit processing—a trend that could affect document requirements in 2026.
For Ireland, the figures underline the country’s continuing reliance on foreign workers: non-nationals accounted for 24 % of all ICT jobholders and 21 % of healthcare staff in 2025. They also highlight a shift in origin countries, with significant increases in arrivals from India and the Philippines partially offsetting fewer Ukrainians.
Companies and individuals looking to navigate these evolving immigration rules can tap VisaHQ’s end-to-end support platform; the service tracks Irish policy updates in real time, guides users through each form and requirement, and offers live status monitoring at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/, helping HR teams and travellers avoid costly delays.
The report arrives just weeks before Ireland introduces the first phase of salary-threshold increases for employment permits in March 2026. Analysts say the Eurostat data will feed into ongoing government consultations on permit quotas and potential tweaks to the Highly Skilled Job Interview Pilot Scheme.
Compliance teams should note that benchmarking against EU averages may prompt Irish regulators to tighten fraud controls and speed up digitalisation of permit processing—a trend that could affect document requirements in 2026.
