The Clare Immigrant Support Centre (CISC) has sounded the alarm over a sharp increase in US nationals applying for international protection in Ireland. Speaking to local station Clare FM on 19 January, CISC manager Simon Ó Treasaigh said 94 Americans lodged asylum claims in 2025—up from just 24 in 2022—while an estimated 9,600 US citizens moved to Ireland in the year to April 2025. (clare.fm)
Advocates attribute the trend to a combination of factors: tighter US immigration enforcement by ICE, rising political polarisation and what LGBTQ groups describe as a deteriorating climate for minorities in several US states. Ireland’s Common Travel Area with the UK and its English-speaking labour market make it an attractive destination for those seeking a fresh start without language barriers. (clare.fm)
Before resorting to protection claims, prospective movers can benefit from exploring mainstream immigration channels. VisaHQ, for instance, maintains a dedicated Ireland hub (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) that walks applicants and HR managers through every available visa category, estimates processing times and flags document requirements in real time—helping US citizens chart a straightforward, compliant route to living and working in Ireland.
![Four-fold Rise in US Citizens Seeking Asylum Points to Changing Migration Patterns in Ireland]()
Although US applicants still represent a small fraction of Ireland’s 13,000 annual international-protection claims, the growth rate is prompting questions about how the State will assess persecution claims from what is generally considered a “safe” country. Immigration lawyers note that claimants must show individualised risk, such as threats linked to sexual orientation or political activism, rather than general societal problems. Processing officers may therefore need specialised country-of-origin information on issues like anti-trans legislation or vigilante violence in particular US jurisdictions.
For global mobility teams, the development is noteworthy because intra-company transfers from the US often rely on Stamp 1 or Critical Skills permits; employees who instead enter the asylum system lose the right to work for five months and cannot travel internationally. Employers should monitor staff wellbeing and ensure that any workers feeling unsafe in the US explore conventional work-authorisation routes before resorting to protection claims, which carry long-term travel restrictions.
Policy-makers are watching closely. If numbers continue to rise, the Department of Justice may issue new guidance—similar to Canada’s “Designated Country of Origin” regime—on how to handle asylum requests from advanced democracies. That, in turn, could influence corporate relocation strategies and the advice immigration providers give to globally mobile US talent considering a move to Ireland.
Advocates attribute the trend to a combination of factors: tighter US immigration enforcement by ICE, rising political polarisation and what LGBTQ groups describe as a deteriorating climate for minorities in several US states. Ireland’s Common Travel Area with the UK and its English-speaking labour market make it an attractive destination for those seeking a fresh start without language barriers. (clare.fm)
Before resorting to protection claims, prospective movers can benefit from exploring mainstream immigration channels. VisaHQ, for instance, maintains a dedicated Ireland hub (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) that walks applicants and HR managers through every available visa category, estimates processing times and flags document requirements in real time—helping US citizens chart a straightforward, compliant route to living and working in Ireland.
Although US applicants still represent a small fraction of Ireland’s 13,000 annual international-protection claims, the growth rate is prompting questions about how the State will assess persecution claims from what is generally considered a “safe” country. Immigration lawyers note that claimants must show individualised risk, such as threats linked to sexual orientation or political activism, rather than general societal problems. Processing officers may therefore need specialised country-of-origin information on issues like anti-trans legislation or vigilante violence in particular US jurisdictions.
For global mobility teams, the development is noteworthy because intra-company transfers from the US often rely on Stamp 1 or Critical Skills permits; employees who instead enter the asylum system lose the right to work for five months and cannot travel internationally. Employers should monitor staff wellbeing and ensure that any workers feeling unsafe in the US explore conventional work-authorisation routes before resorting to protection claims, which carry long-term travel restrictions.
Policy-makers are watching closely. If numbers continue to rise, the Department of Justice may issue new guidance—similar to Canada’s “Designated Country of Origin” regime—on how to handle asylum requests from advanced democracies. That, in turn, could influence corporate relocation strategies and the advice immigration providers give to globally mobile US talent considering a move to Ireland.
