Annual migration overview shows overall drop in immigration and some major reforms in 2024

The European Migration Network (EMN) Ireland has published its annual review of migration and asylum in Ireland. With an overview of the latest data as well as policy and operational developments, research, and case law from 2024, this report is a comprehensive reference that gives an overview of the entire migration landscape in Ireland.

The latest report in the series shows an overall drop in immigration in the year to April 2025, some major reforms, and ongoing challenges. The continued reduction in arrivals from Ukraine, and a decrease in first residence permits issued, contributed to the overall decrease in non-EEA nationals migrating to Ireland. Arrivals fell 16% in the 12 months to April 2025, compared with the previous year.

Labour migration

In 2024, the biggest reform of employment permit legislation since 2006 was passed. The Employment Permits Act aims to create a more agile system, able to respond flexibly and effectively to changing labour market needs. It is the largest in a series of legislative changes intended to increase the overall attractiveness of Ireland as a destination for non-EEA workers, thereby addressing persisting labour shortages.

2024 also saw a 27% increase in the number of employment permits issued, after a drop in 2023. As in previous years, the two most common sectors were health and social work activities (32%) and information and communication activities (17%). However, there were increases in permits issued to sectors across the board, with a particular increase in permits issued in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector. 

Residence permit data shows that 24% of first permits issued to non-EEA nationals in 2024 were for employment, while 48% were for education, and just 5% for family and a further 5% for international protection. The remainder are categorised as ‘other’ reasons.

International protection

International protection applications made in Ireland during 2024 increased by 40% from the previous year. Ireland accounted for 1.86% of the European Union (EU) total of 997,350 applications, compared to 1.17% in 2023. Nigeria, Jordan and Pakistan were the top three countries of origin. The largest increase was from Jordan, and the biggest decrease was in applications from Algeria. The International Protection Office (IPO) significantly scaled up decision making, with a 56% increase in the number of decisions made in 2024 compared with the previous year. Nonetheless, the 2024 median processing time for completed IPO cases was 16 months. Of the 13,108 decisions made by IPO, 70% were refusals. Some of these are overturned on appeal or review. 35% of final decisions issued following appeal or review were positive in 2024. There was a significant backlog of appeals in 2024, with a 148% increase in the number on hand at the end of the year compared with the end of 2023.

The inability to accommodate all applicants for asylum worsened in 2024, with almost 6,000 applicants not offered accommodation on arrival throughout the year. The High Court and the Court of Appeal both ruled in a case on the issue taken by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, and the state published a strategy to scale up accommodation to the requisite numbers. Vulnerability assessments were also paused due to capacity challenges and partially resumed following the sourcing of an external provider in 2024.

Ireland also opted in to 7 pieces of legislation under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in 2024, and indicated that it will also align with the pieces of legislation under the Pact that it cannot opt into. The Pact will come into force in June 2026.

Temporary protection

There was a continued drop in arrivals from Ukraine, with just 9,558 PPSNs allocated in 2024, a 71% decrease from the previous year which was itself a significant decrease from the year of the invasion. Accommodation and social welfare supports were also reduced for Ukrainians in state accommodation.

Unaccompanied minors

The number of unaccompanied minors referred to Tusla continued to increase, with a 17% increase from 2023, to a total of 619. Of these, 209 were from Ukraine. This led to significant capacity challenges and reliance on Special Emergency Arrangements, which are operated by private companies and can include short-term rental properties and B&Bs.

Irregular migration and return

The number of people who left Ireland by voluntary return increased by 345% to 935. There was also a 208% increase in the number of people ordered to leave, to 3,275. There was a 153% increase in deportations enforced in 2024 compared with 2023, a continued recovery from decreases during the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit not back to 2019 levels. The number of people refused entry at the border decreased by 7% in 2024. In addition, 67 people were identified as victims of trafficking in 2024.

Keire Murphy, an author of the report said:

‘The report shows that some pressures on the system, like arrivals from Ukraine, eased in 2024, while the strong uptake of employment permits shows the system is responding to Irish labour market gaps. However, significant capacity pressures persisted in 2024, especially in the international protection processing and accommodation system.’