Ireland

Migration and population change in Ireland

In April 2025, Ireland had a total of 5.46 million inhabitants, about 1.5 million more than in 2000.

The fertility rate had remained at around 2.1 up to the mid-1990s, so the notable rise in population was primarily attributable to immigration. The fertility rate fell to 1.9 in 2015 and 1.5 in 2025, highlighting a sustained decline in fertility over the past decade.

The population is estimated to reach 6.45 million by 2057, an increase of 24.4% from 2022 levels. The population aged 65 and over is projected to more than double, increasing from 781,400 in 2022 to 1.88 million by 2057, while the working age population, aged 15-64, will increase to 3.77 million, but its share of the total population will decline from 65.4% to 58.5%.

In the year to April 2025, 125,300 immigrants were recorded, 16% down on the previous year. Of these, 31,500 were returning Irish citizens, 25,300 other EU citizens, 4,900 from the UK, and 63,600 from other countries, non-EU and non-UK.

In 2024, Ireland issued a record 39,398 employment permits to non-EEA nationals, a 27% rise from 2023, with most permits going to Health and Social Work, 32%, and Information and Communication, 17%. The top three nationalities were India, 13,147, Brazil, 4,458, and the Philippines, 3,944. The total number of permits in 2025 is projected to fall by 21%.

As of 1 January 2024, there were approximately 654,400 third-country nationals, non-EU citizens, living in Ireland, representing 16% of the total population. The largest non-Irish groups were Polish, 15%, British, 13%, and Indian, 7%.

Asylum applications in Ireland increased significantly from 2,650 in 2021 to 13,275 in 2023. The largest groups of asylum seekers came from Nigeria, Algeria and Afghanistan.