← All EU countries

Immigration 2024127,66411th in the EU-27
Net migration 2024+69,587immigration − emigration
First-time asylum claims 202512,9808th in the EU-27 · 1.9% UE
New citizenships 202424,0598th in the EU-27

Ireland ranks 11th in the EU-27 for regular immigration: in 2024 it registered 127,664 arrivals and 58,077 departures, for a net balance of +69,587. In 2025 first-time asylum applications came to 12,980, 1.9% of the EU total; citizenship acquisitions in 2024 numbered 24,059.

Regular migration

The series includes all citizenships — EU citizens moving between member states and returning nationals included — and counts those moving their usual residence for at least 12 months. Compared with 2019, immigration is up 33%.

Immigration Emigration

Regular migration, Ireland, by year · Eurostat
YearImmigrationEmigrationNet
2024127,66458,077+69,587
2023135,61775,020+60,597
2022157,53761,133+96,404
202183,77053,673+30,097
202081,91851,313+30,605
201996,32151,410+44,911
2018105,69950,258+55,441
201784,74358,788+25,955
201693,37855,507+37,871
201580,79267,160+13,632
201473,51971,107+2,412
201365,53976,560−11,021
201261,32481,797−20,473
201157,29283,049−25,757
201052,33978,099−25,760
200950,60469,672−19,068
200882,59265,934+16,658

Asylum applications

First-time applications for international protection lodged in Ireland in 2025 came to 12,980 (the 8th-highest in the EU). The series peak remains 2024, with 18,440 applications.

First-time asylum applications, Ireland, by year · Eurostat
YearFirst-time claims
202512,980
202418,440
202313,215
202213,645
20212,605
20201,535
20194,745
20183,655
20172,915
20162,235
20153,270
20141,450
2013940
2012935
20111,280
20101,920
20092,660
20083,810

New citizenships

In 2024 citizenship acquisitions came to 24,059, the 8th-highest in the EU-27. It is a lagging indicator: today's new citizens typically immigrated several years ago.

Citizenship acquisitions, Ireland, by year · Eurostat
YearAcquisitions
202424,059
202318,265
202213,597
20219,778
20205,475
20195,791
20188,223
20178,195
201610,038
201513,565
201421,104
201324,263
201225,039
201110,749
20106,387
20094,533
20083,245

Who leaves

In 2024, 28,768 of the country's own citizens moved abroad (the 12th-highest in the EU). The true number is almost certainly higher: emigration is measured through de-registrations, and people who leave do not always deregister.

How to read these numbers. Regular migration follows the UN definition (residence ≥ 12 months) and also includes EU citizens and returning nationals. “First-time applications” exclude repeat claims in the same country. Emigration, based on de-registrations, is generally undercounted. Definitions in the glossary, sources and limits in the methodology.

Compare with the other EU countries or return to the atlas.