Immigration to Ireland increased by 5% in 2023 in the year to April 2024, new figures show.
Despite the increase, the number of people who immigrated is still slightly lower than the peak in 2007, according to the European Migration Network (EMN).
An annual review of migration and asylum in Ireland in 2023 shows that immigration from outside the EU or UK, including Ukrainians, made up 58% of the increase.
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The EMN has pointed to continued challenges and developments in migration to Ireland.
These include forced migration flows, limited processing and accommodation capacity for international protection applicants, continued labour market shortages, and the expansion of sectors eligible for employment permits.
International protection
Although applications for international protection reduced by 3% in 2023, challenges with processing capacity led to 21,850 applications pending at the International Protection Office at the end of the year.
While there was a 90% increase in decisions made by the IPO in 2023, there was a 47% increase in pending decisions compared with the same period in 2022.
The median processing time of the appeals tribunal reduced to 5.5 months from 10.2 months, but the scale of the increase in appeals taken meant that there were 359% more applications on hand at the end of 2023 than in 2022.
IPAS
The continued international protection flows also led to challenges with reception accommodation.
The number of people in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) at the end of the year increased by 42% in 2023, and over 2,000 applicants were not offered accommodation on arrival.
In 2023, there was a 147% increase in the number of people who availed of voluntary return (210 people) when compared with 2022 (85 people).
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However, the European Migration Network has pointed out that it is still fewer than in 2019, when the number of voluntary returns peaked (255 people).
There were 859 deportation orders signed in 2023.
There were 51 removals enforced in 2023, a 100% increase from 2022 but still a 66% decrease since prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ukraine
Almost 34,000 Personal Public Service numbers were allocated to arrivals from Ukraine in 2023, around half the 2022 figure (around 67,000).
Similar to 2022, women made up 48% of arrivals, and 28% were children.
While all counties have seen an increase in arrivals of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BoTPs) since 2022, arrivals increased the most in Tipperary (+124%), Sligo (+104%) and Offaly (+102%).
Dublin, which has the highest concentration of BoTPs, had the lowest increase (+19%).
Residence permits
There was a 24% increase in all valid residence permits (which are issued to non-EEA citizens, excluding Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine) in 2023.
Of those, 30% were for employment, 21% for education, 19% for family, 27% for other reasons, and 3% for international protection.
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The overall increase in all valid permits was not reflected in first permits issued, which increased by only 3% in 2023.
45% of first residence permits issued were for education reasons, and 27% for employment.
Employment permits
By contrast, employment permits issued in 2023 decreased by 29% from 2022, although at just under 31,000 the number issued is still high compared with previous trends and reflects the important role non-EEA labour migration plays in filling labour market shortages.
The most common sectors for employment permits were health and social work activities (32%) and information and communication activities (16%).
External borders
The number of third-country nationals refused entry at external borders in Ireland dropped by almost 20% in 2023 compared with 2022.
The 2023 figure (7,405) was almost the same as the 2019 figure (7,455), prior to the drop due to the pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions.
The most common nationalities refused entry at external borders were Georgia, Somalia and South Africa.
There was a significant decrease in the number of Georgians refused entry from 2022 (64% decrease), although they still comprised the most common nationality in 2023 to be refused entry.
Emigration
In 2023, emigration continued to increase, with 69,900 emigrants in the year to April 2024.
That was an 9% increase from the previous year and the highest since the last peak in 2015.
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EU and UK emigration decreased in 2023, by 40% and 25% respectively, a change in direction from the increases experienced the previous year.
Emigrants from the 'rest of the world' category increased by 33%, following a decrease in the previous year.
Human trafficking
In 2023, 53 people were identified as victims of human trafficking.
Twelve were European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, and none were Irish nationals.
Five of the total number of victims were children and the majority were female.
Of the total victims in 2023, 28 (52%) were victims of sexual exploitation, 16 (30%) were victims of labour exploitation and 9 (17%) were victims of other types of exploitation such as forced criminality and forced begging.
The top country of origin of victims of human trafficking in 2023 was Nigeria.
Author of the report Keire Murphy of the European Migration Network said the 2023 report shows that while challenges in reception and processing for international protection as well as displacement from Ukraine continued, "most migration is still for employment, education, and to join family".
Co-author Dervla Potter said the report underscored the challenges faced in responding to labour market shortages, increased cost of living, the housing crisis and the increase in anti-migrant sentiment.
She said it highlighted the need for "preparation and planning" to ensure Ireland has the infrastructure for an increasing population.
