There has been a sharp decline in Irish workers moving to the UK this year
A LinkedIn report has shown Irish professionals aren’t as keen on making the move since the Brexit vote.
THE NUMBER OF Irish professionals going to work in the UK has dropped significantly since the Brexit referendum, according to a new report.
Professional migration from Ireland to the UK has declined more than any other European country, falling by 37%, since the UK voted to leave the EU in June 2016, according to LinkedIn’s latest monthly workforce report.
The report suggested that the ongoing uncertainty about the UK’s future relationship with the EU and increased opportunities at home were also contributing factors to the decline.
It added that fewer Irish professionals are choosing to look for jobs in the UK even though the common travel area will remain between the two countries.
LinkedIn Ireland boss Sharon McCooey said that the company noticed a change last year when the flow of migration between the UK and Ireland reversed, but added that new figures reveal “the scale of the change”.
“The sharp fall in Irish professionals seeking opportunities in the United Kingdom likely reflects two things: concerns around Brexit for Irish professionals, and – more happily – the real strength of the economy here in Ireland.”
A separate report from IrishJobs.ie released today revealed that job vacancies in Ireland rose by 9% in the first quarter of 2018 due to sustained economic growth.
Migration trends
LinkedIn’s figures also revealed that the number of professionals relocating away from the UK to Europe was greater than those moving to the country for work in the first quarter of the year.
Overall, migration into the UK from the 27 EU member states has been falling since the Brexit referendum vote, declining by more than a quarter over the last year.
With less than a year to go until the UK formally leaves the EU, around 28% of recruiters surveyed by LinkedIn think the UK has already become less attractive to job seekers from the rest of the world.
