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Australia December 29, 2010 – Over the past years, the number of people moving to live in Australia, Canada, USA, New Zealand and UK has increased enormously which caused a major surge in emigration due to economic downturn.
According to survey, Irish citizens have received 21 per cent more long-term resident visas for Australia, 49 per cent more New Zealand resident visas and 33 per cent more US immigrant visas. The report also shows 100 per cent increase in the number of similar visas issued for Australia. While the number of emigrants moving to UK has risen by 2 per cent in 2010 in which amounts to just under 1,000 Irish people moving to UK every month to live. These figures shown are in line with recent data from Central Statistics Office which show 65,300 people emigrated in the year to April 2010.

Britain and Australia may have been the most popular destinations for Irish emigrants but Canada on the other hand also shows major increase in the number emigrants moving to work in this country.

In the year to the end of June 2010, Australia had issued migration programme visas for highly skilled workers to 3,041 Irish people which is higher from the previous report of 2, 501.

On the contrary, the number of holiday working visas issued to Irish citizens under 31 years for Australia decreased to 14,833 in the year to June 30th 2010 which specifically fell down from a record high of in the previous 12 months.
This kind of dramatic upturn in immigration has not experienced by UK. While increased in illegal emigration in USA has been reported. But despite of this issue, USA still increased on the figure in 2009. The country has issued 287 immigrant visas to Irish people in the year to end September 2010.

In New Zealand, there has been 49 per cent increase reported at 434 in the year to end of June 2010. The country has also issued 4, 010 work visas to Irish people which is up from 3, 936 in the previous year period.
According to Dr. Alan Barrett, these figures show one of the most depressing aspects to the economic downturn. Barrett is the one who coordinates the immigration programme at the Economic and Social Research Institute. He stated that despite the fact that Ireland has job opportunities to offer, Irish people still prefer to work elsewhere to maintain their skills.

source:
irishtimes