How Do Migrants Fare in the Irish Labor Market? Country of Origin, Gender, Asylum and Ethnicity Effects

Abstract

We use Census microdata for 2016 to investigate migrants’ labor market outcomes in Ireland, a ‘new’ country of immigration. EEA migrants can live and work in Ireland without restriction: for non-EEA migrants, immigration is strictly managed. EEA East European men and women have low unemployment rates but very low rates of professional/managerial employment. Non-EEA migrants tend to have higher unemployment rates but also high rates of work in professional/managerial occupations. Migrants from countries with high asylum flows are especially disadvantaged in the labor market, particularly men. Black respondents have poorer labor market outcomes than Whites, regardless of origin country or migration motive, but not Asians. We reflect how policies governing migration and asylum in Ireland affect who comes to Ireland and their labor market outcomes.