Drop in immigrants seeking to work

The number of foreign nationals assigned personal public service numbers (PPSNs) fell significantly in 2008, new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed.

More than 154,000 people coming into the country were given the numbers last year, falling from 215,265 in 2007 and 226,807 in 2006.

The majority of these - 58,801 - were in the 25-44 age group, while 55,081 were aged between 15 and 24.

The data showed less than half of the 118,000 foreign nationals aged 15 and over who were assigned a PPS number in 2004 showed any sign of PAYE employment or social welfare claims in 2008, indicating that they may have left the country.

However, the number of people under 15 seeking PPSNs has steadily increased over the years, from 13,858 in 2005 to 27,139 last year.

The CSO identified a number of trends, including a falling employment rate, and noted that social welfare activity increases substantially as the length of stay grows.

Although the employment rate is generally high in the year of arrival, the CSO said, this falls in the following two to three years. In 2008, less than half of people arriving into the country had employment during the year.

Of those aged 15 and over who were assigned PPSNs in 2002, three quarters showed some level of activity during the year, but this had fallen to 48 per cent by 2005. By 2008, it fell further to 44 per cent.

Different nationalities showed different trends. For those in the EU15 countries (excluding Ireland and the UK), the activity rate fell sharply, with employment or social welfare activity falling from 78 per cent in 2004 to 23 per cent in 2008.

"For this group it may be presumed that about three years after arrival the majority no longer live in Ireland," the CSO said.

Among the 10 countries who joined the EU in 2004, activity for those who arrived that year was 80 per cent, but fell to 57 per cent by 2008, a slower rate of decline.

"The drop-off in employment is caused largely by people leaving the country. In contrast, and despite significant numbers leaving, the numbers recording social welfare activity have risen," the CSO said.

"Of the 118,000 foreign nationals who arrived in 2004, only 10 per cent recorded social welfare activity in the year of arrival, but this had risen to 24 per cent in 2008."

The CSO cited several reasons for this rise, including the birth of a child; sharply rising unemployment during 2008; and the fact that some benefits are dependent on habitual residence requirements or social insurance contributions.