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Over 1 in 5 Irish thinking of moving abroad

  • 14-07-2010 1:38pm
    #1
    Scofflaw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,283 ✭✭✭✭Scofflaw


    There's a new Eurobarometer survey out, looking at mobility within Europe. Unsurprisingly, the Irish think their job prospects are better abroad, but are also reluctant to move!
    It is perhaps no surprise that in these tough economic times 22% of Irish people are thinking of moving abroad for work. The figures come from a new European survey that also shows 35% Irish people feel that employment prospects are better abroad.Â* However, Irish people are also among the least willing in Europe to move country to find work. Only 36% said that they would be willing to move country or region if they lost their job and were unable to find another one. This contrasts with 66% in France, Sweden and Cyprus.

    When asked to name three practical difficulties people would encounter if they moved abroad, Irish respondents replies were:
    • 37% said lack of language skills (52% EU Average)
    • 43% said lack of a job (24% EU Average)
    • 21% gave difficulty finding accommodation (16% EU Average)

    The Eurobarometer survey looks at the views of people across Europe on the topic of job mobility. Overall more people from Scandinavia and the three Baltic countries were most likely to say they would move abroad in the future. The figures show 51% of Danes, 38 % of Estonians and 37% of Swedes expect to move. Maybe it's something to do with the long northern winter nights.

    Twenty-one percent of Irish respondents to the survey said they had previously lived or worked abroad for longer stays in the USA, Australia, UK and mainland Europe or for shorter working summers. This places the Irish second in Europe when it comes to experience of living abroad, securing our reputation as migrants.

    Unfortunately, I haven't yet seen (and may never!) any breakdown of that 21% by age - I'd be interested to see if it's primarily people in the 35-55 bracket who have lived abroad (that is, those old enough to have been part of the pre-1995 emigration, but young enough to have been interested in moving back post-1996).

    Surveys are here:

    Special Eurobarometer survey: Geographical and labour mobility - full report

    Special Eurobarometer survey: Geographical and labour mobility - summary report:

    cordially,
    Scofflaw


Comments

  • #2
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    I can see why lack of a European language would affect our mobility.
    It would be great to speak German as an example.

    Why do 21% think it will be hard to find accommodation? :confused:
    Rent a room/hostel or even a B&B until you get sorted, hopefully in a few weeks


  • #3
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    No mention of who feels too old to move, I note.


  • #4
    Egypt Flat Quail
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,787 ✭✭✭ Egypt Flat Quail


    feelingstressed wrote: »
    I can see why lack of a European language would affect our mobility.
    It would be great to speak German as an example.

    Why do 21% think it will be hard to find accommodation? :confused:
    Rent a room/hostel or even a B&B until you get sorted, hopefully in a few weeks
    If I was confident that I could learn german to a decent standard, I'd strongly consider moving to Berlin but im **** at languages so im really pinned down to the English speaking world.


  • #5
    djpbarry
    Registered Users Posts: 13,104 ✭✭✭✭djpbarry


    Egypt Flat Quail wrote: »
    ...im **** at languages...
    Yet here you are conversing in English, which is a language as far as I'm aware.


  • #6
    thebman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,012 ✭✭✭✭thebman


    feelingstressed wrote: »
    I can see why lack of a European language would affect our mobility.
    It would be great to speak German as an example.

    Why do 21% think it will be hard to find accommodation? :confused:
    Rent a room/hostel or even a B&B until you get sorted, hopefully in a few weeks

    Its probably the cost of accommodation and wanting decent accommodation in a foreign place that scares people.


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  • #7
    Wolfe Tone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,670 ✭✭✭✭Wolfe Tone


    Personally I don't want to move away permanently, this is after all my home. Hopefully when I am finished collage things will be better and I wont need to go. I would probably stick to the English speaking world though.


  • #8
    Chuchoter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭Chuchoter


    If the working conditions in hospitals are still horrendous by the time I'm qualified (2018/2019) I'm off to France or New Zealand


  • #9
    southsiderosie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,565 ✭✭✭southsiderosie


    thebman wrote: »
    Its probably the cost of accommodation and wanting decent accommodation in a foreign place that scares people.

    The cost of accommodation will be cheaper in many parts of continental Europe than in Ireland. And English-speakers have an advantage in that there are plenty of jobs available to teach English abroad.


  • #10
    JustinDee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,684 ✭✭✭JustinDee


    I "moved abroad" when I finished school. Studied abroad and then lived and worked abroad.
    No biggie in this much smaller place these days and I'd be much less for not having done so in the first place.

    I'd also guess (as these polls are doing) that 1 in 5 is bugger all difference to any other period over the past decades.


  • #11
    Jonny7
    Registered Users Posts: 6,696 ✭✭✭Jonny7


    feelingstressed wrote: »
    I can see why lack of a European language would affect our mobility.
    It would be great to speak German as an example.

    Why do 21% think it will be hard to find accommodation? :confused:
    Rent a room/hostel or even a B&B until you get sorted, hopefully in a few weeks

    I've lived in 4 or 5 Euro countries, it can be bloody hard getting setup.

    I wouldn't see it as a barrier but I wouldn't say its easy either.


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  • #12
    plasmaguy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,683 ✭✭✭plasmaguy


    It's a pity some of our politicians wouldn't move abroad.

    Unfortunately a lot of people who will emigrate will be bright people and a loss to this country.


  • #13
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    My sister and her boyfriend are taking their science and engineering qualifications to Australia later this year. :(


  • #14
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    oscarBravo wrote: »
    My sister and her boyfriend are taking their science and engineering qualifications to Australia later this year. :(

    Its a good move for them.


  • #15
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    Zambia232 wrote: »
    Its a good move for them.
    It's the only move available to them (emigration, that is, as opposed to Oz specifically). It's not good for the country to be losing bright young science and engineering graduates.


  • #16
    Zambia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,333 ✭✭✭Zambia


    oscarBravo wrote: »
    It's the only move available to them (emigration, that is, as opposed to Oz specifically). It's not good for the country to be losing bright young science and engineering graduates.

    Your not wrong there.

    Just out of interest and to possibly highlight the double effect this drain has did the irish state actually pay any part in training them? I mean is the irish goverment in the situation where they have paid for high class graduates they can not use.


  • #17
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    Well, they're both graduates of Irish colleges, so yeah - I guess it's a given that our investment in educating them is going abroad.


  • #18
    CerebralCortex
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭CerebralCortex


    Zambia232 wrote: »
    Its a good move for them.

    Good move for them, tragic and disastrous for the nation of Ireland both socially and economically.


  • #19
    djpbarry
    Registered Users Posts: 13,104 ✭✭✭✭djpbarry


    CerebralCortex wrote: »
    Good move for them, tragic and disastrous for the nation of Ireland both socially and economically.
    Let's not get carried away. Better for these 'bright young things' to be away getting some experience and making an economic contribution somewhere, rather than having them rotting on the dole at home. A large number of them will most likely return at some point in the future, so all is not lost. Besides, positive economic developments outside Ireland are generally of indirect benefit to Ireland.

    Disclaimer: I should admit that I am somewhat biased in saying this, as I am one of the bright young things (or maybe 'not-quite-so-bright, slightly older thing' would be a more accurate description) that will likely be emigrating in the not-too-distant future.


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