Managing Migration in Ireland - European Commission - Europa

ecent trends inimmigration to ireland 172.6 Characteristics of the Immigrant PopulationThe size and composition of the foreign population was most comprehensivelyassessed during the 2002 census. Over 220,000 people of foreign nationality wereresident in the country, and information was collected on their location, age,gender, nationality and county of residence. 8 In addition, data collected from workpermit applications, including additional data analysed by Martin Ruhs in 2003,provide a more detailed picture of the non-EEA workforce in Ireland (Ruhs, 2003).2.6.1 AgeAccording to the 2002 census, nearly three-quarters of foreign nationals are ofworking age (aged between 15 and 64), and nearly half are between 20 and 40TOTAL years NON-IRISH old (Figure POPULATION 2.6). In addition, BY AGE the GROUP, average 2002 age of first-time work permit holdersis 30 years (Ruhs, 2003).Figure 2.6 Total Non-Irish Population by Age Group, 2002400035003000250020001500100050000–45–910–1415–1920–2425–2930–3435–3940–4445–4950–5455–5960–6465–6970–7475–7980–8485–89Source CSO2.6.2 GenderIn 2002, the gender split among foreign nationals in Ireland was roughly equal,with women only slightly outnumbered by men. However, more men than womenhold work permits: between 1999 and 2002 nearly two-thirds of work permitsholders were male. But, during that same period, the workforce becameincreasingly feminized and the share of women among new work permit holdersincreased from 28.4 per cent in 1999 to 34.3 per cent in 2003.8. See the CSO for detailed tabulations of census data: http://www.eirestat.cso.ie/census/.