Families split as fathers migrate to work

Many emigrating Irish families are often split up for months at a time as one parent heads to the destination country to organise the move.

Visa First, a company that facilitates moves to countries such as Australia and Canada, said an analysis of their customer database revealed that more Irishmen are leaving ahead of their partners and children in search of work than ever before.

Analysing the figures for Australia, the company said that, since the start of last year, there has been a 58% increase in the number of “primary” applicants leaving ahead of dependants in seek of work. Of those applicants, 75% are male.

Edwina Shanahan, manager of www.visafirst.com, said: “We looked at our customer database around the same time last year and it became apparent that this trend was picking up — whereby one partner or spouse would initially go to Australia seeking work in an effort to set up a life and a home there, before their partner or spouse followed after a few months — often with young children in tow.”

The statistics tally with the experience of Careline, one of the country’s largest storage and removal firms. In May the Irish Examiner revealed that as many as four families were emigrating from Ireland every week, and using the company’s services to bring cars and even pets to the destination country.

At the time, Careline general manager Noel Power said that, in some cases, one parent would travel to the destination country first, with the other parent and children following later, usually at the end of a school term or year.

The Visa First analysis also revealed that permanent residency grants for Australia have increased by 33% in the past year as more people seek to move to the country permanently.

It also showed that:

* The average age of the applicant for working holiday visas is around 25;

* 82% of applicants for employer-sponsored visas are male, with an average age of 31;

* 85% of applicants for migrant visas are men, with an average age overall among applicants of early 30s.

Job positions currently open to Irish nationals include nurses, chefs, diesel mechanics, ITC professionals, accountants, massage therapists, drainers, and cabinet makers.

Visa First will hold a series of migration and recruitment information shows at various locations around the country throughout September, starting at 7.30pm tonight at the Red Cow in Dublin.

A Cork event takes place this Thursday at 7.30pm at the Silver Springs Hotel. Events in Waterford, Galway, Athlone, Monaghan, and Limerick will follow.