51% would move overseas if jobless

MORE than half of Irish people surveyed would emigrate if they lost their job – well below the level in other countries.

In France 80% would move away if they became redundant while in Germany 75% said they would. In China just 35% said they would emigrate if they lost their job.

A survey by recruitment firm Berkley among job seekers also found that 56% of Irish people would return to education in such a scenario, which is by far the highest percentage among the nine countries in the survey.