Total labour force up 19% since 2019 driven by migration 

Total employment in the Irish economy increased by 19% since the end of 2019, driven by an increase in migration as well as the proportion of older people in the workforce increasing, new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows.

As of the end of 2025, the number of people employed in the State stood at 2.8 million — up from 2.4 million at the end of 2019. The CSO noted changing demographics — including fewer births and an ageing population — could have “implications for future labour supply”.

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