Ireland may be benefiting from shift in jobseekers following Brexit

Increased interest from EU workers in sectors like media, linguistics, beauty and the arts

Sectors like media and communications, linguistics, the arts and beauty and wellness are seeing rising interest from EU jobseekers who may have previously been drawn to the UK. Picture: iStock

Job seekers from other EU countries are showing an increased interest in positions in Ireland, indicating a potential shift away from interest in working in the UK post-Brexit. 

Data from jobs website Indeed shows an increased interest in roles in Ireland in areas like media, pharmacy and the social sciences, but a decline for the UK. Many of these are roles where jobseekers could find it harder to obtain work visas under the UK’s new immigration regime, which ends freedom of movement and requires applicants to meet certain skill and salary thresholds.

Since the start of 2021, there has been increased EU interest in media and communications jobs in Ireland. The share of clicks on jobs in this category from jobseekers located in the rest of the EU has risen by 3.4 percentage points compared with the same period one year ago. By contrast, the UK has seen a slight decline (-0.2 ppts). Media and communications includes roles such as content moderators, speakers and digital designers.

Social science jobs have also seen higher EU interest (+1.6 ppts), a category which includes linguist, archivist and psychologist jobs. There have also been uplifts for beauty & wellness, arts & entertainment, pharmacy, sales, sports, childcare, food preparation & service and real estate jobs.

Jack Kennedy, Economist at Indeed said Brexit was a somewhat overlooked event in an extremely tumultuous year but has the potential to have even longer lasting effects on the Irish labour market. 

"With the UK’s migration policy pivoting post-Brexit, Ireland may stand to benefit. Sectors like media and communications, linguistics, the arts and beauty and wellness are seeing rising interest from EU jobseekers who may have previously been drawn to the UK.” 

“Looking at the hoped for recovery and jobs market post Covid, data shows job postings in Ireland down less than the UK compared to a year ago. However the faster pace of the UK vaccination programme may see its labour market recover quicker in the coming months.”