Demand for Australian visas rises 44%

THE numbers of young Irish people seeking working holiday visas for Australia has increased by 44% since 2005 when this country had near full employment.

Figures from the Australian Embassy also show a near three-fold increase in the past two years in the number of Irish whoapplied to have their year- long visa extended for another year. Over the past year, 21,727 peopleapplied for a second-year visa compared to 7,790 in 2006-2007.

These figures come after the ESRI forecast in recent days that 40,000 people will emigrate next year, as unemployment is likely to hit 16.1%.

Meanwhile, figures from the Canadian Embassy also show that a sharp increase in people seeking temporary and permanent visas.

According to statistics from its website, there were 2,886 Irish people working in Canada at the end of 2008 compared with just 1,559 in 2004 and 1,633 in 2005.

The embassy has recorded a “steady increase” in people seeking permanent emigration in Canada with 493 Irish permanent there last year compared with 244 in 2005.

Union of Students in Ireland vice president Hugh Sullivan said emigration became the reality for many students who had completed postgraduate degrees last year and couldn’t face joining the Irish dole queues.

“There are a lot of people going to the UK, Canada and the States. Job prospects in the UK are much better than what they are here if you are working in the financial services. There are no real job creation initiatives being put in place in this country,” he said.

Mr Sullivan, who graduated with a degree in management science from Trinity College, expects to go to Britain when his tenure with USI ends.

“There are jobs in the UK in public sector consultancy while there is nothing at all here. In my role as vice president, I deal with the Department of Education on a weekly basis but there isn’t a chance of me getting a job with them afterwards. In contrast, the education departments in England and Scotland have asked for my CV,” he said.

“I’m disappointed that I have little choice but to move away, but I’m not angry. There is a lack of governmental ambition in this country and so we have little choice but to go,” he said.