70% rise in Irish emigrants getting Australian approval

The number of Irish emigrants who received working visas to Australia surged by almost 70% last year.

New figures, released by Australia’s department of immigration and citizenship, reveal that Irish citizens are now the third-highest recipients of four-year temporary residence visas.

Irish people were granted 3,100 “primary 457 visas” — offered to skilled workers, and their dependents, sponsored by an Australian company — from July to Dec 31 last year.