LinkedIn Reveals Sharp Decline in Irish Professionals Moving to UK as ‘Brexit Effect’ Sees Britain Lose Talent

• Number of Irish professionals migrating to UK declines by 37%, the biggest decrease of all EU states
• LinkedIn data shows an overall fall of 26% in professional migration into the UK from the EU over the past year
• The UK became a net exporter of talent to the EU in Q1 2018
• Recruiters and HR professionals in the UK say the sectors most impacted by Brexit are healthcare, manufacturing, construction, finance and education

The UK has become a country that loses talent to the European Union, according to Linkedin’s April Workforce Report, which examines job movement across the professional networking site’s 24 million members in the UK.

The April Workforce Report data showed that the fall in professional migration from the EU can be seen across all EU 27 nations, including the EU 15 – the union’s member states before 2004 enlargement. Of the EU 27 nations, the LinkedIn report shows that the number of Irish professionals moving to the UK has fallen the most since the Brexit vote, with professional migration down 37%.

The decline in Irish professionals migrating to the UK comes despite the common travel area and right to work that predates both countries’ membership of the EU, and decades of Irish professionals moving to the UK.  However, against the backdrop of ongoing uncertainty about the UK’s future relationship with the European Union, and a thriving economy at home, fewer  Irish professionals are choosing to seek out opportunities in the United Kingdom.

The UK saw a net outflow of professionals to the 27 member nations of the EU (EU 27) in Q1 2018 as fewer EU27 resident professionals moved to Britain, and more professionals in the UK head for the EU27. Migration from EU27 nations into the UK has been falling steadily since the referendum vote and is down 26% over the last year.

The LinkedIn Workforce Report is designed to provide members, businesses and policymakers with evidence-based insights into the changing shape of the UK workforce. This month the report includes the results of an independent Recruiter Sentiment survey that gauges UK-based in-house and agency recruiters’ confidence in their ability to fill available roles.

Commenting on the report, Sharon McCooey, Head of LinkedIn Ireland, said: “We spotted a change last year when the flow of migration between the UK and Ireland reversed. With these new insights, we can reveal the scale of the change. The sharp fall in Irish professionals seeking opportunities in the United Kingdom likely reflects two things: concerns around Brexit for Irish professionals, and – more happily – the real strength of the economy here in Ireland, which is creating rewarding jobs and attracting talent from around the world.”