Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people, surveyed 1,199 individuals with a construction background in June 2010 to examine to what extent the lack of building activity in Ireland has driven people abroad. The key findings from the report were:
Within the last three years 29 per cent of construction professionals based in Ireland have emigrated to find work.
42 per cent of the respondents have left Ireland without their families, a circumstance which makes this transition abroad even more difficult but leaves us hopeful that they will return when work picks 21 per cent left for the UK, 23 per cent for another European country, 15 per cent for Australasia and 13 per cent for the Middle East.
Over half (51 per cent) of those who have moved away from Ireland said that they believe the quality of life is better where they now reside.
When asked about the revival of the industry, seven in ten are not confident that the Irish construction industry will recover in the next three years.
72 per cent of architects, engineers and construction management professionals still living in Ireland plan to move in the next three years if there are no signs of improvement.
For a PDF copy of the Construction Migration Survey results, please click here.