Ireland is a country that has perhaps witnessed the highest emigration. Over 12% of all Americans claim Irish descent, in case of Canada it’s 14%, and Australia and New Zealand (where the figures are not available) also flaunt the same lineage. Famines and wars were once upon a time the cause of Irish emigrants. The emigration was active up to the ‘70s. Now the reverse is becoming true. People from former East Bloc, especially the Poles, are moving to Ireland in large numbers seeking greener pastures. Ireland has two entities: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland is the part to which immigrants can hope to migrate. What is of significance is the historic Irish and English rivalry. Northern Ireland has been the bone of contention between the two peoples. With the historic handshake of Irish Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Queen Elizabeth in Belfast in June 2012, the historic baggage has been formally put behind. The Irish, not having a language of their own, have come to master English: James Joyce. There is the Irish language but this need not detain prospective migrants because only 10% speak the Irish language. Great writers such as Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, who on landing in the US famously declared, “I have nothing but my intelligence to declare,” and Samuel Beckett. What all this means is one must be good in English to Migrate to Ireland. Visit or study visas are no help for Ireland immigration. If you wish to be one of The Dubliners, the title of a famous novel by Joyce, you need to seek a work permit. Ireland too has a green card, and it’s something like the US H1B, which is for the highly skilled people. However, the Irish have development plans clearly spelt out till 2020. They have skill shortages, wherein many of the positions may have to be filled out by overseas candidates. Ireland faces acute skill shortages in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The Ireland Immigration Requirements demand a residency card which allows one to stay in the country for more than 3 months and it will permit you to visit abroad without the need for a re-entry visa. A stay in the country for 5 x 365 days in a period of 8 years is a precondition for naturalization. The prospective migrants to Ireland can also take advantage of two new immigration initiatives – the Immigrant Investor Programme and the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme. The scheme announced by the Ministry of Justice, Equality and Defence allows investors to reside in the country for saving or creating jobs.
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