What are the Job prospects in Ireland?
Job prospects in Ireland for International Students: The economy of one of the richest countries in the world, the Republic of Ireland can be described as a knowledge economy. This basically translates to an economy that puts emphasis on the application of knowledge to generate tangible and intangible value and focuses on financial services, technology, and life sciences. Ireland has often been termed as the country with the fastest-growing economy in the EU.
Ireland has over the years emerged as one of the leading study-abroad destinations among Indian students because of its world-class education and state-of-the-art infrastructure at the top universities in Ireland. Candidates are also drawn to its student-friendly policies that revolve around the following:
- flexible post-study work permits,
- part-time work options
- affordable cost of studying in Ireland and
- cost of living in Ireland.
Candidates are also drawn to its job market which provides equal opportunities to both international and national students to earn a livelihood and have a good standard of living. Ireland expects a 1.2 per cent growth in its GDP in 2024, contrary to its 3.2 per cent decline in GDP in 2023. Various industries have contributed to this growth which has significantly influenced the economy of Ireland.
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| MS in Ireland – University, Colleges, Courses, Fees & Eligibility |
Popular Job Sectors in Ireland in 2025
Broadly speaking, the job sector in Ireland can be classified into the following professions.
1. Primary Industries
Agriculture, mining, forestry, and fishing – the primary industries of Ireland, rely on its rich natural resources and account for 5% of the country’s GDP and employ about 8% of the total labour force.
2. Pharmaceutical and Medical Technology Industries
One of the fastest-growing industries, the pharmaceutical and medical technology industry of Ireland employs nearly 50,000 people and generates about 60 billion euros of export annually. High demand, steep competition, and emerging start-ups have led to this massive rise with the medical technology and research sector employing about 25,000 people and generating 9.4 billion euros annually.
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3. Software and ICT Industries
Ireland is home to over 200 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies including Facebook, Google, eBay, Amazon, LinkedIn, Twitter, PayPal, and Microsoft among others that employ over 35,000 people and generate about 35 billion euros annually. The software sector in Ireland generates over 16 billion euros annually and employs about 20,000 people.
4. Financial Service Industry
The Financial Service Industry sector employs nearly 35,000 people and generates an average of 2 billion euros in taxes. Bank of Ireland, AIB Bank, and Ulster Bank are leaders in the banking sector that are part of Ireland being one of the largest providers of wholesale financial services.
5. Export and Trade Industry
Ireland is one of the largest producers of Zinc and Lead – minerals that contribute greatly to Ireland’s export earnings. The country is also amongst the largest exporters of software-related goods, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.
In-demand Jobs in Ireland based on Skills Shortages
Even though the country is a home to several MNCs like Facebook, Apple, Google and Microsoft, it too faces skills shortages like any other country. Skills shortages produce the in-demand jobs for international students in Ireland and job seekers. Here is the list of in-demand jobs in Ireland based on skill shortages in the country.
- Healthcare: Nurses, healthcare assistants, and lecturers.
- Business and Finance field: financial advisers, risk & compliance professionals, accountants and business analysts
- IT: data analysts, app developers, software developers, IT support specialists and programmers.
- Teaching: Private schools and university teachers
- Creative design fields: publishers, designers and advertisers
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This was all about the job prospects in Ireland for international students. If you have any doubts, feel free to drop your queries in the comments below.
There are 25 Ireland universities for masters for international students. These universities offers master’s programme in multiple specializations like Computer Science, Engineering, General Medicine, Mathematics, Pharmacy, etc. We have mentioned the list of top universities in Ireland for Masters for international students below:
Ireland Universities for Masters | 1st Year Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
Trinity College Dublin the University of Dublin | INR 6 L - 52 L |
University College Dublin | INR 10 L - 56 L |
University College Cork | INR 9 L - 48 L |
University of Galway | INR 8 L - 48 L |
University of Limerick | INR 7 L - 26 L |
Maynooth University | INR 5 L - 24 L |
The following documents are required by the international students to study in Ireland:
- Academic Transcripts: Mark Sheets of Standard X, XII, and the bachelor’s degree (if applicable)
- Internet-based TOEFL or IELTS scores
- Two LORs from the previous employer/manager
- SOP
- Academic Resume
- Portfolio (in case of students applying for art and design courses or architecture programs)
- Others (Certificates/achievements at the state and national level and extracurricular activities)
- Proof of funds
- Health insurance
- A copy of your passport
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The choice to study MS in either Ireland or the UK depends on the preference of students. However, the cost of studying in Ireland is relatively lower than in the UK. Some of the factors that students should consider while deciding the study destination for MS are: