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Ireland gains strength among Brazilians seeking study, legal work, and an international career, amidst the presence of multinationals, specific rules for foreign students, and a Brazilian community that already ranks among the largest in Europe, according to official data and diplomatic estimates.
With migration rules considered accessible for students, a strong presence of multinationals, and a national minimum wage of €14.15 per hour for adult workers since January 1, 2026, Ireland has established itself as one of the main routes for Brazilians seeking to study, work legally, and build a professional career in Europe.
In official data and diplomatic estimates, the progress appears consistently: the Central Statistics Office of Ireland recorded 125.3 thousand immigrants in the 12-month period ending in April 2025, the fourth consecutive cycle above 100 thousand arrivals in the country.
Among Brazilians, the growth is also significant, as the Irish census recorded 13,640 residents in 2016, while the 2022 survey pointed to 39,556 people born in Brazil living in the country.
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In July 2025, the Itamaraty reported that about 80 thousand Brazilians lived in Ireland, a contingent that placed the country as the seventh largest Brazilian community in Europe, according to the diplomatic estimate.
The change in profile helps explain why Ireland is no longer seen just as an exchange destination and has started to attract English students, technology professionals, service workers, families, entrepreneurs, and Brazilians seeking a regular entry into the European market.
Six years ago, Leandro Molina, now 34 years old, left São Paulo for Dublin after receiving a job offer in technology at a big tech company, a move that opened up a concrete opportunity for him to live outside Brazil with a professional contract and the prospect of an international career.
“I came with an offer, but most Brazilians who come here end up coming because of the ease of getting a visa, because it’s very easy to take an English course and end up getting a job, staying in the country,” says Molina.
In another journey, journalist Caroline Sassatelli, 36 years old, arrived in Ireland in 2022 to study English, returned to Brazil, and decided to come back with her husband for a new season, now in Galway, a city in the west of the country.
“Everything here is very safe and, even in jobs outside our area, we have good purchasing power, because, among European countries, the minimum wage here is one of the best,” says Caroline.
For those leaving Brazil, the climate appears as one of the main adaptations, and Caroline states that the frequent rain weighs on the routine, although she sees compensations in public safety and the country’s natural landscapes.
Study and legal work increase interest in Ireland
Among the factors that explain the popularity of Ireland among Brazilians is the work permit granted to foreign students under the Stamp 2, an authorization that allows them to balance course and employment within limits defined by local rules.
This authorization allows working up to 20 hours per week during the academic period and up to 40 hours weekly from June to September and between December 15 and January 15.
In practice, the model allows English students to have contact with the local market while taking the course, making the experience an initial step for those trying for a longer stay through qualified employment, new education, or family planning.
Leonardo Leão, CEO and founder of Leao Group, an international legal consultancy that guides Brazilians in migration processes, states that Ireland has gathered factors that weigh in the decision of those intending to leave the country.
“Ireland managed to unite factors that are extremely relevant for Brazilians today, such as the possibility of studying and working legally. Additionally, it has a thriving market, a globally valued language, and easy access to the rest of Europe,” he states.
In the consultant’s assessment, the migration project has become more planned, as moving to another country is no longer just an attempt to change life but involves career, international mobility, and medium-term family decisions.
Multinationals boost jobs for foreigners
With the presence of global companies, Dublin and other Irish cities have gained relevance on the international business map, especially in sectors related to technology, life sciences, financial services, and advanced manufacturing.
The Irish government reports that more than 1,800 multinationals operate in the country, in areas that include names like Google, Meta, and Pfizer, which helps sustain the demand for foreign professionals at different qualification levels.
In the capital, these companies maintain strategic structures: Google has its European headquarters in Dublin, while Meta inaugurated a campus in Ballsbridge in 2023, pointed out by the company itself as an international headquarters, with more than 2,000 full-time employees.
This environment strengthens the search for foreign professionals, especially in technology, engineering, health, marketing, and finance, although the demand is not limited to highly specialized positions.
Sectors such as hospitality, logistics, and construction also absorb immigrants and maintain a constant demand for labor, according to Leonardo Leão.
“There is also a constant demand in hospitality, logistics, and construction,” states Leonardo Leão.
By combining qualified jobs, service work, and the possibility of studying English, Ireland has started to attract a variety of Brazilian profiles, from young people at the beginning of their careers to experienced professionals and families seeking professional repositioning and internationalization.
Ireland advances outside the traditional axis of the United States
Amid stricter immigration rules in countries traditionally sought by Brazilians, especially the United States, there has been an increased search for alternative destinations that offer a valued language, active job market, and legal paths for residency.
For Leão, this scenario contributes to the redirection, but does not alone explain the Irish rise.
“Without a doubt, there has been an increased interest in international alternatives outside the traditional American axis,” says the consultant.
According to him, Ireland stands out because it combines real economic opportunity, English language, access to the European Union, and legal paths for residency, a combination that has made the country more competitive among Brazilians previously concentrated in North America, Portugal, or the United Kingdom.
Despite the progress, the change requires caution, as Ireland faces high housing costs, competition for accommodations in major centers, and pressure on public services, factors that make planning essential before the trip.
Cost of moving requires financial reserve
Even with rules considered more accessible, the move requires a financial reserve and prior assessment of course costs, insurance, financial proof, and settlement in the first months, especially for those arriving through exchange programs with work permission.
According to Leonardo Leão, such a project usually demands an initial investment between € 8,000 and € 15,000, although professional or family processes may cost more depending on the type of visa, family size, chosen city, and the time needed for stabilization in the country.
When required, financial proof remains a relevant step in certain migration categories, alongside meeting the formal requirements set by Irish authorities.
“Success today depends less on luck and more on strategy and strict compliance with the requirements,” says Leão.
The experience of Brazilians like Molina and Caroline shows two common entry points: direct hiring by international companies and exchange programs with work authorization.
In both paths, residency depends on migration regularity, adaptation to the local market, and the ability to sustain the project outside Brazil, factors that need to be considered before the decision to move.
Increasingly less associated with an improvised decision, Ireland appears as a planned mobility destination for Brazilians seeking study, work, English, and connection with Europe, although the project also requires financial calculation, attention to visa rules, and willingness to face high costs in housing and cultural adaptation.
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