Irish nationals working in Ireland earn significantly more each week than their non-national colleagues, with substantial pay gaps emerging across different nationalities, according to new Central Statistics Office data.
Irish workers recorded median weekly earnings of €762.72 compared to €672.76 for non-nationals, though the figures reveal striking variations among different countries of origin.
Indian nationals topped the earnings table at €876.04 weekly, followed by UK citizens at €780, while Ukrainian workers earned the lowest median income at €498.77 per week. Brazilian nationals earned €563.69 weekly.
CSO statistician Darragh Turner attributed part of the Irish-non-Irish pay gap to demographic differences, noting Irish nationals have “much greater age spread across all sectors” with more workers in lower-paid younger and older age groups.
“26.4% of employments among Irish nationals were in the 15-24 years and 60-and-over age group, compared with 13.0% for non-Irish nationals,” Turner explained.
Sector concentration plays a crucial role in earnings disparities. One-third of Indian nationals work in health and social care, while 25.3% of Ukrainians are employed in accommodation and food services. Nearly half of Brazilian workers are concentrated in wholesale, retail, and hospitality sectors, all paying below the national median of €730.89.
The technology sector offers the highest rewards across nationalities, with UK nationals earning €1,539.90 weekly, Indians €1,512.82, and Spaniards €1,491.42.
Ireland’s employment landscape has transformed dramatically over five years, with Ukrainian employment surging 1,122%, Indian workers increasing 242.9%, and Brazilian employment rising 73.3%. Conversely, Polish and Lithuanian employment declined 5.4% and 4.0% respectively.