Quality of life, short commutes and more disposable income reasons top talent are being drawn to the sunny South East
Over three-quarters of professionals who relocated have more disposal income – new survey shows
95% of respondents say their work/life balance has improved since moving to the South East
64% commute to work in less than 20 minutes and 75% find rental prices more reasonable now
A new survey has found that highly skilled professionals from all over the world are moving to the South East for a better work/life balance, career opportunities, shorter commutes to work, lower living costs and more disposable income.
The South East Relocation Survey, released today (Wednesday, July 4, 2018) was carried out by National Recruitment & HR Services Group Collins McNicholas in conjunction with IDA Ireland.
Kilkenny Castle
The report included responses from workers who have relocated from 20 different countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Spain, the US, the UK and beyond.
A massive 95% of respondents say they now have a better balance between their working and home lives.
Since relocating to the South East — 86% have a work commute that is less than 40 minutes and 64% now have a commute less than 20 minutes.
Interestingly, while 41.07% of those who moved back were originally from the South East, some 33% relocated from outside of Ireland.
When asked about the factors that influenced their move to the South East, 86.36% cited a better quality of life while some 51% referenced being closer to family and friends.
Dungarvan Harbour, Waterford
The other main reasons given were: career opportunities, lower property prices, a reduced cost of living, less traffic and a safer environment.
Among the survey’s other key findings were:
The South East attracts highly-skilled professionals with 90% holding a Level 7 Ordinary Degree qualification
53% have progressed their career and moved to a more senior role since relocating to the region
64% of people who relocated are working in Waterford
Over three-quarters of respondents have an increase in disposable income since relocating to the South East
89% have bought or would consider buying property in the region
75% find rental prices more reasonable compared to where they lived before.
Waterford City
Rory Walsh, Collins McNicholas, Cork and South East Regional Manager said:
“The South East of Ireland is a popular and increasingly sought after relocation choice for people seeking a better quality of life, standard of living and increased disposable income.
In IDA client companies alone, there was a 9.2% increase in employment in the South East Region during 2017 – the highest growth rate of any region in Ireland, including Dublin.
The reason we carried out this survey was to gain an insight into the specific motivations of the numbers of professionals who have relocated and to gain a better understanding of the quality of life and career impact since making this transition.”
The Hatch Lab, Gorey, Co. Wexford (Picture: Patrick Browne)
Brendan McDonald, Regional Manager, South-East, IDA Ireland said:
“Having moved back to the region last year after three years in the Midlands and two years in the West, I am delighted to be based back here. The region is home to 75 FDI companies employing circa 15,000 people and my role as IDA South East Regional Manager can take me from one end of the region to the other in any working day, a commute of less than 60 minutes, making the region very accessible.”
Yvonne Jones, President, Carlow Chamber of Commerce said:
“Short commutes and low childcare costs result in a much better quality of life than people might expect to experience elsewhere. This, coupled with significantly lower house prices means that Carlow and the South East, is a great choice particularly for young families who want to enjoy a good standard of living.”
Saltee Islands, Wexford
Tom Enright, Chief Executive, Wexford County Council said:
“In the South East Region, we are proud of the fact that many well-known international companies have chosen Wexford as their base and find it is an excellent place for their businesses to operate, prosper and grow. Our proximity — and improving connectivity — to Dublin and its international airport as well as to Cork and the South of the country is a huge advantage for the region. Yet the cost of living – and the cost of commercial property – is so much less than Dublin or Cork, helping businesses who locate here to be extremely competitive.”
