Over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland

Ireland: Over-qualification rates by country of birth was 27.1 in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
27.1
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
4th
of 35 countries
All-time high
33.7
in 1997
All-time low
24.5
in 2000
Years of data
30
1995–2025

Over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland, 1995–2025

01020301995201020251995: 30.81996: 33.21997: 33.71999: 24.82000: 24.52001: 25.32002: 25.92003: 26.52004: 27.22005: 302006: 30.82007: 30.22008: 302009: 29.32010: 28.92011: 30.12012: 28.92013: 30.22014: 29.82015: 29.22016: 28.62017: 29.42018: 29.62019: 302020: 29.52021: 28.62022: 28.42023: 282024: 27.42025: 27.1

Source: Eurostat.

Analysis

The most recent figure for over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland is 27.1, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 7.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland peaked at 33.7 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 24.5, in 2000.

That places Ireland 4th out of 35 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

Over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland, 1995 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1995 30.8
1996 33.2 +7.8%
1997 33.7 +1.5%
1999 24.8 -26.4%
2000 24.5 -1.2%
2001 25.3 +3.3%
2002 25.9 +2.4%
2003 26.5 +2.3%
2004 27.2 +2.6%
2005 30 +10.3%
2006 30.8 +2.7%
2007 30.2 -1.9%
2008 30 -0.7%
2009 29.3 -2.3%
2010 28.9 -1.4%
2011 30.1 +4.2%
2012 28.9 -4.0%
2013 30.2 +4.5%
2014 29.8 -1.3%
2015 29.2 -2.0%
2016 28.6 -2.1%
2017 29.4 +2.8%
2018 29.6 +0.7%
2019 30 +1.4%
2020 29.5 -1.7%
2021 28.6 -3.1%
2022 28.4 -0.7%
2023 28 -1.4%
2024 27.4 -2.1%
2025 27.1 -1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 30.62 24.8 33.7 4
2000s 27.97 24.5 30.8 10
2010s 29.47 28.6 30.2 10
2020s 28.17 27.1 29.5 6

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 1 Spain 33.8 compare
  2. 1 Türkiye 36.1 compare
  3. 2 Greece 31.2 compare
  4. 3 Cyprus 27.4 compare
  5. 5 Austria 26 compare
  6. 6 United Kingdom 25.3 compare
  7. 7 Estonia 24.4 compare

See the full ranking of 38 places →

More population data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland?
Over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland was 27.1 in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest over-qualification rates by country of birth recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 33.7 in 1997.
What is the lowest over-qualification rates by country of birth recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 24.5 in 2000.
How does Ireland rank for over-qualification rates by country of birth?
Ireland ranks 4th out of 35 countries with data for 2025.
Is over-qualification rates by country of birth rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Over-qualification rates by country of birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Over-qualification rates by country of birth in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/over-qualification-rates-by-country-of-birth/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Over-qualification rates by country of birth
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
38 places, 1,011 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed