Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises in Ireland

Ireland: Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises was 27.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
27.3%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
5th
of 36 countries
All-time high
29.6%
in 2020
All-time low
8.6%
in 2016
Years of data
15
2008–2023

Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises in Ireland, 2008–2023

10152025302008201520232008: 21.3 Percentage of total2009: 22.4 Percentage of total2010: 23.5 Percentage of total2011: 22.7 Percentage of total2012: 23.3 Percentage of total2014: 25.2 Percentage of total2015: 18.2 Percentage of total2016: 8.6 Percentage of total2017: 22.2 Percentage of total2018: 26.6 Percentage of total2019: 26.4 Percentage of total2020: 29.6 Percentage of total2021: 28.2 Percentage of total2022: 27.3 Percentage of total2023: 27.3 Percentage of total

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage of total.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 27.3% for employment in foreign controlled enterprises in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment in foreign controlled enterprises in Ireland peaked at 29.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.6%, in 2016.

That places Ireland 5th out of 36 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises in Ireland, 2008 to 2023.
Year Percentage of total Change
2008 21.3% —
2009 22.4% +4.9%
2010 23.5% +5.2%
2011 22.7% -3.4%
2012 23.3% +2.5%
2014 25.2% +8.3%
2015 18.2% -27.9%
2016 8.6% -53.0%
2017 22.2% +159.6%
2018 26.6% +19.8%
2019 26.4% -0.9%
2020 29.6% +12.1%
2021 28.2% -4.6%
2022 27.3% -3.0%
2023 27.3% -0.2%

Ireland compared with similar countries

  • Ireland's 27.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 20.2%, 1.3× the median. (27 countries reporting)
  • Ireland's 27.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 20.2%, 1.4× the median. (28 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises in Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2017 +159.6% 8.6% 22.2%
2016 -53.0% 18.2% 8.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 21.8% 21.3% 22.4% 2
2010s 21.9% 8.6% 26.6% 9
2020s 28.1% 27.3% 29.6% 4

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 2 Slovakia 28.0% compare
  2. 2 Slovakia 28.0% compare
  3. 4 Czechia 27.5% compare
  4. 6 Romania 26.9% compare
  5. 7 Estonia 24.7% compare
  6. 7 Estonia 24.7% compare

See the full ranking of 37 places →

More work & labour data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment in foreign controlled enterprises in Ireland?
Employment in foreign controlled enterprises in Ireland was 27.3% in 2023, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest employment in foreign controlled enterprises recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 29.6% in 2020.
What is the lowest employment in foreign controlled enterprises recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 8.6% in 2016.
How does Ireland rank for employment in foreign controlled enterprises?
Ireland ranks 5th out of 36 countries with data for 2023.
Is employment in foreign controlled enterprises rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-in-foreign-controlled-enterprises/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment in Foreign Controlled Enterprises
Unit
Percentage of total
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
37 places, 571 data points, 2008–2023
Last refreshed