Majority of emigrants find moving overseas tougher than expected

Most Irish emigrants who have headed for pastures new in recent years have found life more difficult than they initially expected, with factors such as finding a place to live, a job and homesickness among the problems encountered.

Social care agency Crosscare Migrant Project conducted a survey of 500 Irish people who moved overseas between 2009 and 2014 and discovered that 64 per cent were surprised at how tough their first month in their new country had been. Meanwhile, just 11 per cent said their initial experience had been even better than they had hoped for.

The most common problem when moving to one of the 53 countries included in the survey was finding employment, with troubles adapting to new surroundings, making new friends and the financial implications of getting used to higher living costs and paying rent while waiting to be paid for the first month’s work also factored in.

Dublin-based Crosscare’s findings were incorporated into the website of the Dublin Archdiocese, which monitors the mental health and wellbeing of Irish emigrants as well as offering advice to Irish citizens abroad.

A third of respondents admitted that being away from family and friends was the biggest wrench, while 72 per cent said the experienced homesickness at least once a month. Fourteen per cent suffered from homesickness on a daily basis, while five claimed they never missed home at all.