Should I stay or should I go? Reasons for leaving Northern Ireland for study or work

Educational migration is a long-standing feature of Northern Ireland’s economy. In this new research Pivotal presents data from current students about reasons for leaving Northern Ireland for study elsewhere. The research also explored what might motivate people to return home after graduation or later in life.

In 2019 there were over 17,000 young people from Northern Ireland who were studying in Great Britain, with up to two-thirds deciding not to return after graduation. Pivotal suggests that the Executive should consider the positive impact policies to retain and regain some of these graduates could have on the economy in Northern Ireland.