Ireland's loss is now undoubtedly Australia's gain – at least according to the recent figures suggesting the Irish 'brain drain' is positively impacting the largest country in the South Pacific.

While Australia has been the subject of emigration for many decades, primarily to Britain, the trend has seemingly reversed with British and Irish workers fleeing their own financial crises at home for Down Under.

Ireland’s economic crash has seen a mass exodus of its most highly skilled and well-educated citizens.

Researchers John Gibson and David McKenzie of the World Bank set out to track this 'brain drain.'  
Their report, according to The Australian, concluded "migrants earned far more than high academic achievers who stayed home".

For many of the Irish, moving away provides an income that they are not even able to find in Ireland in the wake of the Celtic Tiger’s death. Moreover, Australia has welcomed many of the Irish migrants who seek a better economic outlet than can be found at home.

Read more: Thousands of Irish leaving home for a better life in Australia

One point Gibson and McKenzie make as a result of their study, which may give hope to family members and friends of those who have made the big move abroad, is that migration does not necessarily spell out a permanent move. In fact, Gibson and McKenzie found that 30% of highly skilled emigrants returned home after a period of time.

Although Ireland has historically been a nation of emigrants, there is hope that its wild geese will soon flock home again. For now, however, it appears that Australia and other economically viable nations will continue to benefit from the Irish 'brain drain.'