More than 2,000 people from overseas were granted the right to work in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council area in a 12-month period.
According to the most recent figures, the number of foreign nationals being granted National Insurance numbers in the UK has risen sharply.
NI numbers provide from from abroad the right to study or work in the UK upon arrival.
The figures have been released by the Department of Work and Pensions.
They cover the period between July 2014 and the end of June this year.
In Armagh, 519 people moving to the UK from abroad were granted National Insurance numbers. And that represents an increase of 52.6% on the 340 for the previous 12 month period.
In Banbridge, 146 were granted National Insurance numbers – up 49% on the 98 of the year before.
The highest rate of increase was in Craigavon, where 1503 registered for National Insurance – that’s a rise of 85.8% on the 809 between July 2013 and June 2014.
Collectively, the figures – which overlap the formation of the new ABC Council in April – represents a total of 2168.
In the former Newry and Mourne District Council area, the number of NI numbers issued over the same period was 1050. That’s up by just over a third – 34.4% – on the 781 registered between July 2013 and June 2014.
Across the UK as a whole, the number of overseas workers registered to work at the end on June this year was 917,404 – up 62% on the 565,682 of the previous 12 month period.
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