Actually much much easier!
At work, I've often had clearances when somewhere over the Med "direct ALESO" (UK FIR). Over Canada last week we got cleared direct to the US entry point which was over 1,000nm away.
Went IFR from Fairoaks to Plymouth recently and after Farnborough handed me over to London, they said "do you have ERMIN in your nav box?". When I replied they cleared me direct to it and after a few seconds looking for it on my chart (it wasn't there), I discovered it was the IAF for Plymouth on the approach plate about 130nm away.
IFR is much much easier!