Skilled Workers In Ireland Recruited By Canadian Companies

Canadian companies are taking advantage of Ireland’s economy, which reeling from a prolonged financial crisis, by actively recruiting skilled workers.

The Star Phoenix newspaper in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Ca., reports that at least 26 firms from the province were taking a trip to attend the Working Abroad Expo in Dublin, Ireland, and then traveling to Cork for a job fair.

According to Star Phoenix story, the companies have “about 275 jobs available, including long haul truck drivers, welders, electricians, engineers, nurses, doctors, heavy-duty mechanics, construction laborers and machinists.”

Firms from Saskatchewan aren’t alone in the hunt for Irish skilled workers.

As many 80,000 jobs in British Columbia could be filled by Irish construction workers, a delegation from western Canada which is visiting Ireland the week of 27 February 2012 told The Irish Times.

The Irish Times reports:

Manley MacLachlan, president of the British Columbia Construction Association, which represents over 2,000 companies, said yesterday there was “a world of opportunities” for suitable workers in the western province.

Mr MacLachlan is one of an 11-strong delegation that has travelled to Ireland from British Columbia and Alberta to find skilled labour to help fill thousands of vacancies in the construction and related trades. The British Columbia ministry of jobs, tourism and innovation is also represented.

A number of politicians and members of business organizations are reportedly joining the Saskatchewan trip. The Saskatchewan entourage includes Saskatchewan’s Premier Brad Wall.

Canadian immigration officials are going along on the trip to help facilitate hiring Irish employees. Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Rob Norris is on the trip along with and other government officials as well as members of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and the Regina Chamber of Commerce.

Saskatoon Chamber executive director Kent Smith-Windsor told The Star Phoenix that they will meet with their counterparts from Dublin and Cork to explore opportunities for Saskatchewan businesses in Ireland and showcase prospects for Irish firms to do business in Saskatchewan.

Ireland’s unemployment was 14.2% as of January 2012, and is expected to rise as the economic fallout from the country’s financial crisis, now in its fourth year, continues to wreak havoc.

According to Statistics Canada, the Saskatchewan unemployment rate for January 2012 was 5.1%, up 0.4 percentage points from the December 2011 rate of 4.7% but 0.5 percentage points lower than January 2011 rate of 5.6%.

Saskatchewan Employers recruiting in Ireland

1. Alliance Energy
2. Allnorth Consultants Limited,
3. Ardel Steel
4. Brandt Industries
5. Double Diamond Structures
6. First Canada ULC
7. Health Careers in Saskatchewan
8. Industrial Machine & Mfg. Inc.
9. ISM
10. JayDee AgTech,
11. JNE Welding,
12. K&R Dahl Contracting,
13. Kelly Panteluk Construction Ltd.,
14. Kelsey Group of Companies,
15. Korpan Tractor,
16. Loblaws, Midwest Truck Centre & CLL Holdings,
17. Monad Industrial Constructors Inc. (PCL),
18. Morris Industries,
19. Novlan Brothers Partnership,
20. Oakley Mechanical,
21. Redhead Equipment,
22. Sandpiper Truck Services,
23. saskdocs,
24. SaskPower,
25. Thermal Systems,
26. Young’s Equipment Inc.