- Home » Expat News » Irish skills shortage prompts calls for expats to return home
Irish skills shortage prompts calls for expats to return home
| Published: | 19 Dec at 6 PM |
Want to get involved?
Become a Featured Expat and take our interview.
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Become a Local Expert and contribute articles.
Get in touch today!
Due to its present-day booming economy, Ireland is now short of skilled workers in a number of sectors.
Irish recruitment agencies are having a hard time filling vacancies in the IT, construction, healthcare and financial sectors due to high levels of professionals leaving the country during the economic downturn after the 2008 financial crash. Estimates show around 100,000 Irish nationals emigrated to Australia during that time, with Canada, the USA and New Zealand also receiving a huge influx. Although statistics for 2017 show more Irish returnees than leavers, it’s still not enough to solve the growing skills shortage.
Recruitment agencies are working overtime to get positions filled, with some even promising potential emigrant candidates living overseas a free flight home. According to one agency’s CEO, the total lack of opportunities following the financial crash forced qualified, educated professionals to emigrate to further their careers, many of whom are now happily settled in their adopted countries.
Agencies are now setting up recruitment fairs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in an attempt to persuade Irish expats to consider returning home. At the present time, doctors and nurses are urgently required, with some 250 positions needing to be filled by the beginning of 2019, an impossibility at this late date. The construction industry is also desperately searching for qualified, experienced staff, as Ireland’s booming economy is now reflected in the number of new estates, factories, public service buildings and other developments either on the drawing board or already under construction.
Irish recruitment agencies are having a hard time filling vacancies in the IT, construction, healthcare and financial sectors due to high levels of professionals leaving the country during the economic downturn after the 2008 financial crash. Estimates show around 100,000 Irish nationals emigrated to Australia during that time, with Canada, the USA and New Zealand also receiving a huge influx. Although statistics for 2017 show more Irish returnees than leavers, it’s still not enough to solve the growing skills shortage.
Recruitment agencies are working overtime to get positions filled, with some even promising potential emigrant candidates living overseas a free flight home. According to one agency’s CEO, the total lack of opportunities following the financial crash forced qualified, educated professionals to emigrate to further their careers, many of whom are now happily settled in their adopted countries.
Agencies are now setting up recruitment fairs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in an attempt to persuade Irish expats to consider returning home. At the present time, doctors and nurses are urgently required, with some 250 positions needing to be filled by the beginning of 2019, an impossibility at this late date. The construction industry is also desperately searching for qualified, experienced staff, as Ireland’s booming economy is now reflected in the number of new estates, factories, public service buildings and other developments either on the drawing board or already under construction.
Comments » No published comments just yet for this article...
Feel free to have your say on this item. Go on... be the first!
