Half of new jobs filled by immigrant workers in 2006

[Sinead]

Half of new jobs filled by immigrant workers in 2006



The Irish market continued to offer huge potential to immigrant workers in 2006. Over 44,000 of the 86,000 new jobs created in 2006 were filled by immigrant workers.

Irish job growth is surging ahead of the US and Germany at twice to three times their pace and almost 5 times that of the UK.

The areas of biggest growth continue to be construction (28,400) and health care (18,700) while financial services (15,000) and education (11,000) were also very strong.

Foreign workers continued to replace Irish workers in the restaurant and hotel industry as 8000 foreign workers entered and 7000 Irish people left the industry.

60pc of the men joining the workforce found work in construction while 80pc of the new healthcare work was taken by women. The Central Statistics Office believes a third of these new healthcare jobs are in the private sector.

While there have been some high profile manufacturing closures making the news, manufacturing employment made an increase of 3,700.

Non-nationals now account for over 10pc of the Irish workforce. It is believed the census figures due in March will reveal that close to 350,000 adult non-nationals are working in the country.