A delegation from western Canada is visiting Dublin this week in an effort to recruit thousands of workers for the construction and related trades.

The delegation, which includes representatives of the British Columbia Construction Association, Alberta Construction Association and senior officials from the British Columbian Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation hope to identify sources of skilled labour.



The delegation will beholding talks with the Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs, the Department

of Education and Skills, Fás, the Construction Industry Federation, the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, the Dublin Institute of Technology and the National Apprenticeship Advisory Committee of Fás.



It will also be attending the Dublin Working Abroad Expo/Jobs Fair next week.



They are a projected 335,000 job opportunities arising in British Columbia and Alberta between now and 2014, especially in construction. The biggest demand relates to carpenters, electricians, welders, plumbers, heavy equipment operators and millwrights.



Canada differs from many countries seeking workers abroad in that it encourages long term inward

migration by specified groups and facilitates family settlement.

Meanwhile, up to 1,800 jobs are to be created in private and voluntary nursing homes this year, it has emerged.



The representative body for the sector, Nursing Homes Ireland, today urged staff who either have or will retire from the public health service before pension changes come into effect next week to consider employment opportunities that may exist in nursing homes.



It urged people seeking employment to contact members of Nursing Home Ireland in their locality to see what opportunities were available.



It said that details of jobs to be created in the sector had emerged from a survey of more than 400 private and voluntary nursing homes which was undertaken last month. It said 50 per cent of nursing homes had responded to the survey.



Amongst the findings were:



· 69 homes indicated they expected to create employment for 1,881 people during 2012



· 61 homes expected that collectively 1,440 jobs would be created during the construction of new buildings/extensions during 2012



· 60 homes (28.2 per cent) of 213 respondents planned on creating additional capacity at their nursing home during 2012



· 36 homes (17.5 per cent) of 206 respondents were planning a new build during 2012



Nursing Homes Ireland said the job creation plans reflected increased demand for long-term residential care and comes during a period of severe economic pressure for private and voluntary nursing home providers.



More than 4,300 staff including nearly 2,00 nurses either have already or will leave the public health services before pension changes are introduced by the Government from the end of month. Staff retiring before that date will see their pensions and retirement lump sums based on the salaries that applied before pay cuts were introduced over recent years.