Tech sector 'forced to recruit abroad'
Software and technology companies are being forced to look abroad for new staff, according to a report.
Despite the fact that there are nearly half a million unemployed in Ireland, new statistics from the Department of Enterprise show that some of the country's biggest firms imported hundreds of workers from outside the EU between January and October this year.
A report in the Sunday Times says that Google granted 113 new work visas and 16 renewals in that time.
Other well-known multinationals that granted visas this year were Facebook, Dell, IBM and Microsoft.
The Department of Enterprise only allows a visa when it is satisfied that the company has first made a genuine attempt to fill the vacancy within the EU.
