A Dublin-based recruitment firm is turning to Australia to fill vacancies here. Robert Walters Ireland will run recruitment shows in Melbourne and Sydney in the coming weeks to find employees for Irish companies.

Managing director Louise Campbell said the recruitment company had experienced a huge increase in demand from clients experiencing significant skill shortages in the areas of financial accounting, compliance, audit, funds and insurance.

She said employers were increasingly seeking professionals with specific skills, which often correspond with those that Irish professionals gain while on the one-year working holiday visa in Australia. “While we are holding the recruitment drives in Australia, we are predominantly looking for Irish people, as most of the roles are permanent positions. We will also meet with Australians seeking temporary work.”

She said the company had already placed a lot of Australians in temporary placements in investment banks here. “Australians are surprised when we ask them if they’d consider going to Ireland for a job. They think there are none here.”

The recruitment show will run in Melbourne from August 26th-28th and in Sydney from September 2nd-5th.

“We’re aiming to meet 300-400 people over the two weeks. If they are all returning home to Ireland, we should be able to place the vast majority of them.”

She said firms were experiencing a shortage of people with two years’ post-qualification experience in accountancy, compliance, funds and insurance. The UK-headquartered firm, which has offices in 24 countries, has already assisted a large number of Irish people who have returned home to secure employment, with some securing job offers before they arrive.

Among the companies it recruits for are Zurich, Standard Life, Realex Payments, Bank of Ireland, Permanent TSB, Sky, Pioneer Investments, Equinoxe and the Musgrave Group.