Blog: How EURES helps employers to recruit skilled workers

EURES was established by the European Commission as a co-operative network to facilitate the free movement of workers within the 28 EU countries plus Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

At any one time there are more than 1 million jobs across all EU/EEA countries and over 300,000 CVs available to employers on the EURES Job Mobility portal. With the help of EURES Targeted Mobility Schemes jobseekers can avail of interview and relocation grants when moving for work to another EU/EEA country and employers can benefit from recruitment and financial support when offering a job to a jobseeker from another European country. When having difficulties recruiting workers with specific skills, EURES Ireland can assist by providing a tailored recruitment service and offering additional supports under the EYE, ‘Experience Your Europe’ initiative, including the ‘Co-Sponsored Placement Programme’.

EURES (European Employment Services) is a network of more than 1,000 EURES advisers based across Europe available to assist employers by offering expert advice on recruiting in Europe for specialist or hard-to-fill vacancies. There are 16 EURES Advisers in Ireland, working together within the wider network to satisfy recruitment needs of Irish employers.

With the help of EURES Ireland, employers can advertise their jobs in all or a number of EU/EEA countries and participate at EURES Online or Onsite European Job Days in Ireland or Europe. Sector specific European wide recruitment projects can also be organised for individual employers if required.

EURES was established by the European Commission and it is based within Public Employment Services in all EU/EEA countries and therefore all EURES services are free of charge.

EURES Ireland ‘Experience Your Europe’ (EYE) programme aims to help jobseekers find work and to remove the barriers in taking up work or training opportunities in Europe by providing financial support towards travel to an interview, re-location, language training etc. It also offers assistance to employers who are having difficulty recruiting staff with specific skills required to work in their company. There are three schemes promoted under the EYE programme which offer a wide range of supports and financial benefits to jobseekers and employers (SMEs) in Ireland.

‘Your First EURES Job’ (aimed at jobseekers under 35) and ‘Reactivate’ (aimed at unemployed jobseekers over 35) make it easier to move for work or to employ a jobseeker from another EU/EEA country by covering the cost associated with the move (e.g. For jobseekers: Job interview allowance, Relocation allowance, Language course allowance; For employers: integration/ ‘on the job training’ allowance).

EYE ‘Co-Sponsored Placement Programme’ offers jobseekers an opportunity to upskill and gain experience through a work placement in another European country and supports Irish based companies with connections in Europe who are having difficulty recruiting workers with specific skills. Under ‘Co-Sponsored Placement Programme’ unemployed jobseekers aged under 30 can take up a work placement in Europe for up to 12 months. During this time the jobseeker is Co-Sponsored by EURES Ireland and the Employer offering the work placement.

The ‘Co- Sponsored Placement Programme’ may be of interest to Irish companies with branches or other business connections in Europe who are having difficulty recruiting staff with specific skills required to work in their company. For example companies with a demand for certain language skills or particular technical skills could participate in this programme. Some Irish employers or subcontractors could also consider this scheme as an alternative option to an apprenticeship. EURES Ireland is currently supporting placements for eight participants on a drywall lining training course.

As part of the programme EURES Ireland will source, select and support suitable candidates to match the needs of the company. Upon sourcing a suitable work placement  EURES Ireland will pay:

• A Jobseeker relocation allowance ( €635 to €1,270 depending on the country- subject to minimum    6 month placement);
• A weekly allowance of €205 per week for the duration of placement (supplemented by employer),
• Reimbursement of flight cost up to a maximum of €350,
• Language training allowance (If required).
• The time spent on the work placement in Europe counts towards the qualifying period for eligibility on the JobsPlus employer incentive scheme (www.jobsplus.ie )

On completion of the placement the jobseeker will be upskilled and meet the requirements to take up employment with the company in Ireland. Participation on these programmes greatly enhances the development and skills of those taking part and assists them in realising their full potential.

As a Member State of the European Union, Ireland is also part of one single European labour market with EURES providing information, recruitment (job-matching) services and other supports for the benefit of workers and employers as well as any citizen wishing to benefit from the principle of the free movement of persons within the EU/EEA countries. Any person wishing to avail of EURES services can visit www.euresireland.ie for more information on EURES, ‘Experience you Europe’ and for contact details to EURES Advisers in Ireland.

Muriel Cleary is the National Co-ordinator for EURES