The German Employment Service is to hold an employment expo to allow skilled Germans to meet NZ and Australian employers.

The Expo will take place in Bonn and Potsdam on 5 and 7 September 2005.

Germany has a surplus of skilled labour - particularly in engineering, construction and trades - while New Zealand is suffering a chronic shortage.

Bruce Goldsworthy, of the NZ Employers and Manufacturers Association explains, “Everybody knows there is a wide skill shortage across all sectors. It affects many of our members in their ability to expand and sometimes it’s even a constraint on production levels.”

He says the association fully supports the initiative because migrant recruitment is often the only viable solution for many employers.

The expo aims to be a one-stop-shop where potential migrants can learn about living and working in New Zealand.

Presentations about work visas and permanent residence will be supplemented with seminars and trade information from NZ employers.