Canadian-based construction companies are hoping to recruit 535 people in Ireland this week.

Construction worker unions in Canada have criticised a recruitment drive for hundreds of workers here to take on roles which, the unions say, should be filled by homegrown talent.

Just 300 people showed up to a Canadian jobs fair in Cork which drew more than 10,000 jobseekers in Dublin at the weekend.

One Canadian province estimates it will have 20,000 construction jobs which Irish people can fill over the next five years.