Mastercard Inc., an American multinational financial services company, has reportedly announced plans to expand in Dublin with the recruitment of 1,500 more employees over the next three to five years. Reportedly, foreign multinationals, especially in the technology sector, hire around a quarter of a million people in Ireland, accounting for one in ten jobs in the nation’s growing economy. 

Since 2008, Mastercard have had a strong presence in Dublin, where the company launched its R&D division, Mastercard Labs, in 2012. As per the recent announcement, sources cite that the move would be one of the biggest single multinational job announcements in Ireland.

Following its implementation, it is estimated that Mastercard’s workforce might reach to over 2000 from its current 650 in the country. Acting Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar claims this news to be a proof of the nation’s position as a worldwide technology hub. The 1,500 jobs being generated at Mastercard are skilled positions and are of high quality, said Varadkar.

Apparently, Mastercard, which like other fintech companies, is investing heavily in the technology landscape and is aiming to recruit staff in the areas of artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, and user experience.

According to sources, the company will take on 22,500 sq m. of extra space in two newly developed office blocks near its present location in South Dublin to facilitate its expansion.

With this announcement, Mastercard becomes the latest technology company to set up a campus-style site in Dublin after Alphabet's Google, Facebook, and Microsoft's LinkedIn, leased or bought large spaces in the city, cite sources.

In a similar move, U.S. cloud software company, Salesforce.com announced that it would add over 1500 jobs over similar period a year ago. Meanwhile, the Head of IDA Ireland expects robust multinational employment growth in the first half of 2020, but continued trade tensions, restrained global economic growth, and capacity constraints in Ireland.

Source Link - https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/mastercard-to-add-1500-technology-jobs-in-ireland-2020-02-24-0