Microsoft is to announce plans to hire 600 people at its Irish operations today.

500 jobs will be created in a newly established Microsoft EMEA inside sales (selling remotely by phone or online) centre in Dublin. Recruitment starts immediately, with all jobs to be filled within six months.

A further 100 jobs will be available across Microsoft’s existing operations – openings are in areas including finance, operations, engineering and sales.

The company has four units in ireland: an EMEA operations centre, its European development centre, the Irish sales and marketing subsidiary and its EMEA data centre. A new €134m campus is being built by the company in the South County Business Park in Leopardstown

Further information about the positions will be shared at an announcement at Microsoft’s Sandyford offices later today.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD and IDA boss Martin Shanahan will be in attendance.

Microsoft first opened its doors in Ireland in 1985 with a small manufacturing facility employing just over 100 people.

It now employs more than 1,200 full time employees and 700 full-time contract staff.