Wipro is planning to increase its global hiring in ITR services in a big way. According to Wipro chairman Azim Premji the company would hire 50% of its workforce from overseas in near future.

Addressing the media persons he said that the company hopes to take its global hiring for IT services to 50 per cent in the next two-three years from 38 per cent this fiscal (2011-12) and 31 percent last fiscal.

Premiji said that overseas hiring has become a bit difficult in the face of acute shortage of techies in the US and Europe. As a result Indian techies are being sent on deputation for overseas operations.

"Though we are able to hire freshers from campuses, we are finding it tough to recruit laterals as there is an acute shortage of skilled engineers in the US and Britain. Besides, it is expensive and competitive," he said

Wipro’s IT Services segment had 136,734 employees as of December 31, 2011, an increase of 5,004 people.

The company has 51,959 employees belonging to 70 nationalities at its 70 plus global delivery centres across five continents.

“Hiring 50 per cent of our staff outside India is doable and makes sense as they will be closer to clients in the respective geographies for sales support and back office operations”, Premji said.