Vilnius, Oct 7 (IANS): The number of foreign workers in Lithuania's manufacturing sector has increased by 1.5 times this year, the Baltic News Service (BNS) reported on Monday.

According to the report, 342 manufacturing companies have hired 5,334 workers from 76 non-European Union (EU) countries this year, as stated by the country's employment service.

As of October 1, a total of 14,900 foreigners from 76 countries were working across 1,800 manufacturing companies in Lithuania.

The largest employer of foreign workers is Verslo Krantas, a ship repair company, with 713 foreign employees. Biovela-Utenos Mesa, a meat processing company, follows with 556 foreign workers. Other major employers include PKC Group Lithuania, which manufactures electrical equipment, and ship repair companies Danes Perlas and Mabrocona.

The food industry currently employs 2,646 non-EU nationals, while the metal industry employs 2,112. The jewelry and furniture-making industries also have significant numbers of foreign employees, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ukrainians form the largest group of foreign workers in Lithuania, totaling 8,400. They are followed by 1,400 workers from Azerbaijan and 1,300 from Belarus.

Inga Balnanosiene, director of the employment service, said that non-EU residents are helping to fill labor shortages throughout Europe as the continent faces a growing worker shortage.