A planned $50 billion transoceanic canal across Nicaragua will create jobs for 25,000 Nicaraguans and 25,000 more for foreigners, says the Chinese company granted a concession to build and operate the waterway. In a new report posted on its website, HKND Group said half of the latter figure would be for Chinese workers and the rest for other nationalities. Estimates of 50,000 jobs directly related to the canal have been around for months, but officials had previously not broken down how many would be for Nicaraguans. HKND projected a completion date in early 2020 and said the canal could be up and running as early as June of that year.