JETRO Job Fair: Japan’s largest for foreign talent; highest attendance from Sri Lanka

JETRO, together with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), held the ‘JETRO Online Job Fair 2022 Fall’ from 14 to 18 November. This fair, one of the largest in Japan specifically for foreign human resources, was attended by 126 Japanese companies introducing their businesses and 3,300 foreign human resources. 

More than 730 Sri Lankans, or 20% of the total, came from Sri Lanka and Japan. This was the largest number in the world, exceeding that of China and Vietnam, indicating the high interest in Sri Lanka to work in Japan.

Sri Lankans working for Japanese companies spoke at the job fair, sharing their own experiences. One man who works as a system engineer for an IT company said, “I am exposed to new and changing technology every day. Providing solution services that satisfy customer needs is very rewarding. This is the perfect workplace for me, as I have a dream of becoming an international-level engineer.”

After the presentations from the Japanese companies, many of the candidates applied to work at the companies. Sri Lankan nationals seemed to be actively promoting their ability to work as part of a team using their high language skills, their capability to plan and achieve goals, and their ability to carry things out to the end.

JETRO is a Japanese government-related organisation that supports overseas business by Japanese companies in areas such as trade and investment. Recently, Japanese companies are facing a shortage of human resources who can lead overseas business, and expectations for foreign human resources are rising. Therefore, it is supporting Japanese companies in their efforts to recruit overseas human resources, and focusing on promoting their activities to foreign human resources by utilising its network in more than 50 countries, including Sri Lanka.

JETRO also provides various information on working in Japan. Videos about working in Japan have information on the various industries in Japan, regional attractions, and points to consider when looking for a job. The OFP (Open for Professionals) list provides employment opportunities from more than 300 companies. Talents who missed the job fair can also watch archived videos until 16 December.

Japan has a growing need for highly skilled foreign professionals. The skills and knowledge acquired in Japan will be useful even after returning to Sri Lanka and will lead to career enhancement. Japan is an island nation and has cultural proximity to Sri Lanka in terms of its emphasis on harmony with its surroundings. Sri Lankan professionals are expected to work in Japan.