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JAPAN POLARIS Co., Ltd.
2026.07.29Policy Updates

Hokkaido to Hold "Foreign Talent Recruitment and Retention Seminar & Round-table" in September and October at Four Venues

Hokkaido is holding a foreign talent recruitment and retention seminar and round-table at four venues — Asahikawa, Sapporo, Obihiro and Hakodate — with experts explaining status of residence and workplace retention.

As part of its FY2026 "Programme to Promote the Success of Foreign Talent", Hokkaido is holding a seminar for companies that employ foreign nationals, the "Foreign Talent Recruitment and Retention Seminar & Round-table". It is organised by Hokkaido (General Policy Department, International Bureau, International Affairs Division (総合政策部国際局国際課)), with the cooperation of the Hokkaido Labour Bureau, the support of JETRO Hokkaido, and operational management by the Overseas Business Division of Career Bank Co., Ltd.

  • Date and time: 13
    –16
    (reception from 13
    ). Held in a hybrid format combined with an online option; only the round-table segment is limited to in-venue attendance.
  • Venues:
    • 2 September (Wed) — Asahikawa, AEON Mall Asahikawa Ekimae, 4F AEON Hall
    • 10 September (Thu) — Sapporo, Career Bank Co., Ltd., 5F Seminar Room
    • 30 September (Wed) — Obihiro, Obihiro Keizai Center Building, 4F N402+N403
    • 30 October (Fri) — Hakodate, Hakodate Kameda Exchange Plaza, 1F Auditorium I
  • Content: 「在留資格制度の基礎知識や採用後の職場定着のための仕組みづくり、実際に外国人材を雇用している企業の事例紹介など、外国人材の受入れに関する実践的な取組について、専門家がわかりやすく解説します。」 ("Experts will give an accessible explanation of practical approaches to accepting foreign talent, including the basics of the status of residence system, building mechanisms for workplace retention after hiring, and case studies from companies that already employ foreign nationals.")

Under the same programme, training for local government staff will also be held online only, from 10

to 11
on 10 September 2026 — but this session is aimed at local government employees and is a separate undertaking from the seminar for companies. It has also been announced that a joint company interview event for recruiting foreign talent will be held in Sapporo on Saturday, 17 October 2026.

We have previously covered Hokkaido and Sapporo's efforts to support the acceptance of foreign talent (Hokkaido and Sapporo Boost Foreign Hiring Support). This year's seminar is a continuation of the same programme into the current fiscal year.

Companies wishing to attend should apply via the seminar information page (work-in-hokkaido.com) listed in the source below.

Source: Programme to Promote the Success of Foreign Talent (Hokkaido) / Foreign Talent Recruitment and Retention Seminar & Round-table (work-in-hokkaido.com)