To get a job in Sri Lanka, applicants are expected to have the correct academic qualifications in addition to job-related skills. Foreign degrees and qualifications are often highly thought of.
According to an interview with Mr. Ravi Peiris , Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC), Sri Lanka's trade union of employers, academic qualifications are important to compete in Sri Lanka’s labor market, but a number of ‘soft skills,’ such as analytical and networking skills, are almost equally important. He said employers will expect you to be a team-player with the ability to adapt, and applicants will most definitely need to be knowledgeable in basic computer literacy.
An academic degree from any reputable university, for the most part, will be recognized and honored.
Peiris said there generally is no preference amongst employers whether an applicant has foreign or local qualifications, although “the foreign exposure carries weight,” because in some cases, students that have experience abroad can “express themselves better and can be more innovative.”
Particularly in business, English is widely spoken, and the ability to speak English is generally an essential requirement for graduate-level positions. Certainly, some knowledge of the native languages, Sinhala and Tamil, would be an advantage for foreigners hoping to land a job in Sri Lanka.