The number of foreign workers in Oita Prefecture reached a record high of about 14,300 as of October 2025, according to the Oita Labour Bureau. The total increased by roughly 2,200 from the previous year, marking four consecutive years of growth amid ongoing labor shortages. The number of businesses employing foreign workers also rose to around 2,500, up 13% year on year. By residency status, technical interns formed the largest group, followed by workers in specialized or technical fields and those working under student visa arrangements. Vietnamese nationals accounted for the largest share by nationality. Manufacturing employed the most foreign workers, while construction had the highest number of hiring establishments, many of them small firms. Source: Nikkei / Oita Godo News
Photo: Fukuoka Now (for image purposes only)
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