Dusit Thani College leads ASEAN pathway to Japan’s hospitality sector
Dusit Thani College has taken a historic step by becoming Thailand’s first certified testing centre for Japanese hospitality skills. This milestone creates new opportunities for Thai and ASEAN graduates to secure skilled jobs in Japan’s hospitality sector.
The agreement was signed on September 2, 2025, with the Center for Accommodation Industry Proficiency Test and the All Japan Ryokan Hotel Association, supported by the Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau and Jeducation language school.
As the only certified testing centre in Thailand, Dusit Thani College will recruit and train candidates through its hospitality and culinary programmes and conduct official certification exams locally. Successful graduates will qualify for employment under Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa, which addresses labour shortages in hospitality and food service.
The programme is aligned with Dusit Thani College’s six-month Talent Opportunity Programme (TOP), offering a fast track to entry-level roles in Japan. Certified graduates will gain direct access to more than 15,000 Japanese inns and hotels under the All Japan Ryokan Hotel Association. Job fairs will be hosted in Bangkok, and Dusit Hotels and Resorts in Japan, such as Dusit Thani Kyoto and ASAI Kyoto Shijo, will also welcome graduates.
To meet visa requirements, Jeducation will provide language training, ensuring candidates are fully prepared for life and work in Japan.
“This collaboration addresses Japan’s hospitality labour shortage while creating global career opportunities for our students,” said John Lohr, Executive Director of External Affairs, Dusit Thani College. “It strengthens the pipeline of hospitality talent for both countries.”
Recruitment for the TOP Japan Pathway begins in October 2025, with the first exams and job fairs scheduled for February 2026.
