— diaspora job fairs target critical skills gaps as economic expansion drives demand for workers
THE government is stepping up efforts to attract skilled Guyanese living overseas to return home and participate in the country’s expanding economy, with job fairs being organised in major diaspora communities as part of efforts to address the growing demand for labour.
This was disclosed by Chief Investment Officer within the Office of the President and Head of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Dr Peter Ramsaroop, during a recent interview on the Energy Perspectives podcast.
Ramsaroop said the government has been conducting job fairs overseas, including in Toronto, Canada, and New York, United States, as it seeks to reconnect with Guyanese who migrated during periods of economic difficulty.
“Guyanese doesn’t mean Guyanese living in Guyana alone. We’re trying to attract the diaspora back. We’re doing trade shows around the world. I went to a job fair in Toronto. I went to a job fair in New York. And it’s fascinating to see Guyana on the world stage, recruiting our own people who left during the bad times in Guyana back in the 1980s and are now looking to come home,” he said.
He explained that the initiative is part of a broader effort to encourage members of the diaspora to reconsider returning to Guyana, particularly as the country experiences significant economic and infrastructural development.
Ramsaroop said, “We’re trying to attract the diaspora back.”
He shared the experience of his sister, who recently returned to Guyana after spending time overseas and expressed surprise at the changes she observed.
According to him, his sister had contacted him after returning, telling him that she had previously never considered relocating to Guyana.
“I never thought I would even think of moving back to Guyana,” he recalled her saying.
However, he said her experience during the visit had changed her outlook, with her eventually expressing a willingness to return permanently.
“She said finally in her heart she feels she can live and work in Guyana.”
He argued that such experiences demonstrate the changing perception of opportunities in Guyana among overseas-based nationals and reinforce the importance of maintaining engagement with the diaspora.

ADDRESSING LABOUR SHORTAGES
While the government is seeking to attract returning Guyanese, Ramsaroop acknowledged that the country’s relatively small population presents a challenge to meeting the labour requirements of its rapidly expanding economy.
“We’re not afraid to tell folks that, you know, our population, a million is probably small compared to where we need to be,” he said.
He noted that the government is encouraging investors to identify their labour requirements and indicate where additional workers may need to be sourced to support their operations.
“We’re okay if we don’t have enough. We’re telling investors, let us know where you want to bring them from, where you want to combine,” he explained.
However, Ramsaroop stressed that Guyanese remain the government’s primary focus in its efforts to develop the country’s workforce and ensure citizens benefit from the expanding economy.
“Rest assured if you were a Guyanese looking at this, Guyanese will still be our number one focus,” he said.
He also pointed to investments in education and technical training, arguing that developing the skills of the local population remains essential to sustaining economic growth.
According to Ramsaroop, between 40,000 and 50,000 people have obtained bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in recent years, while investments are also being made in technical institutions to train workers in specialised fields.
“We’re putting money back into people,” he said.
He added that the country is developing its technical workforce through training in areas such as welding and other technical occupations, alongside the preparation of doctors and nurses.
He added, “We’ve got the best technical institute being developed, training welders, training technicians, training doctors, nurses.”
Ramsaroop said the government’s intention is to ensure that the country’s development is supported by a sufficiently skilled workforce, while creating opportunities for Guyanese at home and abroad to contribute to national progress.
He maintained that the diaspora has an important role to play in that process, particularly as Guyana seeks to expand its productive sectors and meet the growing labour requirements of its economy.
DIASPORA CONFIDENCE GROWING
Ramsaroop said the willingness of some diaspora members to reconsider returning home was evidence that the Government’s development agenda was gaining recognition.
“The diaspora sees that what we’re saying we’re delivering,” he said, adding that the Government must ensure its commitments translate into tangible progress.
He accepted that development may not be happening as quickly as some expect, but stressed the importance of systematic planning and ensuring future generations benefit from the country’s oil wealth.
“You cannot say, well, I’m going to make all this oil… and then I’m going to spend all the money out,” he said. He added that Guyana must secure its place at the global negotiating table.
He said President Dr Irfaan Ali’s vision is to position Guyana as a country with greater influence in international affairs and negotiations.
Ramsaroop noted, “The President wants to make sure when Guyana sits, we’re sitting with power. We’re sitting with negotiating power. And the goal is to be at the table. If you’re not at the table, you can’t negotiate.”
The overseas recruitment drive has included engagements in several countries.
In April 2025, the Government, in collaboration with the private sector, hosted a diaspora job fair in Toronto, Canada, which attracted more than 250 attendees interested in employment, investment and opportunities to return home. The event also brought together representatives of government agencies to provide information on resettlement, housing and other services.
This followed diaspora job fairs in New York, Trinidad and Suriname in 2024. The Suriname event, held in Nickerie in November 2024, attracted 120 delegates representing 30 businesses and agencies, with hundreds of Guyanese residents engaging with the visiting delegation.
During the 2026 Budget debates, Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Minister, Hugh Todd, disclosed that approximately 2,162 Guyanese had successfully remigrated between 2020 and 2025.
Todd said the Government was seeking to tap into the expertise of returning nationals to fill gaps in areas where specialised skills are needed. He also disclosed that approximately 3,000 diaspora residents were engaged in four countries during the period, while $35 million was allocated in Budget 2026 to support further diaspora engagement.