By Chanuka Jeewantha · Published · Updated
Key facts
- Gulf CV
- 2 pages, professional photo, nationality, visa or notice status
- UK, Canada, USA, Australia
- No photo, no date of birth, no NIC; achievements first
- Europe
- Europass accepted in many countries; state languages using CEFR levels (A1 to C2)
- Japan
- Standard rirekisho form plus a work history document for many employers
- South Korea
- Most Sri Lankan workers go through the EPS scheme and EPS-TOPIK test
- Before you leave
- Register with SLBFE and check your agency's SLBFE licence
Why one CV does not work everywhere
Every country has its own unwritten rules for CVs. A Dubai recruiter expects to see your nationality and a photo because visa sponsorship depends on them. A London recruiter is trained to ignore, or even reject, a CV with a photo and date of birth because of anti-discrimination law. An Australian employer expects a resume that reads like a list of results.
Sending your Sri Lankan CV unchanged to all of them is the most common reason good candidates hear nothing back from overseas applications. The fix is not a new career: it is the same experience, re-ordered and re-worded for the reader.
CV format by destination
| Destination | Length and style | Photo | Personal details |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain | 2 pages, clear headings, GCC or regional experience highlighted | Usually expected: professional headshot | Nationality, visa status, notice period, driving licence if relevant; date of birth often included |
| United Kingdom | 2 pages, personal statement, achievements in bullets | No | Name, phone, email, city, LinkedIn. State right to work or visa status if relevant |
| Europe (Germany, Italy, Poland and others) | Europass or a 2 page CV; German employers expect a tidy chronological CV | Varies; common in Germany, optional elsewhere | Language levels using CEFR (A1 to C2) are expected |
| Australia and New Zealand | Resume of 2 to 3 pages, results-focused | No | No date of birth, NIC or civil status. Referees or "available on request" |
| Canada and USA | Canada: 2 pages. USA: 1 to 2 page resume | No | No date of birth, photo or civil status |
| Maldives | 2 pages, hospitality, teaching or healthcare experience up front | Commonly included | Nationality, availability, certificates for licensed roles |
| Japan | Standard rirekisho form, often with a separate work history (shokumu keirekisho) | Required on the rirekisho | As the form asks |
| South Korea | EPS jobs: application through SLBFE and the EPS-TOPIK test. Professional roles: a standard resume | As requested | As the EPS process or employer asks |
CV for Dubai, Qatar and Saudi jobs
The Gulf is where most Sri Lankan overseas applications go, and it is a very competitive market: recruiters receive applications from across South Asia, Africa and Europe for the same roles. Your CV has to show, on the first page, that you can do the job and that you are ready to move.
- Put your target job title, nationality and availability (notice period or "available to join immediately") in the header.
- Highlight any GCC experience, international clients or multinational employers early.
- List licences and certifications with numbers and expiry dates where relevant (driving licence, safety certificates, professional licences).
- For healthcare and engineering roles, mention the destination authority's licensing exam or registration if you have started it.
- Use a professional headshot: plain background, formal clothes, no selfies.
- Share passport details only with an employer or agency you have verified.
CV for the UK, Australia and Canada
These markets read CVs for evidence. Every bullet should answer "so what?": a number, a scale, an outcome. Remove the photo, date of birth, NIC, religion, civil status and the declaration line common on Sri Lankan CVs.
Spell job titles the way the destination does (for example "Accountant" rather than "Executive, Accounts" if that is what the role was), explain Sri Lankan qualifications briefly ("CIMA, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK"), and include a LinkedIn profile that matches the CV, because recruiters check it.
SLBFE registration and avoiding job scams
Sri Lankans leaving for employment abroad are required to register with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). If you use a recruitment agency, check that it holds a valid SLBFE licence before you hand over your passport or pay anything.
Be careful with any offer that guarantees a job, asks for large fees before an interview, or offers a visa without a real employer. A professional CV writer cannot get you a visa or a job, and anyone who claims they can is not telling the truth.
How to adapt your CV for a foreign job
- 1
Pick one destination
Choose the country and the role. A CV written for everywhere convinces no one.
- 2
Read real adverts there
Read three to five adverts from that country and note the job titles and skills they use.
- 3
Fix the personal details
Add or remove photo, nationality, date of birth and visa status according to the table above.
- 4
Rewrite achievements for that reader
Translate local terms, add scale (team size, budget, customers) and lead with results.
- 5
Explain qualifications
Spell out Sri Lankan qualifications and add equivalents or recognition where you have them.
- 6
Match your LinkedIn profile
Make sure your LinkedIn headline, job titles and dates match the CV.
The short version
- Write for the destination country, not for Sri Lanka.
- Gulf: photo, nationality and availability up front.
- UK, Canada, USA, Australia: no photo, no date of birth, no NIC, results first.
- Europe: consider Europass and give CEFR language levels.
- Register with SLBFE and use only licensed agencies.
Get a CV written for your destination
Essential and Signature Foreign Job CVs cover the Gulf, UK, Europe, Australia and Canada. Essential from LKR 4,950, delivery from 24 hours.
Order a Foreign Job CVOfficial sources
- Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE)
- Europass CV (European Union)
- UK government: work visas
- Australian Department of Home Affairs
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Orientation only, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change: always check the official source.