Expats looking to explore new pastures can catch up with employers face to face this weekend when China's only job fair for foreigners arrives in the capital.

The aptly titled 13th Job Fair for Foreigners is making its Beijing stop this Saturday, bringing together jobseekers with more than 70 companies looking to fill hundreds of vacancies.

Sponsored by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, the touring fair is expected to draw more than 1,500 of Beijing's estimated 200,000-strong expat population, said Christina Yang, director of projects for the administration.

"This is the only job fair of its kind in China," she told METRO.

Sought-after employees will be those with backgrounds in engineering, biology, chemistry and healthcare, said Yang, who added that this year's event will be the first to feature hospitals, with Beijing United Family Hospital and CiMing Health Center setting up stalls.

"This year has more high-standard jobs available than any of the past events," she said.

"More than ever, companies are looking to hire people with vast amounts of experience, who have spent several years working in their own country."

Exhibitors are separated into three categories: education, State-owned enterprises and private companies. While in the past the education sector has dominated, this year's event in Shanghai on April 9 saw fewer schools attending.

"Schools are finding teachers other ways," said Yang, in suggesting a reason for the drop in attendance. "They can post advertisements on websites and contact employees directly."

Although schools can skip the middleman, Chinese and foreign-owned firms expand operations overseas are on the lookout for experienced employees with training in engineering, chemistry and biology.

Construction firm Ge Zhou Jia, which is expanding its projects in the Middle East, is offering up more than 20 vacancies for engineers and several for interpreters.

"As companies grow internationally, they need people who understand the local region and who speak the local language," Yang said, adding that media and marketing vacancies are also in high demand, although most require basic Mandarin.

"If it's a job in communications, then most places are requiring a basic level of Chinese. But for technical jobs like engineering, experience is what's most desired," she added.

The fair will next stop in Guangzhou on April 23.