The effect of the Coronavirus

We can all agree that coronavirus is affecting the world negatively. Even Japan with the latest technology, gadgets, and ninjas, could not escape being affected too.

Economies all over the world have been devastated by COVID. Japan however remained fairly stable, because although the country’s GDP decreased to -29% it finished the year 2020 with 22% GDP growth.

In simple terms, the economy grew after the initial effects of the coronavirus. You can look deeper at the stats here. HelloWork a job placement center, explained that the applicant-to-job ratio is holding firm at 1.11 ratio. This means that for every 100 job seekers there are 111 job openings. This is an amazing figure to have during a pandemic.

How Foreigners Can Seek Employment in Japan

This is splendid news if you are a foreigner looking to work in Japan. If this is sounded too good to be true well wait, the hard part is next.

Though Japan has had one of the top economies for over two decades, many people see it as a closed society. This is mostly attributed to the language hurdle that foreigners need to face and immigration restrictions.

However, getting a job in Japan as a foreigner becomes easier if you can speak Japanese. Without being able to speak Japanese, your employment options will be limited to teaching English in public schools or eikaiwas.

This is not because of bias or anything of the sort, but employers need functional workers and in order to be functional in Japan, you will need Japanese. Insider tip, knowing a little about the culture will not hurt either. Surprise, surprise, even with the great technological advancements, human relations are still paramount to the success of a company.

For more information on working in Japan, you can listen to the following interviews on the Global Insiders podcast.

Job Searching in Japan with Brandon Virgo

From Venezuela to Japan with Gustavo Navas

Do I need a Japanese Visa to Work in Japan?

Yes. And Yes! Currently, it is easier for holders of degrees to get a visa to work in Japan than non- degree-holders. But in certain circumstances, people without degrees can get to work in Japan. There are several types of work visas. Each visa is categorized to meet the employers’ needs. But, regardless of your skills and talent, you can’t work in Japan until you get the required visa.

Read more about Japanese visas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After checking the above link, you will notice that there are many ways to get to Japan, but whatever you do, don’t try to work in Japan while visiting. This will get you in trouble and impact your chance to work there in the future. This opportunity is actually higher than you think. Japan needs workers because of its dwindling population.

As someone who has been living in Japan for close to a decade, I will advise you however not to work in Japan without the allowed documentation, as this will spoil your future chances to work there and may even stop you from visiting soon. The borders are currently closed because of the coronavirus, but they will reopen in the future and many opportunities will be available to you.

If you like a mixture of nature and city life, I will encourage you to apply for jobs in the northeast of Japan. Namely in Fukushima, Miyagi, and Yamagata. There are other places in the region, but those three will give you the best blend of nature and city life. Keep abreast of the availability of jobs in those places on this job board.