Jobs in Japan for Foreigners with or without a College Degree

Do you love Japan? Would you consider working and living in Japan? If so, know that there are many ways for foreigners to find a job in Japan! But how easy is it to find a job in Japan?

It can be very difficult for a foreigner to work in Japan, for various reasons. These include:

English isn’t the official language in Japan.
Multinational and international companies are located mainly in Tokyo.
Work conditions are quite different from those in other countries.

However, there are many jobs available for foreigners, including language teaching, IT engineering, health- & medical-related jobs, and other blue-collar jobs. In short, depending on your skills and interests, there’s a variety of Japanese companies that may be willing to take you on! Here is our guide to finding a job in Japan for foreigners.

Visa and Immigration Rules

Before April 2019, strict immigration policies and foreign labor controls made it difficult for foreign workers to find work or obtain documents that would enable them to stay in the country long term. Before then, all immigrants applying for a work visa were required to have a college education. To meet the challenges of an aging population and shrinking domestic workforce, the government began looking for foreign workers to ease the burden on Japanese companies. In addition to this, with the world turning toward Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, many companies began to consider hiring new employees to represent the “English” face of their companies.

The business sector is just one of the many sectors opening their doors to foreigners. Japanese job agencies predict these new immigration policies will encourage an influx of workers, the majority going into nursing or blue-collar jobs such as construction.

However, even with the looser requirements, getting a work visa might be difficult. Therefore you must ensure your application is well-rounded. We advise that you include your professional experience, don’t put casual photos on your resume, and don’t be late for the visa interview. Show them the best you can offer and there shouldn’t be issues with getting a visa.

Before You Get on the Plane

Whether you know what kind of work you’re looking for or just starting, here are some factors you should take into consideration before you pack your bags.

Type of work:

With any job, it’s important to decide what kind of work you are interested in and qualified for. Many industries and markets thrive in Japan. A wide range of opportunities that might not be available in your country is there. Keep in mind that many jobs will require you to have experience or specific skills to join the industry as a professional, so make sure you make the grade.

Japanese work culture

This is an important aspect to consider. Foreigners are a minority in the workforce (less than 2% by most accounts), and you will be stepping into a work culture that is different from yours.

To be honest, Japan is known for many wonderful things but a healthy work-life balance isn’t one of them. The Japanese value teamwork and a group mentality over individualism, and this means work is done with the whole business in mind rather than just one person’s job so something that might seem simple to you might be huge to the group.

The company always comes first, and workers put in long hours to make sure everything is done well. At the end of the day, you may be expected to go out with your coworkers for drinks, karaoke, and other nightlife activities, so long days can easily turn into long nights as well.

Politeness and courtesy are highly-regarded traits in business, contributing to a more formal workplace than you might be used to. As a foreigner, you may also be frustrated by indirect communication styles and seemingly vague directives. While the Japanese approach to work is meticulous, thoughtful, and well planned, it can be slow-moving and very slow-changing as well. Everything has a command chain in Japan.

Japanese Language Proficiency

No matter what job you’re considering, you should evaluate your Japanese language skills. For higher-level jobs, companies will require you to demonstrate your mastery of the language. An easy way to do this is to take a standardized test such as the JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test). There are five levels of tests for the JLPT, N1 being the highest. Many jobs require an N2 certification, indicating that you should be extremely confident in your language skills before applying. Insider tip you can take the Business Japanese Proficiency Test to increase your chances to get employment in Japan. Read more about it here. The major advantage is that is given more frequently than the JLPT.

No Japanese language skills? No problem! There are jobs available that require little to no language ability. Just remember that while you live in Japan, you will be immersed in the language 24/7. You’ll still encounter a language barrier in everyday activities such as shopping, meeting new people, receiving medical care, and getting around.

Getting a Job in Japan outside of Japan

Our last piece of advice for you is, move to Japan before starting your job hunt. That might be the more uncomfortable option but you are way more likely to get hired if you’re already in Japan during the hiring process. Keep in mind that getting a job in Japan from outside Japan is really difficult, though.

Why?

A failed overseas hire is expensive for a Japanese company. The company has to pay to help you get to Japan, help you get set up, spend time training you, and get you acquainted with Japanese life. It’s a lot of time and effort for both parties. Therefore, if the new hire goes home, the company is back to square one and they have to spend all that time and money again.

But if the candidate is already in Japan, already knows some Japanese, and already functioning in the country, that makes them a safer bet. So how do you get to Japan in the first place? Our recommendation is to get in by teaching English.

Getting an English teaching job in Japan is a relatively easy and low-stress activity. So it’s the perfect way to get set up in the country and start networking. You don’t have to be an English teacher forever but it’s the easiest way to step a foot in the country and get situated there.

This can be a tricky situation with no easy answers, but this is what we know.

First, the good news: a lot of Japanese companies are hiring their “first foreigner,” meaning if you’re a flexible jack-of-all-trades, a company may hire you to be the “English” face of the company. Maybe not the position you want, but it’s the start you are getting.

Usually, if you’re being interviewed the interviewer has three main things that they are thinking about.

Can you do the job?
Will you like the job?
Do we think we’ll like you?

If you can answer these three questions, you’ll show the interviewer you’re a good fit for the company.

Resources:

Here are some links that might help you even further with your visa application and Job hunting in Japan.

If you really desire to move to Japan. You can get a job in Japan! If you really want to move to Japan you should also think about searching for a job in the country areas outside of Tokyo and Osaka. You might be surprised to see what you find. We would certainly welcome you to Sendai.