Job Searching as a Foreigner in Japan - What You Should Know

Japan Life Guide   by Sio

Finding a job in Japan isn’t easy. If you plan to work here but don’t know where to start, this quick guide is for you.

1️⃣ Japanese Level

No or little Japanese：IT, English teaching, ski resorts, foreign firms

N3 ：Mostly labor jobs, part-time

N2 ：Accepted by dispatch agencies, possible office or CS roles

N1 ：Standard requirements for full-time in Japanese firms & pro fields

2️⃣ Visa

Overseas job seekers without a visa: industries most likely to hire abroad inc. IT, gaming, finance, global brands.

Working Holiday: 1 year max, food/service/tourism, rarely leads to full-time

Student Visa: 28h/wk part time, need job offer to switch to work visa

Work Visa: IT, translation, design, marketing, consulting, and trade are the fields most likely to secure visa sponsorship

3️⃣ Useful Websites

Foreigner-Friendly

🔍YOLO JAPAN (Multilingual)

— Entry-level jobs with lower Japanese requirements

🔍 Jobs / GaijinPot / Jobs in Japan (EN / JP)

— More English-related and service industry jobs

🔍Daijob / CareerCross (EN / JP)

— Mainly for bilingual, international, and professional positions

Mainstream Job Platforms (Fluent Japanese Required)

🔍doda / Rikunabi NEXT

— Major career change platforms

🔍Rikunabi / MyNavi

— Mainly for fresh graduates and new graduates

🔍Indeed Japan

— Nationwide job search platform for both full-time and part-time jobs

🔍TownWork / Baitoru

— More part-time and hourly jobs

🔍Recruit Staffing / PERSOL

— Major staffing and dispatch agencies

4️⃣ Work Culture

Punctuality is survival: even 1 min late needs apology

Sick leave is rare: still go to office when sick or use vacation days

Strict hierarchy: always use honorifics, show respect to seniors

Group responsibility : mistakes shared by the team

Sio 

Resetting life in Osaka after years in the UK, France, Spain, Canada & Argentina.

IG @ anothersio