To get a work visa in Japan you need to find a sponsoring company. In most cases this requires an undergraduate degree as it is much harder for companies to sponsor workers without higher education. (There are exceptions for those with ten years professional working experience in the trade you are looking to work).
Once you have found an employer to hire you (well done!) then you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from your local Japanese Embassy, which will give you a time window within which to come to Japan before it is invalidated. Once you arrive in Japan you will present this COE to immigration officers at the airport, at which point they will get your details and issue you with your very own Zairyuu Card (Residence Card, colloquially called a Gaijin card).
You can find employers who sponsor working visas on our board at JobsinJapan.com and checking the box for “Overseas Applicants Allowed” to filter out jobs that are only available to people with a current working visa.
This can vary, but usually it takes 4-8 weeks for a Certificate of Eligibility to come through. This depends on the time of year and how busy they are at immigration, so be prepared for it to take anywhere from a month to two months or more from when you get your job offer.
Of course you can start by searching for a job on JobsinJapan.com and looking for a job you want to do. Many Fluent or Native English speakers start off as English teachers in Japan, but we have jobs in management, IT, hospitality and many other industries depending on your skill levels in those fields and your Japanese level.
You don’t have to speak Japanese to get most of the jobs on our site, but it does open up a lot of options (especially higher paying jobs). Most foreigners in Japan speak enough Japanese to get by, but not really enough to work primarily in Japanese, so because of this scarcity, speaking Japanese is a great way to carve out a space in the market for yourself, as well as get higher paying jobs that have more possibility for progression and promotion.
An ALT is an Assistant Language Teacher, and they usually work in public schools in Japan assisting the Japanese-native English teachers to teach students difficult things like pronunciation, colloquial language and slang, and to assist with lesson preparation. Most public schools in Japan have this kind of team-teaching environment, but as you become a better teacher you can start looking for opportunities to be the main teacher in the classroom by getting teaching qualifications like a TEFL, TESOL, teaching licence or a master’s degree.
There is a common misconception that the only job that foreigners can do in Japan is to teach English. While teaching can be a very rewarding and enjoyable profession, it is not for everyone. Thankfully, there are a lot of other options for foreigners in Japan, especially if you have other high demand skills such as programming, graphic design, management experience and recruitment/sales proficiency. In reality, after the learning curve of understanding how Japan works (anything from a year to five years depending on how hard you work to understand and acclimatise to Japanese society), the options open up a lot, and in some areas being foreign can be a distinct advantage in non-English teaching jobs.
If you want to get a job faster and reduce garbage interviews, then sign up to take our video interview.
This is not a video resume, but a video interview system where you take a number of set common interview questions via your computer or smartphone which are then attached to your resume and job applications. Basically this allows you to showcase your abilities and personality in a way that a resume or cover letter just can’t.
You do this at your convenience and control the environment. No more hassles and rescheduling your life for each and every screening interview. Let’s just get those out of the way.
More information here https://jobsinjapan.com/first-round-video-interview/
You don’t need to live in Japan to apply to jobs here. Many jobs specifically look for foreigners living outside of Japan to hire for anything from ALT work and English conversation schools, to programming and tech jobs.
While you don’t need to live in Japan to apply for jobs, there are a lot more options available for you once you get here. Having a valid work visa opens up a lot more possibilities for you once you are established, have a place to live and can survive on your own.
Jobsinjapan.com is a job posting website showcasing employment opportunities from various companies. We are not a recruiter or staffing agency, so we cannot directly offer you employment.
Please look on the site for a job that you are interested in and apply. A few pieces of advice:
a. Create an online resume (or several depending on the job you want to apply to). Please note that you can apply to jobs using either your PDF file resume or the online resume.
b. Make sure your cover letter is customized for each employer that you make an application.
c. Ensure that your resume and profile includes a photo. While many job seekers find adding a photo to one’s application as unusual, or even discriminatory, this is a customary practice in Japan. It will show employers that you understand Japanese work culture and procedures.
To apply to a job, you need to register and create a job seeker account; then just hit the apply button next to each job. You have the option to create and apply via online resume or apply via your own PDF/MS Word resume. Some employers set the “Apply” button to take you directly to their own website’s hiring page.
To apply to a job, you need to register and create a job seeker account (http://www.jobsinjapan.com/registration/?user_group_id=JobSeeker); then just hit the apply button next to each job. You have the option to create and apply via online resume or apply via your own pdf/MS Word resume. Some employers set the “Apply” button to take you directly to their own website’s hiring page.
Your personal information is located in job seekers “My Account.” There is a folder inside My Account called “My Profile” which contains this information.
You are in total control of what employers can see about you.
You can make your resume searchable for registered employers with your contact details available, with your contact details hidden (Anonymous Resume) or completely hidden from employers (only employers whom you have applied to can view).
Yes. You can create multiple online resumes as well as use any customized resume file that you may already have (pdf or MS Word file). You can use the tailored resumes to suit different positions and employers.
To save time, you can also duplicate a completed resume by clicking on the ‘Duplicate’ button located on your resume page.
While this is not required, attaching a photo to one’s resume is standard in Japan, and your application may appear incomplete to some employers. The photo should similar to what you would use on a passport or driver’s license.
Some employers that need to hire multiple people or need to fill a position urgently often use this option to place their job on the front page and on top of the jobs listings giving the position additional exposure. Many of these companies are rapidly growing so please take note of them.
While we make every effort to gather a large amount of jobs in various categories, it is possible that we do not have a current job matching your skills and interests. Please check back, and set up “Job Alerts”, as there are new jobs uploaded continuously.
Your cover letter should be no more than one page in length. It should explain who you are and why you’re the best candidate for the job. It needs to be very concise, yet keep the hiring manager wanting to learn more. If you go any longer than a page, the person reading it will get bored.
Absolutely! If you think you can handle the job requirements, it never hurts to apply for the position. However, please use good judgement and common sense, and also apply to jobs that you have some experience in so you aren’t hedging your bets only on “Hail Mary” applications..
Do not apply for a position if the requirements look to be non-negotiable. For example, we have jobs on the site which require a certain nationality (security clearance) or a specific degree/certification. If you do not meet these requirements, applying will just waste both yours and their time.
However, if you have fewer years of experience than they’re asking, or you are missing one of the hard skills mentioned, these don’t necessarily rule you out from landing the job. Skills can be learned on the job, and if you’re the best candidate, years of experience won’t matter in the end. Don’t lie and say you have the qualifications when you don’t. It’s a negotiation, so show that you have the right attitude and you’ll be in a better spot than someone with qualifications that has a bad attitude.
If you have additional skills or it has been over a year since you last applied, you should then re-apply. In the event you had previously been contacted by the employer for an interview, you already have the interviewer’s contact info, so you can send a personal email saying that you are still interested in the position
A native speaker of English is someone that has learned English as their first language and the person’s primary and main language used in school education, government, and society.
While some highly fluent English speakers may have very clear pronunciation and have a better grasp of grammar or teaching skills than “native-level” speaker, this is often a requirement as one part of teaching English is to instantly understand the various cultural references and be able to instantly make judgments about whether the following sentences of English “sound normal.”
No, you won’t lose your work visa if you quit your company in Japan. The Japanese government owns and is responsible for your visa, not your company. If your company threatens you and your visa status, you should contact hello work immediately. You will have to find another job and inform immigration that you have changed companies. You can do this with a simple form that you can mail in. Japanese immigration authorities change this form frequently so contact your local immigration office for details and an up to date form. The company you are leaving is legally required to give you a form called a 退職証明書 (taishoku shoumei sho), which is a proof that you have resigned from a company. You’ll need to keep this form and present it when you renew your visa.
Visa renewal is a simple procedure, but it can be a time consuming and frustrating process if you don’t come prepared. First you must find the correct immigration form here. Which form you use depends on your visa status; by far the most common is the Humanities/International Services visa, which is form #7. Your company needs to fill out some parts of the form (depending on your visa type) and will need to officially hanko (stamp) some sections, so make sure you begin this procedure a long time before your visa expires. You can remind your company that it doesn’t cost them anything (you will need to pay for the ¥4,000 renewal stamp) to hopefully prevent them from dragging their feet on it or if they aren’t sure if they can help you renew.