English speaker jobs in japan: Get a (better) job in Japan now

Top 6 Jobs in Japan for English Speakers

Do you want to know about some jobs in Japan for English speakers? You came to the right place. We will provide you with a list of jobs that will not require you to speak Japanese.

Although the language skill is not necessary for getting those jobs, it is still very significant to learn some basic Japanese. Expect that most locals, even locals who have been staying for work or study purposes, use the native language of the country when communicating. And such a skill will lead you to more great opportunities in the future.

To proceed with the list of jobs, we gather six English-speaking jobs in Japan for you to explore. Read on!

Popular Jobs in Japan for English Speakers

1. English Language Teaching

You can see signs written in English everywhere, but schooling in Japan is exclusively conducted in the Japanese language. This is the reason why English language schools in Japan were built, and you can apply them online.

Some of these English teachers transferred to Japan as temporary workers. There are some who teach from their home country. But those who choose to teach English while living in Japan have a higher chance of finding other jobs aside from teaching English.

You need to consider what category of students you would like to teach. If you have no Business English background, a corporate teaching job would be hard for you. If you are not fond of kids, English teaching to children is not a good choice or else, you will be working unhappily. Stay focused on what you can and want to do. Then you will find a rewarding English teaching job.

Average Salary: 

• • 200,000 and 300,000 Yen ($1,700 – 2,600 USD) per month
  • Tutoring Hourly Rate: 3,000 Yen or $26

2. Real Estate

One of the popular jobs in Japan for English speakers can be found in the real estate industry. There are real estate companies in Japan targeting ex-pats who are looking for a house to buy or rent. Real estate agents who have business-level English skills are a great help to these companies in sales and to ex-pats in finding the best place to stay. 

What should you have to become a real estate agent in Japan?

• Must have a university degree.
• You need to get a visa that allows you to work as an agent.
• You must be able to speak fluently in Japanese so that you can talk to local clients and not to foreigners only. It will also help you to become a licensed real estate agent.

Average Salary:

• • 500,000 JPY or $4,400 per month

3. Service Staff

May your job be as a cashier, front desk, waiter, or manager, international hotels and restaurants in Japan hire English speakers. All throughout the year, a number of tourists visit Japan, where English speaker workers can help them. In most job posts you can find online, these hotels specifically require good English skills.

Average Salary: 

• • 400,000 Yen or 3,500 USD per month
  • hourly rate: 2,500 Yen or 22 USD

4. Engineer and IT

Japanese companies in the automotive, construction, engineering and IT industries are hiring skilled workers rather than offshoring their operations. In order for someone to land in these jobs in Japan, you have to be skilled in your home country. Some companies are looking for bilingual workers. The required number of workers may go high or low, but there is always a job for English speakers.

Average Salary: 

• • Entry ¥400,000 or 3,500 USD per month
  • Average ¥600,000 or 5,200 USD per month

5. Recruitment and Human Resource

From being an English teacher, some who wanted a career change ends up being recruiters for reputable companies and agencies. Recruiters or headhunters earn a good income by the commission. There are openings for part-time and full-time positions.

Average Salary: 

• • ¥280,000 or 2,400 USD per month

6. Foreign Company Staff

There are foreign companies that operate in Japan that employ English-speaking workers as their assistants or staff. Other positions are filled through company transfer or overseas hiring. But there are Japanese companies that are expanding globally that hire foreigners, too.

Like any other country, finding a job in Japan is not easy. Others would choose to marry locals to be able to find work easily. But surely, everyone who chooses to live and work in Japan is an additional workforce and can live a satisfying and happy life. Wish to know what companies are hiring? Visit Japan’s top job sites.

Top Job Sites in Japan

1. FAIR Work in Japan

Fair Inc. helps both temporary and permanent residents in Japan in finding a job, either part-time or full-time. With a wide network of companies in different locations, it offers jobs in different industries like medical, engineering, IT, food and beverages, sales, and many more. It is not just a recruitment agency, it has a heart for everyone.

2. The Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Programme

If you desire to be an English language teacher in Japan, try the JET Programme. It promotes international exchange between Japan and other countries, sending foreign teachers to Japanese schools. You can see complete information about the currently available positions and the requirements to join the program.

3. GaijinPot Jobs

Gaijin is the Japanese word for foreigners. Obviously, it contains jobs for foreigners, even for those who know no Japanese. The job site is very comprehensive. You can see a variety of positions from different industries and offers full-time and part-time jobs. 

4. Daijob.com

In service to bilingual and multilingual people since 1998, this website offers a wide range of opportunities in different industries – IT, banking, automotive, and food industries. You also can customize your search by job category, industry, and language or even make a quick search according to your preference.

5. JOBS in Japan

This site’s homepage will give you the feeling of coming to Japan. It gives you the choice of, not only to look for a job of your preference but, searching by prefecture. It also offers other jobs that you can’t see from other job sites.

6. Tokyo Employment Service Center for Foreigners (Nishi Shinjuku Center)

This website is full of job-related information for those who are living and looking for a job, including jobs in Japan for English speakers. The center, a public employment office run by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, specializes in providing job counseling and placement services for non-Japanese students and specialists or technical experts.

Read the “7 Best Japan Recruitment Agencies For Foreigners” article to learn more about the legit job sites in Japan to apply.

GaijinPot Jobs

All RolesGeneral Affairs, Accounting, HR, Legal– Human Resources, General Affairs– Business Planning, Project Planning– Executive Assistant, Secretarial, Receptionist– Accounting, Book Keeping, Payroll– Legal / Para-legal, Legal Assistant– Export / Import, International Related Business– Other General Affairs, Accounting, HR, LegalSales, Planning– B2B Sales (Business)– B2C Sales (Consumer)– Sales Management, Sales Planning– Telemarketing, Call Center Sales– In-house Sales, Counter Sales– Recruiter / Executive Search, Dispatch Coordinator– Sales Engineers, Technical Sales, System Sales– Medical Representative / Medical Sales– Other Sales, PlanningMarketing, Advertising, PR– General Marketing– Media Planning, Media Buying– E-Commerce / Online Marketer (SEO, SEM, SMO)– Market Research, Market Analysis– PR, Investor Relations– Other Marketing, Advertising, PRCreative, Media– Producer, Director, Planner– Web / Mobile Site Management, Content Development– Editor, Journalist, Copy Writer, Technical Writer– Designer, Illustrator– Model, Actor, Musician, Dancer– Print Related (DTP)– Photographer– Other Creative MediaIT, Internet, Telecommunication– Application Development– Network / Server Development / Management– Database Design / Development– Communication Infrastructure / Development– Control / Embedded Software Development– Project Manager, Project Leader– IT Consultant– Software Engineer, Programmer– IT Support / Helpdesk / Field Engineer– Other IT, Internet, TelecommunicationEngineering, Construction– Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Semi-conductor)– Technology Related (Medical, Bio, Chemical)– Research Development– Product Management– Architecture, Building Management– Civil Engineering, Construction– Other Engineering, ConstructionEducation, Training– Child Education, Pre-school Teacher– Corporate Training– Licensed, Certified Teacher, Professor– Teacher, Instructor (ELT, Conversational English)– Other Education / Teaching, TrainingLocalization, Translation, Interpreting– Translation / Localization– Interpretation– Proof Reading– Other Localization, Translation, InterpretingSupply Chain, Logistics, Transport– Administration, Operations, Logistics– Purchasing– Relocation Services– Transport, Warehouse– Other Logistics, Transport, Supply ChainService Related– Merchandiser, Buyer– Supervisor, Store Manager, Store Development– Other Service RelatedHospitality, Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism– Waiter / Waitress, Bartender, Hall Staff– Chef, Cook, Kitchen Staff– Concierge, Restaurant Manager, Sommelier– Entertainer– Event Planning/Management (MICE Industry), Wedding Coordinator– Hotel / Resort Management– Tour Operator, Tour Guide– Travel Agent– Hired Driver / Chauffeur– Other Hospitality, Hotel, Restaurant, TourismScientific, Medical, Health– R&D / Clinical R&D– Public Welfare, Nursing, Care Giver– Medical Doctor, Dentist, Pharmacist– Fitness, Health Related– Other Scientific, Medical, HealthSpecialist (Consultant, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate)– Consultant– Financial– Insurance– Researcher– Land Acquisition, Real Estate Developer, Property Management– Real Estate Agent, Property Management– Other Specialist (Consultant Finance, Insurance, Real Estate)Domestic Help– Baby Sitter, Housekeeper– Other Domestic HelpOther

All LocationsTohokuKantoChubuKansaiChugokuShikokuKyushuHokkaidoAomoriIwateMiyagiAkitaYamagataFukushimaIbarakiTochigiGunmaSaitamaChibaTokyoKanagawaNiigataToyamaIshikawaFukuiYamanashiNaganoGifuShizuokaAichiMieShigaKyotoOsakaHyogoNaraWakayamaTottoriShimaneOkayamaHiroshimaYamaguchiTokushimaKagawaEhimeKochiFukuokaSagaNagasakiKumamotoOitaMiyazakiKagoshimaOkinawaOther

Jobs and vacancies in Japan for Russians and Ukrainians in 2023

Japan has one of the most powerful economies in the world. This is facilitated by the widespread use of advanced technologies, effective government reforms and a disciplined workforce. However, since the beginning of the 90s of the last century, there has been a significant decline in economic growth rates. In addition, the terrible earthquake and tsunami of 2011 caused great damage to Japan. Nevertheless, today the country has a high standard of living, unemployment does not exceed 2-4% , and inflation is practically absent.

Work in Japan for Russians and Ukrainians in 2023, especially those with sufficient qualifications and experience, is a very real task. Of course, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the Asian country, the requirements for language skills and the peculiarities of employment for foreigners. Next, we will talk in more detail about the procedure for moving labor migrants to Japan, job search options, available vacancies and salaries in the Japanese labor market in 2023.

CONTENTS

1. Work in Japan for foreigners. Features and work visas.
2. Documents for a work visa to Japan
3. How to find a job in Japan. Job search.
4. Jobs and salary in Japan

Work in Japan for foreigners. Features and work visas.

The population of Japan in 2023 is about 126 million people . The bulk of local citizens are employed in the service sector ( 72.2% ) and industry ( 26.6% ). The share of agriculture accounts for just over more than 1% . Foreign job seekers who want to find a job in Japan in the fishing industry or rice cultivation have very little chance.

Japanese workers are highly skilled and hardworking. Therefore, finding a job will require serious competitive advantages. For example, jobs in Japan for girls are available in the modeling business, while men can apply for jobs in the automotive industry. In almost every case, a foreigner will need knowledge of the Japanese language. Moreover, English proficiency must be at a high level.

Working in Japan without knowing the language is an unrealistic task, unless teaching Russian in Japanese educational institutions or illegal employment. The second option is absolutely losing, promising large fines, a ban on entry into the country and even imprisonment. To search for a job in Japan, a foreigner needs to have sufficient qualifications, experience and skills in a particular profession. Without this, finding a job in Japan, especially for a citizen of Russia or other representatives of the CIS countries, will definitely not work.

In most cases, in order to move to Japan for the purpose of employment, it is necessary to find an employer in advance, which in the future will allow you to obtain a work visa . This is a prerequisite for foreign workers. And in general, visas are tied to a specific profession and do not allow you to engage in other activities. The most common is a work visa to Japan for highly qualified specialists. The document is issued for a maximum of 5 years .

To obtain a visa at the regional immigration bureau of Japan, you need to obtain a special certificate Certificate of Eligibility , which indicates the right of a foreigner to engage in professional activities in Japanese territory. Typically, a Japanese employer is responsible for issuing a certificate for a foreign employee.

Japan work visa documents

1. Two duly completed visa application forms.
2. Two color photographs (4.5cm×4.5cm).
3. Original and copy of foreign passport.
4. Copy of civil passport.
5. Original and copy of the certificate ( Certificate of Eligibility ).

In addition to qualified foreign personnel, Japan provides work visas for holders of specific professions:

• Professors (teaching and conducting scientific activities in educational institutions in Japan).
• Religious figures .
• Journalists .
• Representatives of creative professions (artists, composers, singers).
• Managers and senior managers .
• Medical workers .
• Scientists .
• Engineers and Humanities .
• Employees of foreign companies .
• Legal and accounting workers .

For more information about the types of work visas, validity periods and requirements for foreigners, please visit the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan mofa.go.jp.

How to find a job in Japan. Job search.

Japan’s immigration policy for foreign workers allows a wide range of professionals to apply for jobs. The main difficulty lies in finding a Japanese employer. Pay special attention to compiling a high-quality resume and cover letter, usually 2-3 sheets are required. Be sure to indicate your competitive advantages, experience and skills.

Finding suitable vacancies in Japan for Russians and other citizens of the former Soviet Union in 2023 is very difficult. Personal contacts and acquaintances play an important role. If there are no connections with representatives or employees of Japanese companies, you can try to establish communication with foreigners living in Japan on social networks. Use a professional network – linkedin.com.

A large number of vacancies in Japan are not publicly available, that is, it is not possible to find a job on the Internet. Therefore, contact Japanese companies directly. It is advisable to write job offers to large corporations where English-speaking foreign workers are guaranteed to be employed. For example, Toyota Motor, Mizuho Financial, Hitachi, Mitsubishi and others. Popular Japanese Work Schools

Daijob.com

Gaijinpot.com

Jobsinjapan.com

International employment resources, including

9000 Careerjet.jp

JP.indEDEEDEEDEEDEEDEEDEEDEEDEEDEEDEED. COM

.com

Japan Newspapers

Japan Times

The Japan News

Be patient and act decisively. If the above resources in finding a job in Japan do not help, contact one of the recruitment agencies. Better than Japanese.

Jobs and wages in Japan

As you know, the Japanese economy is built on the widespread use of high technology and is, in principle, very diverse. The main industries in Japan where vacancies for foreigners are available are automotive, information technology, electronics, food processing, financial and banking sectors. Very often, girls with a bright appearance are required to work in Japan. There are vacancies for models, dancers, singers.

The average salary in Japan in 2023 is 310 thousand Japanese yen ( 2.7 thousand dollars ). The minimum wage, depending on the region, varies from 790 to 1072 yen, that is, about 6-8 dollars per hour . In large cities such as Tokyo , these figures are significantly higher. If we take the available jobs in Japan for Russians and Ukrainians in 2023, these are translators, IT specialists, automotive professionals, medical workers, experienced engineers, builders and other technical specialists. You can earn here from 2 thousand dollars and above.

Finding unskilled work in Japan is very difficult. And without knowledge of the Japanese language, it is completely unrealistic. Among the scarce vacancies, there are professions for which separate work visas are provided – professors, scientists, artists, owners of creative professions, correspondents, and so on. Most of the immigrants get a job in Japan as teachers or teachers of English, and sometimes Russian.

The author (expert) of the material is Ksenia R.

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Arubaito – what kind of work can a foreigner expect in Japan?

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Arubaito – what kind of work can a foreigner expect in Japan?

We once again met with Margarita, who has been living in Japan for many years and works as a car manager in a recruiting company, and asked her to answer a few questions to find out what kind of work our students can still count on, what are the rules adhere to during the interview, and what skills and abilities the candidate should have.

Do you think the number of students who want to find a part-time job immediately after coming to Japan has increased?

Compared to previous years, definitely yes. We are approached not only by students from Russia, but also by Russian-speaking residents of the countries of the former USSR (Ukraine, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, etc.). A person who comes to Japan to study needs not only financial stability, but also the opportunity to communicate with the Japanese more often. At school, this is quite difficult to do, and at a part-time job, sometimes there is an opportunity to listen or speak more.

Where do they most want to earn extra money?

Work in restaurants and cafes is very popular. This area is suitable for those who speak Japanese at an elementary level, and those who have a language level of approximately N3. In the first case, a person will perform work in the kitchen (wash dishes, cook food), and in the second, he will count visitors at the checkout or take orders.

There are also many requests for jobs in hotels, as they have a very convenient schedule. For example, if a student can work 28 hours a week, then you can always agree on a part-time job on Saturday and Sunday for 8-14 hours, and not ride an arubaito every day after class, which is very tiring. In addition, hotels often take with a minimum level of Japanese.

In addition, there are always many vacancies from convenience stores. Personally, we own a certain number of stores from the Lawson chain and employ students there. Initially, we look at the resume and the level of Japanese. Further, if a person fits, we send him to a training that lasts 100 hours. The first 10-18 hours – a lecture and a workshop from the worker of the Lawson combi. Then the trainee works the rest of the time in two stores of the chain, and then he gets a permanent part-time job.

Are employers afraid to take foreigners to Arubaito?

You know, there are certain fears on the part of the Japanese. But it must be taken into account that Japanese society today is rapidly aging, and there is not enough workforce. Especially if we talk about the service sector and working specialties. The Japanese are increasingly looking for work in offices, and therefore, many companies cannot find workers for their vacancies.

Employers are also aware that a foreigner almost always speaks not only Japanese, but also, for example, English. This is a huge plus. Do not forget that the Olympics are ahead, and this means that every year the interest in Japan will only increase. This will lead to an even greater flow of tourists, who will also need to be served. But not all of them know Japanese. In this case, a foreigner working in the state will be a real find.

And, of course, I will not hide the fact that the European appearance is also popular with the Japanese. Many employers specifically hire foreigners to increase interest in their establishments – this is a fairly common practice.

What do they pay attention to when conducting an interview?

First, be sure to check the level of Japanese and look at the summary. The chances of finding arubaito are increased for those who own level N3 and above. If the search for a part-time job is done through a recruiting company, be sure to look at the appearance and manners. We pay attention to whether a person smiles, whether he can learn quickly, how he communicates.

You mentioned that in order to successfully find Arubaito, it is better for a student to have a Japanese level of about N3. And what about those who do not yet have so much knowledge?

There are vacancies for such people, but I will say right away that there are fewer of them. Basically, this is work on loading and unloading goods, in factories for the production of o-bento, cleaning rooms in a hotel.

If we ignore the fact that you need a certain level of Japanese to find a part-time job, then who do you think is the easiest to find arubaito? What is the ideal candidate?

Oh, it all depends on the vacancy! For example, young people are willingly taken to o-bento factories, because the work is quite tedious. But in hotels or restaurants to work in the kitchen, they most often look for candidates after 30-40 years old, because in the view of the Japanese, for example, a woman makes a better impression of a hostess than a student. Combinations are for people of all ages. Hard work is easier for boys than for girls. Here, approximately such situation.

What are the most common mistakes students make when looking for a part-time job?

People often forget to bring their resume. But this is not the most important thing. It is very important for the Japanese that a person is not late. And there are people who come to the interview 15-20 minutes later, citing the fact that they got lost. This is of no interest to anyone, in fact…

Another common mistake is to treat the employer as if it were a friend. Yes, all Japanese are very friendly, but in their society there is a concept of hierarchy. That is why, at the interview, it is unacceptable to use simple colloquial speech that the student remembered, for example, from anime. If you don’t know keigo, don’t worry! The polite, neutral style taught in school is fine.

They also take into account how a person looks. There was a student in our practice who, due to his nature, did not smile. Almost never. And so, how to put such a student at the counter in a combi or send him to serve visitors in a cafe?

As for appearance, it is not necessary to come in a suit, but neatness in appearance is very important. We have encountered the fact that students came to the interview in torn jeans. This is interpreted as disrespect, and one cannot count on a positive response to the vacancy.

What mistakes can a foreigner be forgiven for?

For example, a question about salary. It is not customary to talk about this, but if it so happened that the student mentioned it, most likely they will not attach any importance to this. Lack of work experience in a certain field is also not a problem if a person is ready to learn. Well, sometimes a low level of Japanese is forgiven if the work does not involve frequent communication, but requires monotonous actions.

And what about employment in Japanese companies, where we are already talking about obtaining a work visa?

You know, there is such a problem… Many come to Japan with the hope of immediately getting a high position and a good salary, citing the fact that they have worked in their specialty in their country for a very long time. But in Japan, only experience in a Japanese company is valued. Plus, almost everyone starts from the bottom and reaches a certain status by the age of 30-35. Here you rarely see a CEO at the age of 30, but there are much more ordinary managers of this age. “Our” students are very upset by this – they want everything at once.

Plus, many people want to work, for example, only as a translator or only as an English teacher. But these are quite narrow areas where there is a lot of competition. We always advise you to look wider: choose vacancies in the field of sales, advertising, trade. And of course, it is worth remembering that in order to obtain a work visa, the specialty and qualifications indicated in the diploma must match – this is very important in Japan.

By the way, you can choose international companies or firms that provide business trips abroad – the Japanese most often refuse to travel abroad and do not speak English so well as to bypass a foreigner in this matter. So, here our chances are higher.

In our practice, there was a case when one girl really wanted to work at the hotel reception. But at that time, her level of Japanese was insufficient. As a result, we recommended her to get settled in the combi for now. She worked there for 4 months, improved her Japanese, and then quit and successfully found a job in the hotel, as she had dreamed of. Set intermediate goals, try – and everything will work out!

Which professions are in high demand today?

In addition to designers and programmers, there are more and more vacancies in the field of chemistry and biology. These are cosmetics and cosmetology, medicine, household chemicals…

Why do you think it is difficult for “our” students to integrate into the Japanese work system?

First of all, this is the unwillingness to unquestioningly follow the instructions of the leadership.