Obtaining permission to work part-time in Japan

What jobs in Japan can Russian girls expect? Which specialists find it easiest to get a job in this country? More and more often, Russians are visiting Japan to earn money. Some are traveling blind, while others are trying to be aware of everything that is happening in the country they are going to visit.

Finding a good job in Japan for a foreign citizen in 2021 is not as easy as in any other country.

Panoramic view of Tokyo, the capital of Japan

Working in Japan is both hard and easy. Easy - because in Japan there are special institutions that will help you find a job. It’s hard - because you will need an excellent knowledge of the Japanese language so that you can freely communicate with people and understand what they want from you.

There are several recruitment companies in Japan that help foreigners find employment. And for this you must be so-called bilingual foreigners, this is the name of those people who speak at least two languages.

Often, those who are fluent in several languages ​​- English and Japanese - find work faster. However, it is possible that you will have a job where you will need both Japanese and Russian.

Salary

Now let's talk a little about salaries in Japan. After all, you already understand that your salary will be different from what the indigenous people of the country are paid.

Starting salaries can range from 160,000 to 200,000 yen. However, if you have a bachelor's degree, your salary will increase to 180,000 - 250,000 yen per month. Please check the yen exchange rate for yourself as it may change from time to time.

You are also guaranteed to have a bonus of a different nature; such bonuses are given out several times a year. The amount of the bonus is usually based on the company's profit during a specified period of time. Plus, some organizations cover the cost of transport, renting an apartment and pay extra if there are children.

By law, the employer must also pay for insurance (work insurance, life insurance, medical insurance) and pay a percentage to the Pension Fund. Taxes are deducted from the salary, approximately 10 percent of the above amount. The most important thing for a foreigner is a work visa.

What professions are common in Japan?

Official Tokyo does not rely on unskilled labor. The island power's priority is highly qualified specialists who can prove themselves in large corporations and large and medium-sized private firms. However, on the archipelago there is always a need for:

• Sellers.
• Helpers at beaches and ski resorts.
• Service personnel in catering establishments.
• Workers in social service centers (to care for the elderly).
• Employees of cinemas and amusement parks.
• Tutors.

For part-time work (several hours a day), such work pays from 42 to 85 thousand yen per month.

Popular professions

In addition, in 2021, the following are in demand in the East Asian state:

1. IT specialists.
2. Engineers.
3. Architects.
4. Pharmacists.
5. Marketers.
6. Clothing designers.
7. Fashion models.
8. Photo models.
9. Hostess.
10. Security.

Visa to Japan

If you submit all the necessary documents, you will be issued a visa for 1 or 3 years.

This is what a visa to Japan looks like

If you came to Japan to study, then you have the opportunity to open a visa for a year, 1 year and 3 months, two years, 2 years and 3 months. For business flights, a visa can be issued for 3 years. Each visa requires its own list of documents.

Working in Japan: a guide to action

Since there has been a wave of posts about Japan on Habré, and many commenters have questions about how to go there, how to find a job there, etc., I decided to share my rich experience with you. In addition, I will try to fill in the gaps, talk about the legal intricacies, and how you can stay here to live. Whenever possible, I will use Russian terms, sometimes English, so as not to make reading difficult. If anyone is interested in the Japanese title, ask questions, I will add it. So, let's go.

Visa

Japan has several visa categories, each with multiple residency statuses. They give (or do not give) the right to various types of activities, such as work, study, part-time work, and so on. Let's consider them all (except for transit and tourism) in order.

• Diplomatic and official visa.
  They are unlikely to be of interest to us, since they are issued only to officials and are valid only for the period of a diplomatic mission. If you can get it, then there is no point in reading this post - you already know everything.
• Work Visa.
  This is the most interesting category. In addition to such statuses as professor, instructor, etc., it contains very important statuses - engineer, researcher and investor. It is issued for 1 or 3 years, depending on the decision of the immigration bureau. There is no way to influence this, but as a rule, the longer you stay here, the greater the chances of getting a visa for three years. All of these statuses, as well as diplomatic categories, allow you to work in Japan. All of the statuses listed below do not allow full-time work, but you can obtain permission to work part-time for up to 28 hours per week from the City office.
• Temporary visa.
  Issued for 15 or 90 days. You can only get it if you are invited by a Japanese person or a Japanese company.
• General visa.
  It includes 2 statuses for those who come to study for a long period of time (a temporary visa is usually issued for up to 3 months), as well as a status for those who come to take part in some kind of amateur cultural activity. Issued for periods from 6 months to 2 years. This also includes Dependent status, which allows you to bring your spouse to Japan.
• Special visa
  . It can be received by spouses/children of Japanese people or those who are here with Permanent Resident status. In addition, in this category there is also the status of long-term resident for those who suddenly decided to become a refugee.
• Special statuses, without a visa
  . This includes permanent resident and Japanese national. I'll tell you how to get them below.

*note. Due to changes in legislation, some visas are now issued for a period of 1 year and three months rather than 1 year, in particular to allow students to find a job after studying.

Do I need to know Japanese/English?

English is needed, but you must speak it fluently. Even despite the fact that the Japanese hardly speak it (except perhaps for bosses in companies who, due to their positions, have to communicate with foreigners). If you are going to join a foreign company, then you can’t go anywhere without it. If you're in Japanese, knowing English greatly increases your chances of getting hired. There are also chances that you will be periodically sent on business trips. Japanese is very, very desirable. Foreign companies sometimes have vacancies where knowledge of Japanese is not required. But much more often we need employees who know him. Knowledge is assessed based on the results of the state exam Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), which has 5 levels, from N5 (green beginner) to N1 (seasoned wolf). The exam is held 2 times a year, in spring and autumn for N5-N3, in summer and winter for N2-N1. The results become known after 3 months. As a rule, a good N2 is enough to work even in a Japanese company.

How to get there?

First, you need to decide what kind of person you would like to be in Japan. There are not many options - student, researcher, engineer, investor (and one secret option). Yes, of course, you can be supported by a Japanese wife, but you still need to find her. Let's also assume that you are in Russia. For residents of America/Europe, everything is somewhat simplified, from obtaining a visa to finding a job.

Student

If you have firmly decided to study in Japan, but have not yet entered a university, keep in mind that school education in Japan lasts a year longer than in Russia, so you will have to complete your studies at special courses for 1 year.
It may be a little easier to enter a university/college from a Japanese language school - the latter usually provide additional preparation, interviews with teachers, etc. University tuition costs from 600k to 1.2m yen per year. You can, of course, study not only for a bachelor's degree, but also for a master's degree. To do this, it is enough to have a diploma of higher education and pass exams (as in the case of a bachelor’s degree). I spent a year at a Japanese university as an auditing student. What can we say? The level of teachers is very good, but the educational process itself, of course, is only in Japanese. Some universities have lectures in English, but I wouldn't count on it. If you make friends with the professor, he may give exam tasks in English. The grading system is from S (91-100% correct), A (81-90% correct) to D. The latter is equivalent to a two.

Researcher

In this option, you need to ask some Japanese professor to become a researcher.
I didn’t do this myself, but I knew several people who got here this way. However, it is not necessary to currently study at a university/graduate school. You will need recommendations from the dean, head. departments, etc., in English, the more the better. You will need a ready-made work plan of at least 3000 characters. You will need to find a grant for your project (look on the websites of Japanese universities), as well as a professor who is conducting research on a similar topic (again, they are all on the websites). Next, you will need to write a letter (in English) to the selected professor, say that there is such a grant, attach recommendations and a work plan, and wait for a response. If you can’t find a grant, you can also try the Monbugakusho scholarship, but keep in mind that only a few receive it. Having a diploma with honors is mandatory. Publications are desirable.

Engineer

This is how I got here too.
Let's not consider the obvious option - receiving an invitation from a Japanese company. It is very, very difficult to find a company that agrees to take you out of Russia, unless you are an exceptional super-specialist, and that is exactly what Japan is missing. What to do if there is no such company? The answer is simple - look for it. And search while in Japan. And to do this you need to get there on some other visa. Or Temporary, if you have a Japanese friend who can invite you. Or get a visa with Precollege student status. It is provided by a lot of language schools. You can use the services of a special office that will handle the paperwork. For example gaku.ru. But you can also contact the school directly. Detailed requirements and application process are outlined on the gaku website. I will just say that studying in Japan, at a language school, is often cheaper than courses of the same duration in Moscow, and amounts to about 240 thousand rubles per year. For a year of living (food, housing, transportation) an additional 500 thousand rubles will be required. During this time, you can improve your Japanese from zero to N3 (N2 if you try really hard). Two years before N1, but in this case the costs, of course, double. Upon completion, you will be able to calmly look for a job, especially since the process is not quick and takes from 3 to 6 months.

Yes, if you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong or England, you are lucky. Your country has special agreements with Japan, and you can receive the so-called. Working Holiday Visa, valid from 6 months to 1 year, and do whatever you want in Japan. Very comfortably.

Investor

This is an option for the rich.
But in reality, not much is required. Even if you are in Japan on a tourist visa, you have the right to open your own company. It is best to contact English-speaking lawyers who will help you collect all the necessary documents. In order to obtain a visa with business / investor status, your company must either employ two full-time Japanese people, or have an authorized capital of at least 5 million yen. That is about 40 thousand dollars. In addition, if you graduated from a Japanese university and suddenly decided to open your own company, you can, upon request, be given an additional 6 months for the entire procedure, with monthly verification and reporting.

How to look for a job?

Let's assume you chose option 3.
We received some kind of visa, arrived, and began to act. The best places to start your search are CareerCross and DaiJob if you work in enterprise systems and your languages ​​are C++, Java or C#. Experience with databases, typically Oracle, Sybase or DB2, is highly desirable. Experience developing for Linux/Solaris too. If your path is web development, you can also look at the work on Green Japan. Most likely you will communicate not directly, but through recruiters. Therefore, you can see the work on their websites. The best companies I know are Skillhouse and Morgan McKinley. But you can also pay attention to TradeWinds Consulting, Aptus Consulting, as well as directly to companies such as Microsoft and Google.

Now about the difference between Japanese and foreign companies. It's quite big.

• Foreign companies have vacations, while Japanese companies just give you a few days off per year, usually about 12, and then the number grows. You can’t take on a lot in a row, so you won’t be able to arrange a vacation. The Japanese often add them from different sides to Golden Week and New Year's weekend, due to which they lengthen very well.
• Japanese companies do not have sick leave. If you are sick, you will spend days from your vacation days. If your time off is over, you, of course, may not come, having notified your boss in advance, but this day will be deducted from both your salary and your bonus.
• Japanese companies often compensate for housing costs (from 20 to 100%), travel costs, and give 2 bonuses per year equal to 2-3 salaries. But on the other hand, in Japanese companies the wages are much lower than in foreign ones.
• In Japanese companies, it is customary to recycle (this is the word you should probably remember - 残業 - zangyo, recycling). Depending on the company, it may be of different lengths, it may be paid, or it may not. Where I worked, we worked an average of 2 hours a day. At the same time, processing on Saturday (if there was an emergency, for example, and the version was closed) was paid 10% more, and on Sunday generally at a double rate. So the Japanese don’t just sit until midnight either.

A few more facts about Japanese companies. The attitude towards foreigners there is normal, especially after you go to corporate drinking parties a couple of times. This is such a feature of the Japanese mentality - the division of people into friends and foes, at all levels, from country to company and family. So, if you happen to work with a Japanese, you become one of them. The Japanese really like to work according to instructions. But this does not mean that there are no creative people. There are simply few of them. In the software development industry, fortunately, there are many more such people, but unfortunately, not among managers. Although there are some good ones. And the Japanese also love to organize meetings for any reason. For example, how to answer calls correctly. Or how to ride a bike more carefully.

The lifetime employment system in Japan, legally, has long been gone (it disappeared about 30 years ago). In practice, salary depends on length of service, and there is no point in changing jobs frequently. Especially if you have a family, and even a house with a mortgage. That's why the Japanese sit in one place - if you quit, you'll have to start all over again, regardless of your knowledge. It’s easier for foreigners in this regard - we know English and can always transfer to a foreign company. But if you have already decided on Japanese, choose more carefully.

Accommodation

In short, your choices are limited by your cash.
If you are a student at a language school, it will provide you with a dormitory. Sometimes a company can provide hostel accommodation if you don't mind living in close quarters. Payment is usually 2-3 mana yen (mana is 10,000 of anything, 1 mana yen is about 3,000 rubles), including utilities and the Internet. You can get slightly better conditions by staying in a guesthouse. It's almost an apartment, in the sense that you will be alone in the room. But the toilet, kitchen and bathroom are still shared. This is a very convenient option if you want to rent an apartment, but cannot do it immediately (for example, upon arrival, since it takes about 3 weeks to issue a foreigner registration card). A guesthouse costs about 5-6 mana, utilities and internet are included in the price. You can pay in advance by credit card online. Finally, you can rent an apartment. This is a somewhat tedious and very expensive process. The Japanese even have an expression, 引越し貧乏, hikkoschi binbo: or poor man after moving. Depending on the area of ​​residence and the area, an apartment can cost from 3 to 50 mana per month. For 3 you will shoot something 16-18 square meters in size (I have exactly that). However, you will have to pay much more upon arrival. What are the expenses? Here is the list:

• 礼金, reikin, or, based on the hieroglyphs, money in gratitude. This is a gift to the owner of the house for agreeing to shelter you. This money is not returned, and few people take it anymore (5 years ago the situation was worse). They were introduced, as far as I know, after the great earthquake in Kobe, when there was simply nowhere to live. When there is reikin, it is 1 to 3 monthly amounts.
• 敷金, sh(i)kikin, or pledge. Also ranges from 1 to 3 monthly amounts. Returns at the end of the contract.
• 保証金, khoshcho: kin, or insurance money. The fact is that a foreigner cannot just rent an apartment. A Japanese person or a Japanese company must vouch for it. And if you are not working yet, then you have to turn to the services of a third-party company. One monthly amount.
• Payment to realtors. Another monthly amount.
• Apartment insurance, not to be confused with insurance money. You don’t have to pay it, usually around the 1st monthly amount.
• Sanitation. Cleaning the apartment from the previous owner. You will have to do it, it takes about 2-3 mana.

Well, of course, the first month’s payment, plus, if you live not in a one-story house, but in a manschen, that is, a multi-unit house, a monthly payment for maintenance (house cleaning, elevator, etc.) Despite the fact that I pay for apartment 3 mana per month plus 5 thousand for service, upon entry I paid about 18 mana. The contract is usually drawn up for 2 years. You can’t house anyone with you, but if, for example, your parents come to visit you, no one will be indignant. It is also forbidden to have pets (with the exception of fish and hamsters).

As a conclusion

Among foreigners living here, there is often an opinion that the fewer foreigners there are in Japan, the better the country. This point of view has a right to exist, because only a few gaijins here really try to understand Japanese culture and work. The rest, mostly Americans, are simply parasites on Japanese society. So with this post I did what some people asked me not to do. Now the guide to action is yours. Joy

List of documents for obtaining a visa to Japan

1. International passport.
2. Color copy of the first page of the passport.
3. Two forms for obtaining a Japanese visa.
4. Two good quality photographs. It's better to take more photos just in case. Format – 3.5×4.5 or 5×6.
5. An invitation to be sent by an employer from Japan.
6. For children, a certificate from the school or university is required, indicating the address and a valid telephone number.
7. If you are traveling as a couple, you must present a marriage certificate.

Japanese work mentality

Many people have long known that the Japanese are hardworking people. Very often, legends and anecdotes are told about the hard work of the Japanese.

However, the management system is probably the main criterion for such a stable economy in Japan. Japanese management is generally based on collectivism.

Every Japanese has personal qualities that a European will have to cultivate within himself for a very long time. Hard work, honesty, full dedication, responsibility, the desire to achieve something more - all these qualities are present in almost every Japanese from birth. Arriving in the Middle Kingdom, it will be important for employers to know whether you can work like a cog in a large and well-coordinated mechanism.

Many Japanese do not understand why European people change jobs so often, even once a year is a lot. The Japanese are very loyal people, they work in the same establishment for decades, there are even cases when the company hired an employee for life.

Jobs for girls in Japan - modeling

Japan is increasingly captivated by Slavic beauty.

Prices on the modeling market in Japan are incredibly high - no one earns less than $800 a day. A hardworking and beautiful model has every chance to earn a fortune, even if the agency takes 40 percent of all income.

However, before you go to an unknown country, you should find a reputable agency and sign a contract with them. Sometimes it takes a lot of time to find a really good agency, but the result is worth it.

For example, in Tokyo, girls rent apartments, are provided with their own translator, and they have to get to work by subway; the agency provides a specially designed route so that none of the girls get lost.

Example of a Japanese work visa

Dancer

Today, there are entire agencies that offer girls to sign a contract. Such agencies provide girls with work, housing and food, but after the end of the working day you will have to give a percentage of your earnings to the agency.

This work is not safe, as it happens that girls have been kidnapped, so you need to cooperate with trusted agencies.

Waitress

If upon arrival in Japan you have a desire to work as a waiter, then do not rush to run to all the cafes. First, you must fully master the Japanese language, otherwise you simply will not be hired. In Japan there is no such rule, as, for example, in Russia or Ukraine, that a girl works as a waiter. The country is actively fighting sexism, so either a girl or a guy can be a waiter.

Another feature that will immediately catch your eye. In Russia, it is customary to tip the waiter for the work done.

However, in Japan, tips are treated as a handout; waiters receive a rather large salary, so they never leave tips.

Job Search Options

There are several ways to find work in Japan. If you have friends among local residents, you can try to find some vacancy through an acquaintance. Another option is to search for work through specialized sites. If a foreigner has a residence permit, he can use the help of the employment service. They are both public and private. Many Japanese newspapers have special sections where current vacancies are published.

Using sites

The Internet provides an excellent opportunity for foreigners to look for work in Japan while still in Russia. The main thing here is to find a site where vacancies are posted in English. If the applicant has a reasonable command of the Japanese language, then everything becomes much simpler. There are several dozen local online resources offering work in Tokyo and other cities. Among the most popular job sites it is worth highlighting:

• Tokyonoticeboard;
• Gaijinpot;
• Jobsinjapan;

Many job openings are posted on Yahoo Japan. To find a suitable job, you need to enter keywords in the search bar, for example “Russian language”. All current vacancies requiring translators or Russian language teachers will automatically appear in the search results.

With the help of government employment programs

Very often, foreigners turn to private job search services for help. Almost all of them charge a fee for providing access to the current vacancy database or for referring them to an employer. However, in addition to them, in every Japanese city there are also government employment services Hello Work, where the same service is provided free of charge.

The only condition for taking advantage of the local labor exchange is to have a residence permit or work visa. Foreign students also have the right to apply to the state employment service. According to local law, they can legally work part-time, but not more than 28 hours a week.

There is an Employment Service Center for Foreigners in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, where all information is provided in English.

Find information through local newspapers

Is it possible to find a good job by looking through Japanese newspapers? As practice shows, such a job search can be quite effective. Some employers in smaller towns are accustomed to advertising available positions through newspapers. In addition, several English newspapers are published in Tokyo, where you can often find something useful. The most popular among them are The Japan News and Japan Times.

Some useful tips for finding a job in Japan

Before heading to Japan, you should consider whether you are prepared for a busy work schedule. In Japan you can get a work visa, however, this requires that your employer provide a grant and invite you to work.

If you do not plan to pay certain people who will find you a job, then we advise you to go to the labor exchange upon arrival. In addition, you can find a job through an advertisement in a newspaper, on the Internet, or just on the street. In order to work in Japan, you will need an apartment, and to rent an apartment you need a guarantor (a person who will vouch for you).

If you fail to pay, this person will have to pay for your apartment. Many employers only offer jobs to people who can speak Japanese fluently. If you want to get this job, then you should take the Japanese language exam, which takes place once a year, in the first week of December. After passing this test, you will be given a special form that you can submit as proof of your language proficiency.

Work permit and visa application

After the Japanese company approves the applicant for the position, an employment contract is concluded and the employee is issued a work permit. What is it? The Certificate of Eligibility certificate is a document that regulates the presence of a foreigner in the country. Applying for a permit is free, valid for no more than 3 years. This is handled by the Japanese Immigration Bureau. The certificate preparation period can vary from 1 to 3 months. The cost of sending the document is paid by the foreign employee.

The Certificate of Eligibility serves as the basis for obtaining a long-term visa, entry and residence permit in Japan. To obtain a visa, the applicant must apply to the Japanese consulate in his country with the following documents:

• visa application form in English (filled out in 2 copies);
• a copy of the international passport (main page with photo and personal data);
• 2 photographs (size 45*45 mm);
• a copy of the Russian passport (pages from the main spread and registration);
• Certificate of Eligibility (original + copy).

Despite the fact that the list of documents includes copies of a foreign and internal passport, you will also need to present their originals at the reception at the consulate. Review of documents may take up to 4 days.

Refusal to obtain a work visa may occur in the following cases:

• having a criminal record;
• errors when filling out the questionnaire;
• incomplete set of documents;
• discrepancy between the specified data in the documents.

After receiving a visa, you can enter Japan. After this, you will need to register at your place of residence within 3 months to receive a Resident Card. This document is needed to confirm your identity in the country.

It is worth noting that each work visa to Japan is tied to a specific specialty. That is, after entering Japan, you can only work in a designated profession. Any other activities are prohibited. If you violate this, you can receive a fine or arrest for several years.

Paid holiday

If a job has already been found, then it’s time to talk about a well-deserved rest. Japanese employers only allow you to take 10 paid days off per year. There are quite a lot of holidays in Japan, which are added to the weekend, sometimes even several times a month. Therefore, mini-vacations are very popular among the Japanese people; in 2-3 days they manage to travel to a new country.

Detailed map of Japan showing all cities and roads

The Japanese also believe that if you are not at work for three days in a row, it means you have taken a vacation. New Year holidays last about a week, just like in Russia and Ukraine there are May holidays - “golden week”. Somewhere in mid-January, memorial week begins in Japan.

They say, “The Japanese are constantly working, but with us, if it’s not a week, then it’s some kind of holiday.” Thus, we have destroyed a myth that has existed for years. Yes, the Japanese are very hardworking people, which is facilitated by a considerable number of days off.