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More and more companies in Japan are hiring people from overseas because of a shortage of labor, and the number of foreigners who want to work in Japan is also increasing.
Despite the mutual demand, the reality is that there is still no progress in recruiting from abroad.
When recruiting non-Japanese, the target population is inevitably residents of Japan, and although some companies also recruit overseas residents, the percentage is quite small.
Of course, you can work in Japan even if you live overseas.
This lesson will explain in detail why Japanese companies do not hire expatriates.
Why are applications from overseas residents not accepted?
The main reason why Japanese companies do not accept applications from overseas residents is that it is unclear whether they will be able to obtain a visa. It is because it is uncertain whether they can really come to Japan.
If multiple interviews are conducted and an offer is finally made but the candidate is unable to come to Japan due to various factors, the HR manager’s time and money will be wasted.
In addition, it takes about three months from COE application to VISA acquisition, which means “We need personnel now, but we can’t wait three months!” and this delays the recruitment plan.
Therefore, we mainly hire Japanese nationals or foreign nationals living in Japan who can be hired on a regular basis and who can join our company immediately.
Other reasons include the following
The time it takes to leave the country and the procedures for VISA application vary from country to country.
Because you need to be a college graduate to get a VISA.
Due to current job in home country or family problems, it is not easy to work in a foreign country
Because I have not yet worked in a Japanese company and am not sure if I can adapt to a Japanese company.
Due to early retirement and early return to home country
Please note that you must meet these two requirements to work in Japan in order to obtain a VISA.
Graduation from a university, graduate school (junior college), or equivalent
At least 10 years of work experience in a job in Japan, even if you have not graduated from a university.
If you have a college degree, you can work in Japan, but if you do not have a college degree, you cannot work in Japan until you have 10 years of work experience.
There are other issues besides VISA.
In addition to Visa issues, there are also problems such as not being able to meet the scheduled start date, which can be quite a blow to a company that already had a start date schedule in place.
As for why you can’t make it to your hire date,
COE application is taking a long time.
Bad weather changed the flight schedule.
Family issues came up, etc.
Because companies need to counter and respond to these unpredictable issues, they tend to shy away from hiring expatriates.
If you cannot meet the start date, someone else will cover the position or fill it, so the worst that can happen is that you receive a job offer but the offer is rescinded. Therefore, before you start working for a Japanese company, you should confirm in advance whether you can obtain a VISA and whether you can come to Japan well in advance of your starting date.
In addition, the rules for hiring foreigners, whether living in Japan or overseas, are different from those for hiring Japanese nationals, which increases the workload for HR personnel, including the preparation of separate documents.
Other problems include the need for business manner training and taking business Japanese lessons since they do not yet have experience working in Japan, which not only costs money, but also makes on-the-job training longer than for foreigners living in Japan and delays their arrival on site by about one month.
These are some of the concerns when hiring foreigners living abroad.
In conclusion, there are still a few companies that hire foreigners living abroad, but there are some!
Be the kind of person companies want to hire!
Be the kind of person you want to hire, even at the risk and cost we have described so far.
Companies are looking for these people and are willing to hire them even if they live abroad.
Passed JLPT N2 or higher
Mid-career professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 with at least 5 years of work experience.
Speak multiple languages including native language, English, and Japanese
Some management experience.
If you fall into any of these categories, you should actively apply.
If this does not apply to you, do not apply yet, but instead obtain an N2 or improve your experience and skills.
The reason is that Japanese companies generally only accept applications once, and once you are rejected, you may not be able to apply for several years.
Apply carefully, because once you are rejected, you must wait three to five years or more before you can apply again, or some companies will not allow you to apply again.
You can also apply on your own, but if you apply through a recruitment agent, they can introduce you to positions where you can make use of your past experience, and if it is too early, they can provide you with detailed information on when to apply and what to do until then.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, students learned about the application process from foreigners living abroad.
Basically, we do not accept applications from overseas because of the risk of not being able to come to Japan due to lack of VISA even if we take the time to interview and make an offer, and also because of the costs involved in preparing the necessary documents for COE application and arranging on-the-job training even if you decide to join the company.
However, if you can still become a person that the company would like to hire, they will hire you.
Before coming to Japan, increase your market value as much as possible to become
Pass the JLPT N2 or higher.
Since Japanese companies use the JLPT as a guideline for hiring foreigners, having N2 will allow you to pass the application screening process and proceed to the interview in most companies.
Develop your skills with at least 5 years of experience in your home country.
Have enough added value to make it worth the risk and cost of hiring from overseas.
Acquire special experience and skills that neither Japanese nor foreigners living in Japan possess.
Be able to speak multiple languages, including your native language, English, and Japanese.
Japanese people can only speak Japanese, but foreigners can speak a variety of languages.
Show that you can work globally.
Gain management experience as well.
If you have management experience as well as onsite experience, you can work as a manager for a foreigner living in Japan. You may be hired as a future PM candidate.
If any of these apply to you, you will be more likely to be hired, so you should aim to acquire these four skills first.