# Easy to find a job in Japan?



## Queena

My son would like to go to Japan applying a job, but I know the economic still not well there, as my son likes Japan very much, to have a career there is his dream, any body can give me some idea how is the employment situation, to find a job for a foreign is possible or not? Thanks very much.


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## larabell

It seems to me you're asking the wrong question. It's no secret that the economy in Japan has seen better times but there are still plenty of jobs to be had for people who have something to offer other than a warm body. The question is whether your son has skills and/or experience that a Japanese company (or a Japanese subsidiary of a non-Japanese company) would find valuable enough that they would be moved to sponsor someone from another country to work here rather than hiring locally.

If the question is whether or not your son can just show up and get a job as a taxi driver or a grocery clerk, the answer is "probably not". For mundane jobs, it's much easier to hire someone locally (a native Japanese or a non-Japanese with a valid working visa) than to sponsor someone from outside of the country. That changes, of course, if the candidate has experience or skills that cannot easily be found by hiring locally. Tech jobs, certain finance jobs, teaching English -- these are all areas where it's possible for someone to bring something to the negotiation that cannot easily be found already here in Japan (and even English teaching is limited to native speakers, in general). Experience in the management and customs of a specific company would work if that company needs to employ someone in Japan to help manage the office here. The point is that your son would need to fill a need that cannot be filled by a local Japanese employee.

For that reason, my advice would be to contact: (a) companies headquartered in your home country which have a significant presence in Japan, or (b) Japanese companies which have a significant presence in your home country. If your son were to establish a solid track record with a company in either of the categories above and then ask to be transferred to Japan, he might have a chance. It's very unlikely he'd be able to just show up and start looking for a job.

Now... your profile doesn't mention your nationality (at least not that I've seen) but citizens of certain countries (like the UK) can come over for up to a year and work in order to support themselves. It's not unusual for an ex-pat on this kind of visa to build experience with a company on a part-time basis and then convert to a real working visa at the end of the year.. Whether that's open to your son depends on the country of origin of his passport.

The obvious exception to all this would be if your son were married to a Japanese citizen. In that case, he need only apply for a spousal visa, after which pretty much the whole job market would be open .

There are other options, most of which don't allow for working -- not even part-time (at least not without permission). From what little you've posted, I'd say the next step is to look for companies in your home country that might be able to provide an inter-company transfer at some point.


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