Foreign Engineers Japan Employment｜ Complete Guide to IT Career Success in Japan

Against the backdrop of a severe talent shortage in Japan’s IT industry, demand for foreign engineers is rapidly increasing.

With predictions that Japan will face a shortage of up to 790,000 IT professionals by 2030, the country presents tremendous opportunities for foreign engineers.

However, many challenges exist, including visa acquisition, language barriers, and cultural differences.

This article provides a detailed explanation of the steps foreign engineers need to take to succeed in Japan.

1. Benefits and Market Trends for Foreign Engineers Working in Japan

Japan’s IT industry talent shortage presents a significant opportunity for foreign engineers.

As Japanese companies advance their globalization efforts, they highly value the diverse perspectives and specialized skills of foreign engineers, expanding their recruitment efforts accordingly.

Expanding Demand and Future Prospects for Foreign Engineers

According to Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare statistics, the number of foreign workers with professional and technical status of residence has tripled over the past 10 years.

Particularly during the four-year period from 2018 to 2021, the number increased by approximately 120,000, with growth accelerating in recent years.

With Japan’s DX (Digital Transformation) initiatives, demand for foreign engineers skilled in cutting-edge technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity will continue to grow.

Reference: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Trade and Industry

Average Salary and Benefits for Foreign Engineers

The average salary for foreign engineers working in Japan can be considered equivalent to that of Japanese engineers.

Salaries vary significantly based on skills, experience, and Japanese language proficiency. Just like Japanese engineers, compensation changes based on technical expertise and skills.

Engineers with high expertise and Japanese language proficiency can potentially earn over ¥10 million annually.

An increasing number of companies offer flexible work arrangements such as remote work, creating a more comfortable work environment for foreign engineers who value work-life balance.

Career Paths for Foreign Engineers Thriving in Japan

Foreign engineers working in Japan have access to diverse career paths.

Common career progression routes include:

In recent years, examples of foreign engineers advancing to leadership positions have increased. Many leverage their bilingual skills to serve as bridge roles in global teams.

As a route for enhancing expertise, careers specializing in specific fields such as AI engineer, data scientist, or cloud architect are also popular.

2. Visas Required for Foreign Engineers Working in Japan

To work as a foreign engineer in Japan, obtaining the appropriate status of residence (visa) is essential.

Understanding visa types and acquisition requirements, and making optimal choices for your career plan, leads to long-term success in Japan.

“Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” Visa Requirements and Procedures

“Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” is the most common status of residence for foreign engineers working in Japan.

This visa applies to foreign professionals engaged in technical fields such as IT engineers, programmers, and system engineers.

The acquisition requirements are as follows…

The validity period for this visa is typically 1 or 3 years for initial applications, but can be extended up to 5 years upon renewal based on track record.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency: Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services

Benefits and Application Strategy for Highly Skilled Professional Visa

The Highly Skilled Professional visa is a status of residence established to favor foreign professionals with advanced technical knowledge and skills, offering more benefits than standard visas.

The Highly Skilled Professional visa adopts a “points system” where points are calculated based on education, work experience, annual income, and other criteria. A total of 70+ points qualifies for application eligibility.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency: Highly Skilled Professional

Transition Process from International Student to Foreign Engineer

Studying abroad in Japan serves as an effective step toward a career as a foreign engineer. The transition from student to work visa is relatively smooth, and many companies actively recruit international students.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency: International Student Employment

Advantages of Spouse Visa/Permanent Resident Career Changes to IT Industry

Foreign nationals with Japanese spouse visas (Spouse or Child of Japanese National) or permanent resident status have various advantages when changing careers to the IT industry.

Note that spouse visas require continuation of marriage, so status of residence changes become necessary in case of divorce.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency: Spouse or Child of Japanese National

3. Five Essential Skills Japanese Companies Seek in Foreign Engineers

When Japanese companies hire foreign engineers, they consider not only technical skills but also communication abilities and cultural adaptability.

Understanding and consciously improving these abilities can increase success rates for employment and career changes in Japan.

Practical Programming Skills (3+ Years Experience Standard)

Japanese companies seek practical programming skills that enable foreign engineers to become immediate assets after joining.

Given the severe IT talent shortage in Japan, companies with capacity to provide basic education are limited, and candidates with a certain level of technical competency tend to be prioritized for hiring.

For those aiming for engineer employment from inexperience, typical approaches include applying for new graduate recruitment at IT companies or gaining 1-3 years of practical experience in their home country before pursuing career changes to Japanese companies.

Japanese Communication Skills Required for Work

For foreign engineers, Japanese language proficiency serves as an important hiring criterion alongside technical competency.

Particularly in Japanese companies, team collaboration and customer communication are frequent, and without a certain level of Japanese proficiency, work may be hindered in some cases.

However, even if Japanese proficiency is not perfect, many companies often evaluate positively when candidates demonstrate proactive communication attitudes and continuous learning motivation.

Recently, companies adopting English as their internal common language have also increased, providing options for those less confident in Japanese to target such companies.

Reference: Japanese Language Proficiency Test JLPT: Certification Guidelines

English Skills Valuable in Global Environments

As Japanese companies’ internationalization advances, with English becoming internal common languages and increasing interactions with overseas customers and overseas offices, the value of foreign engineers with English skills is rising.

Particularly “trilingual” talent who can speak Japanese and English in addition to their native language are valued in global projects.

Many Japanese companies have recently accelerated global expansion, with increasing projects requiring overseas collaboration.

In such environments, foreign engineers are expected to serve as “bridge SEs” who facilitate smooth communication between Japanese staff and overseas staff.

Sensitivity to IT Trends and Continuous Learning Attitude

The IT industry evolves very rapidly, with new technologies, tools, and frameworks constantly emerging.

Therefore, foreign engineers are strongly required to have sensitivity to the latest IT trends and attitudes toward continuous learning.

According to surveys by Japanese companies, foreign engineers tend to have higher learning motivation compared to Japanese engineers.

Many foreign engineers are highly evaluated for their consciousness toward skill improvement, such as studying after work or participating in IT events on weekends to gather the latest information.

Adaptability to Japanese Business Culture

For foreign engineers to thrive long-term in Japanese companies, the ability to understand and adapt to Japan’s unique business culture and work styles is essential.

Skills are required to minimize misunderstandings and friction arising from cultural differences and work smoothly as team members.

Cultural adaptation takes time, but the diverse perspectives and cultural backgrounds that foreign engineers possess bring great value in providing new ideas and solutions to teams.

4. Three Routes for Foreign Engineers to Join Japanese Companies

Foreign engineers hoping to find employment with Japanese companies have multiple effective routes available.

It’s important to select the optimal method based on your situation and career goals.

New Graduate Recruitment Job Hunting Strategy

Japan’s new graduate recruitment system serves as an effective entry point for foreign students into Japanese companies.

Particularly for students studying at Japanese universities or vocational schools, this system allows them to conduct job hunting through the same process as Japanese students.

Effective Job Hunting Steps

As a particularly important point for new graduate recruitment, Japan’s job hunting has unique schedules and customs.

Typically, company information sessions begin around March of the 3rd year, with the peak selection period lasting until around June of the 4th year.

Career Change Strategy Using Specialized Agents

For foreign engineers who already have practical experience, career changes utilizing specialized agents provide an efficient route.

Human resource agencies specializing in foreign engineers provide strong support by addressing challenges unique to foreign talent, such as language support and status of residence procedures.

Effective Agent Utilization Methods

Career changes through specialized agents provide access not only to job information but also valuable insights about the latest information on Japan’s labor market, salary standards, and required skill sets.

Internship to Full-time Employee Route

Internships serve as a highly effective route toward full-time employment.

Particularly for those with Japanese language concerns or lacking work experience in Japan, first gaining practical experience at Japanese companies through internships can open paths to full-time employment.

Steps from Internship to Full-time Employment

Particularly noteworthy programs include internship programs for foreign talent provided by the Japanese government and local governments.

Recently, remote internships have also increased, making it possible to gain practical experience at Japanese companies while remaining in home countries.

Reference: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

5. Job Types Where Foreign Engineers Can Excel in Japan

Japan’s IT industry offers diverse job types where foreign engineers can excel. Each job type has unique characteristics with different required skill sets and aptitudes.

Choosing job types that match your strengths and interests increases the likelihood of career success in Japan.

System Engineer (Balance of Technology and Language Skills is Key)

System Engineers (SE) are responsible for listening to client requirements and handling everything from system design to development, testing, and operation.

In Japanese companies, this role emphasizes communication skills alongside technical competency, making the balance of technology and language skills the key to success for foreign engineers.

System Engineer salary ranges from ¥4-10+ million. At foreign companies and major IT firms, demand is growing for foreign SEs who combine high communication skills with technical expertise.

Programmer (Job Type That Maximizes Technical Skills)

Programmers handle actual coding based on system engineer designs.

With relatively infrequent Japanese communication requirements and emphasis on technical skills, this job type is relatively accessible for foreign engineers with Japanese language concerns.

Programmer salary ranges from ¥3.5-7+ million. Programmers with skills in new technology areas (AI, blockchain, cloud, etc.) tend to earn higher compensation.

Technical Support (Multilingual Skills Become Weapons)

Technical support provides technical assistance to product or service users.

For foreign engineers, this job type leverages multilingual skills in native language, Japanese, and English, with particularly high demand at Japanese companies with global expansion.

Technical support salary ranges from ¥4-6+ million. Global support personnel handling multilingual correspondence tend to earn higher compensation.

IT Consultant (Senior Position with High Income Potential)

IT consultants are senior professionals responsible for corporate IT strategy formulation, system selection, and implementation support.

Requiring advanced technical knowledge, business knowledge, and communication skills, this position offers high income potential for experienced foreign engineers.

IT consultant salary ranges from ¥7-12+ million, representing high compensation levels. Particularly at foreign consulting firms, even higher compensation can be expected.

6. Challenges Foreign Engineers Face in Japanese Workplaces and Solutions

Japanese workplace environments have unique cultures and customs, presenting various challenges for foreign engineers.

Understanding these challenges and implementing effective countermeasures can significantly expand possibilities for success in Japanese companies.

Practical Techniques for Overcoming Language Barriers

Language barriers are among the most common challenges foreign engineers face when working in Japan. Language plays an important role not only in technical communication but also in daily work and relationship building.

Effective Countermeasures and Practical Techniques

Tips for Understanding Cultural Gaps and Building Smooth Relationships

Japanese workplace culture is unique globally, with customs and communication styles that can be difficult for foreign engineers to understand.

Recognizing cultural gaps and responding flexibly is key to building smooth relationships.

Effective Countermeasures and Practical Techniques

Self-Promotion Techniques for Career Evaluation and Advancement

Japanese companies’ evaluation and promotion systems tend to emphasize “humility” and “teamwork” making it difficult for foreign engineers to find appropriate balance in self-promotion.

However, appropriately promoting your achievements and contributions is essential for career development.

Effective Countermeasures and Practical Techniques

Maintaining Work-Life Balance and Mental Health

Working abroad can impact mental health through various aspects including stress from language and cultural differences, plus physical distance from family and friends.

For foreign engineers, maintaining work-life balance and mental health presents particularly important challenges.

Effective Countermeasures and Practical Techniques

7. Learning from Success Stories! How Foreign Engineers Excel in Japan

Learning from actual success stories of foreign engineers in Japan provides valuable insights for building your own career.

Here we introduce success stories of foreign engineers thriving through different career paths, analyzing their strategies and success factors.

Strategy of Foreign Engineer Who Joined Major IT Company from Inexperience

Example of Nguyen Thanh Phong (29 years old) from Vietnam

Phong studied economics at a Japanese university, completely unrelated to the IT industry, but was hired as an engineer at Mercari just two years after graduation.

Phong states, “I think my strengths are my programming skills and bilingual Japanese abilities. Particularly, being able to conduct code reviews in Japanese was highly evaluated.”

Notable in his strategy was the combination of self-directed learning and community activities.

He continued 3 hours of programming study every weekday evening and actively participated in hackathons and IT study sessions on weekends, successfully demonstrating skills and enthusiasm despite lacking practical experience.

Success Factors of Foreign Engineer Promoted to Leadership Position

Example of Li Ming (34 years old) from China

Li was promoted to Project Manager at Recruit Technologies in his 8th year in Japan.

According to Li, “Many foreign engineers tend to focus only on technical skills, but to become a leader in Japanese companies, ‘the ability to move people’ and ‘proposal skills’ are essential.” He emphasizes that constantly maintaining an attitude of not only discovering project problems but thinking through solutions and making proposals led to his evaluation.

Li’s success factors include thoroughly mastering business Japanese while maintaining high technical skills, and proposal capabilities based on knowledge of both Chinese and Japanese IT markets. He also made planned self-investment toward acquiring upstream process skills.

Case of Foreign Engineer Achieving High Income as Freelancer

Example of Amit Sharma (31 years old) from India

After 3 years at a Japanese SIer company, Sharma became independent as a freelance engineer. He currently realizes annual income of over ¥12 million.

Sharma states, “To succeed as a freelancer, not only technical skills but ‘the ability to brand yourself’ is important”

He regularly posted articles on technical blogs like Qiita and note, and actively participated as a speaker at technical conferences. These activities established the “Amit Sharma” brand, leading to direct offers from clients.

Journey of Foreign Engineer Who Succeeded as Tech Entrepreneur

Example of Jean-Michel Lemaire (36 years old) from France:

Lemaire founded a startup developing multilingual AI chatbots in Japan and successfully raised ¥1 billion in Series B funding. He originally worked as an engineer at a major foreign IT company’s Japan office.

Lemaire explains, “The greatest strength of starting a business in Japan as foreign talent is having a hybrid perspective of global and Japanese viewpoints” Through 10 years in Japan, he gained deep understanding of Japanese business culture while leveraging his outsider’s objective perspective to discover needs and challenges that Japanese companies tend to overlook.

Lemaire also reflects that the biggest barrier he faced when starting a business in Japan was “initial trust building” From the insight that “particularly in Japan, ‘who is saying it’ is often more important than ‘what is being said,'” he focused on building recognition in technical communities and creating track records before starting his business.

8. Understanding Key Points for Foreign Engineers to Excel in Japan

Japan’s IT talent shortage provides significant opportunities for foreign engineers. To succeed, improving technical skills, acquiring Japanese language skills, cultural adaptability, and network building are important.

While language and cultural differences sometimes present barriers, with appropriate strategies and continuous effort, these can be transformed into strengths.

By leveraging your strengths and systematically building your career, you can carve out a brilliant future in Japan’s IT industry.