Foreign Engineers in Japan: Complete Employment Guide

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

With predictions that up to 790,000 IT professionals will be in short supply by 2030, Japan presents significant 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 Working as a Foreign Engineer in Japan

The talent shortage in Japan’s IT industry represents a major opportunity for foreign engineers.

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

Expanding Demand and Future Prospects for Foreign Engineers

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

Particularly during the four years from 2018 to 2021, there was an increase of approximately 120,000 people, with growth accelerating even further in recent years.

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

Reference: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: Industry DX Promotion

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 ability. Just like with Japanese engineers, salary changes based on technical skills and expertise apply to foreign engineers as well.

Examples of Salary Guidelines for Foreign Engineers

• New graduates/1-2 years experience (N3 level): ¥3.5-4.5 million
• Mid-level (3-5 years experience, N2 level): ¥4.5-6 million
• Veteran (5+ years experience, N1 level): ¥6-12+ million

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

An increasing number of companies offer flexible working arrangements such as remote work, creating a more comfortable working 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 path examples include…

In recent years, there are increasing examples of foreign engineers advancing to leadership positions. Many cases involve leveraging 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 Working as a Foreign Engineer in Japan

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

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

“Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” Visa Acquisition Conditions 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 specialized work in technical fields such as IT engineers, programmers, and system engineers.

The acquisition conditions 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 performance.

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 provide preferential treatment for foreign professionals with advanced skills and knowledge, offering more benefits than general visas.

Main Benefits of Highly Skilled Professional Visa

• Residence period up to 5 years (Highly Skilled Professional 1) or indefinite (Highly Skilled Professional 2)
• Multiple activities permitted (e.g., side jobs allowed)
• Domestic helper accompaniment possible under certain conditions
• Relaxed employment restrictions for spouses
• Relaxed requirements for permanent residence application (can apply after 3+ years with Highly Skilled Professional 1)

The Highly Skilled Professional visa adopts a “points system” where points are calculated based on education, work experience, annual income, and other factors, with 70+ points required for application eligibility.

Application Strategy Points for Engineers

• Income maximization: Annual income significantly affects points
• Acquiring professional qualifications: Certifications like Information Technology Engineer Examination are eligible for additional points
• Japanese language improvement: Aim for JLPT N1/N2 acquisition
• Building research achievements: Paper publications and patent acquisitions are eligible for point additions

Reference: Immigration Services Agency: Highly Skilled Professional

Transition Process from International Student to Foreign Engineer

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

Steps from International Student to Engineer

1. Major selection: Choose IT/Computer Science departments
2. Internship experience: Gain internship experience at Japanese companies while enrolled
3. Japanese language improvement: Aim for business-level Japanese (N2+)
4. Job hunting: Search for companies actively recruiting foreign talent and attend student-oriented job events
5. “Designated Activities” visa utilization: Up to 1 year of job hunting period allowed after graduation
6. Status of residence change application: Change from “Student” to “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” after receiving job offer

Points Where International Students Have Advantages in Job Hunting

• Demonstrated understanding and adaptability to Japanese culture
• Bilingual skills in Japanese and native language
• Specialized knowledge learned in Japan’s educational system

Reference: Immigration Services Agency: International Student Employment

Advantages for Spouse Visa/Permanent Residents Transitioning to IT Industry

Foreign nationals with Japanese spouse visas (“Spouse of Japanese National, etc.”) or permanent resident status who transition to the IT industry have various advantages.

Main Advantages of Spouse Visa/Permanent Residents

• No employment restrictions: Can work freely in any occupation
• Stable residence period: “Spouse of Japanese National, etc.” 1-5 years, permanent residents indefinite
• Freedom of activities: Multiple jobs and side businesses possible
• Freedom to change jobs: Can change jobs without visa concerns
• Ease of starting business: Relatively easy to start own business

Specific Benefits for IT Industry Transition

• No requirement for specialization-job relevance: Can work as IT engineer regardless of educational background or major
• Easy start from inexperience: Career change possible using programming schools
• Freelance options: Can work independently as freelance engineer

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

Reference: Immigration Services Agency: Spouse of Japanese National, etc.

3. Five Abilities Japanese Companies Seek in Foreign Engineers

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

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

Immediately Practical Programming Skills (3+ Years Experience Guideline)

Japanese companies seek practical programming skills that enable foreign engineers to become immediately productive after joining.

Given the severe IT talent shortage in Japan, companies with capacity to provide basic education are limited, and there’s a tendency to prioritize hiring talent with a certain level of technical ability.

For those aiming for engineering careers from inexperience, it’s common to apply for new graduate recruitment at IT companies or gain 1-3 years of practical experience in their home country before pursuing career change to Japanese companies.

Japanese Communication Skills Required for Work

For foreign engineers, Japanese language ability serves as an important hiring criterion alongside technical skills.

Particularly in Japanese companies, there’s frequent team collaboration and customer communication, and insufficient Japanese ability may hinder work in some cases.

However, even if Japanese ability isn’t perfect, many companies often evaluate positive communication attitudes and continuous learning motivation.

Recently, companies adopting English as their internal language are increasing, so targeting such companies is an option for those weak in Japanese.

Reference: Japanese Language Proficiency Test JLPT: Certification Guidelines

English Skills That Shine in Global Environments

As Japanese companies’ internationalization progresses, with English becoming internal languages or increasing interactions with overseas customers and 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 are accelerating global expansion recently, with increasing projects requiring overseas collaboration.

In such environments, foreign engineers are expected to serve as “bridge SEs” facilitating smooth communication between Japanese 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 for continuous learning.

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

Many foreign engineers are evaluated for their very high awareness of skill improvement, such as studying after work or participating in IT events on weekends to collect 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 working styles is essential.

Skills are required to minimize misunderstandings and friction 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 by providing new ideas and solutions to teams.

4. Three Routes for Foreign Engineers to Find Employment in Japanese Companies

Foreign engineers seeking employment in Japanese companies have multiple effective routes available.

Selecting the optimal method based on your situation and career goals is important.

New Graduate Recruitment Job Hunting Strategy

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

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

Main Benefits of New Graduate Recruitment

• Possibility of being hired without practical experience
• Comprehensive education and training systems after joining
• Clear long-term career paths
• Smooth visa acquisition (seamless connection between university graduation and employment)

Effective Job Hunting Steps

Early Preparation (Fall of 3rd year university/1st year master’s)

• Registration on job information sites (Rikunavi, Mynavi, etc.)
• Company research and target industry narrowing
• Japanese proofreading of entry sheets

Recruitment Event Participation (3rd-4th year)

• Participation in joint company information sessions
• Participation in job fairs for foreign students
• Consultation at university career centers

Selection Preparation

• Japanese interview practice
• Group discussion preparation
• Knowledge organization for technical interviews

A particularly important point for new graduate recruitment is that Japan’s job hunting has unique schedules and customs.

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

Career Change Strategy Using Specialized Agents

For foreign engineers who already have practical experience, career change using specialized agents is an efficient route.

Recruitment companies specializing in foreign engineers provide support for language assistance and status of residence procedures, addressing challenges unique to foreign talent, making them very reassuring.

Benefits of Using Specialized Agents

• Support available even with Japanese language concerns
• Introduction to non-public job opportunities from companies actively recruiting foreign talent
• Visa application procedure support
• Salary negotiation and condition adjustment representation

Effective Agent Utilization Methods

Appropriate Agent Selection

• Agents specializing in foreign engineers (G Talent, Jellyfish, etc.)
• IT industry-specialized agents (Levtech Career, Mynavi IT AGENT, etc.)
• Globally expanding major agents (Robert Walters, Michael Page, etc.)

Self-analysis and Clear Desired Conditions

• Inventory of skill sets and experience
• Organization of desired job type, industry, work location, salary conditions
• Confirmation of constraints like visa status and Japanese level

Career change through specialized agents provides access not only to job information but also valuable information about the latest Japanese labor market, salary ranges, and required skill sets.

Internship to Full-time Employment Route

Internships serve as a very effective route as stepping stones to full-time employment.

Particularly for those with Japanese language concerns or no Japanese work experience, gaining practical experience at Japanese companies through internships first can open paths to full-time employment.

Benefits of Internship to Full-time Employment

• Understanding company culture and job content through actual work
• Companies can reduce hiring risks, lowering employment barriers
• Opportunities to prove practical skills and communication abilities
• Chances to demonstrate capabilities even with developing Japanese skills

Steps from Internship to Full-time Employment

Finding Internships

• University career centers and international exchange departments
• Websites specializing in internships for foreign talent (Kopas, Internship in Japan)
• Direct company approaches using LinkedIn and other SNS

Success Strategy During Internship

• Demonstrating positive attitude and contribution motivation
• Active learning of Japanese language and culture
• Building good relationships with team members
• Showing skills and abilities through concrete results

Conversion Points to Full-time Employment

• Clearly expressing hiring intentions to supervisors and HR personnel
• Visualizing and presenting achievements during internship period
• Explaining long-term value you can bring to the company

Particularly noteworthy are internship programs provided by the Japanese government and local authorities for foreign talent.

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

Reference: Ministry of Health

5. Job Types Where Foreign Engineers Can Thrive in Japan

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

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

System Engineer (Balance of Technology and Language 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, communication skills are emphasized alongside technical abilities, making the balance of technology and language the key to success for foreign engineers.

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

Programmer (Job Type That Maximizes Technical Skills)

Programmers handle actual coding based on system engineer designs.

With relatively less frequent Japanese communication and emphasis on technical skills, this job type is 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 including 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 handle everything from corporate IT strategy formulation to system selection and implementation support.

This senior position requires advanced technical knowledge, business knowledge, and communication skills, representing a high-income option for experienced foreign engineers.

IT consultant salary ranges from ¥7-12+ million at high 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

Industry-Specific Japanese Learning

• Create Japanese-English correspondence lists for IT terminology
• Develop habits of regularly reading technical blogs and articles in Japanese
• Prepare collections of standard phrases and expressions used in work

Effective Communication Strategies

• Practice “reflective listening” by repeating others’ words to confirm understanding
• Use diagrams and tables for visual explanation of complex content
• Prepare key points in advance for important conversations

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

Deepening Understanding of Japanese Workplace Culture

• Learn uniquely Japanese concepts like “reading the air” “horenso” and “nemawashi”
• Utilize books and online resources about Japanese business culture
• Honestly ask Japanese colleagues about cultural questions

Proactive Approaches for Relationship Building

• Politely express greetings and gratitude in Japanese
• Actively participate in lunch and company events
• Participate in drinking parties and social occasions when possible
• Create opportunities to introduce your country’s culture and cuisine

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 the appropriate balance for self-promotion.

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

Effective Countermeasures and Practical Techniques

Visualizing and Recording Achievements

• Record quantitative results (code quality, bug fixes, project contributions)
• Develop habits of concisely summarizing achievements in weekly and monthly reports
• Save positive feedback from customers and teams

Goal Setting and 1-on-1 Meeting Utilization

• Establish regular 1-on-1 meeting opportunities with supervisors
• Set clear short and medium-term career goals and share with supervisors
• Specifically confirm evaluation criteria and expectations

Appropriate Self-Promotion Techniques

• Use expressions like “our team achieved…” while conveying personal contributions
• Create opportunities to showcase expertise through technical blog writing and internal study sessions
• Present proposals and improvements in the context of “team efficiency”

Maintaining Work-Life Balance and Mental Health

Working in a foreign country can affect mental health in various ways, including stress from language and cultural differences, plus physical distance from family and friends.

Maintaining work-life balance and mental health is a particularly important issue for foreign engineers.

Effective Countermeasures and Practical Techniques

Setting Healthy Boundaries

• Maintain habits that clearly separate work and private life
• Negotiate overtime and drinking parties within reasonable limits
• Plan vacation time systematically to ensure refresh time

Building Community and Support Networks

• Participate in communities of people from the same country or region
• Join meetups and events for foreign engineers
• Expand friendships through activities sharing hobbies and interests

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

Learning from actual foreign engineers who have achieved success in Japan provides significant hints for building your own career.

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

Strategy of Foreign Engineer Who Joined Major IT Company from No Experience

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

Phong studied economics at a Japanese university in an environment 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 programming skills and Japanese bilingual ability. Particularly, being able to conduct code reviews in Japanese was highly evaluated”

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

He continued 3 hours of programming study every weekday after work and actively participated in hackathons and IT study sessions on weekends, successfully appealing his 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, ‘people-moving power’ and ‘proposal ability’ are essential.” He emphasizes maintaining an attitude of not just discovering project problems but thinking through and proposing solutions.

Li’s success factors include thoroughly mastering business Japanese while maintaining high technical skills, and proposal abilities 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

Sharma became independent as a freelance engineer after 3 years of experience at a Japanese SIer company. He currently achieves an annual income of over ¥12 million.

Sharma states, “To succeed as a freelancer, ‘the power to brand yourself’ is important in addition to technical skills”

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 the Japanese branch of a major foreign IT company.

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 deeply understood Japanese business culture while leveraging his outsider’s objective perspective to discover needs and issues 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 “in Japan, ‘who is saying it’ is often more important than ‘what is being said'” he focused on building recognition and creating achievements in technical communities before starting his business.

8. Understanding Key Points for Thriving as a Foreign Engineer in Japan

Japan’s IT talent shortage provides significant opportunities for foreign engineers. Success requires technical skill improvement, Japanese language acquisition, cultural adaptability, and network building.

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

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