Japan is a dream holiday destination for travelers around the world, but what are the best job opportunities for foreigners in the land?
#1: Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)
Japan has a huge demand for English language teachers due to its overwhelmingly nationalistic population. The country is quite void of foreigners, as living in Japan as a non-citizen is rather challenging, particularly in the long term.
Fortunately, Japan is always looking to expand its influence to the rest of the world, and having a native English speaker present in schools has huge benefits for the community. Being an ALT in Japan is more than just being a teacher, it’s becoming a window to the rest of the world for the Japanese.
If that wasn’t enough of an incentive, becoming an ALT in Japan is by far the easiest way to enter the country on a visa and start working. Common routes include the government JET Program (Japan Exchange and Teaching), or separate entities that specialize in training and placing you as an ALT, such as Interac.
The great thing about becoming an ALT is that you do not need a teaching degree of any sort to get in, although a university degree in any field is highly regarded, as it demonstrates academic competence in the English language.
#2: Freelancing in a Specialized Field
This one is not the easiest way to get into Japan, but it certainly reaps more rewards and career progression than an ALT. Think of your favorite YouTubers and content creators who reside in Japan, and I can almost guarantee you that they are on the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa.” This visa title may sound intimidating at first, particularly with the inclusion of “Engineer,” but it’s actually a lot broader of a term than you think.
In today’s modern world of the digital era, there are so many niche areas of expertise that one could specialize in, whether it be a specific type of video creation, a particular field of writing, or even a specialized skill in marketing or programming. Regardless of your area of expertise, the ball is very much in your court if you get your hands on this visa, as you become the driver of your own ship and are not bound to a single company.
So long as you have at least one client that is based in Japan and is happy to sponsor you, this warrants the immigration office to accept you into the country as a contributor to Japanese society. You can then make the rest of your income off of your clients from your home country or other parts of the world.
#3 English-Speaking Hotel Staff
I’ve since updated this article as I’ve achieved a work visa in Japan through my employment at SOWAKA in Kyoto. This traditional-modern hotel has a vast majority of foreign guests, making those native in English sought-after to work the front desk. Of course, being able to speak Japanese is a huge plus and can greatly assist your chances of being hired, but it’s certainly not a deal-breaker here.
In fact, hotel jobs are super popular among foreigners living in Japan and one of the most common industries of employment for non-Japanese people. At the end of the day, hotels in Japan’s major cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are always going to be packed with foreign guests, especially if they are located in popular tourist destinations.
As such, your services as an English speaker can be very valuable to these hotel companies. To make matters even better, your Japanese coworkers will likely be competent in English speaking too, especially if they are fellow front desk staff. This makes work seamless and smooth. From my experience, you will also be highly valued by the company if you speak other popular languages such as Chinese (as is the case with a coworker of mine). With such a large Chinese customer base at SOWAKA, her skills have been a huge help in assisting these types of guests.
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!