Working and living in Japan — answered.
Honest, up-to-date answers to the questions foreign professionals ask us most. Nothing here is legal or tax advice — always confirm your specific case with a licensed professional.
Visas & immigration
Which visas let foreigners work in tech in Japan?
The most common routes for foreign tech professionals are:
- Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services — the default "work visa" for most software roles. Requires a degree or ~10 years of relevant experience.
- Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) — a points-based visa with faster permanent residency (1–3 years) for candidates with strong education, salary, and experience.
- Business Manager — for founders, executives, or those opening a Japan office.
- 特定技能 (Specified Skilled Worker) — a newer route, growing fast, used heavily in fields like IT infrastructure, hospitality, and manufacturing.
How long does a Japanese work visa take to process?
Plan for 1–3 months from the day your sponsoring company submits the Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Typical breakdown: ~4–8 weeks for the COE, then 5–10 business days for the visa stamp at your nearest Japanese consulate. Highly Skilled Professional applications are often faster.
Do I need a university degree to qualify for an Engineer visa?
Usually yes — a bachelor's or higher in a related field is the cleanest path. Without a degree, immigration typically expects around 10 years of relevant professional experience. Some roles (like IT under the International Services category) count closer to 3 years. A recruiter who knows your situation can flag which category fits.
Can I bring my spouse and children on a work visa?
Yes. Once you hold your working status, your spouse and dependent children can apply for the Dependent visa. Your spouse can work up to 28 hours per week with a separate permit. Highly Skilled Professional status relaxes several of these limits.
Which companies in Japan sponsor work visas for foreign engineers?
Most large traditional Japanese tech companies (NTT, Rakuten, LY Corporation, Mercari, CyberAgent, DeNA), foreign companies with Japan offices (Google, AWS, Indeed, Stripe, PayPal, etc.), and a growing number of mid-size startups sponsor actively. See our 2026 list for a working snapshot — and how to verify sponsorship before you apply.
Working in tech
Do I need to speak Japanese to work in tech in Japan?
It depends heavily on the company. Foreign companies and many scale-ups (Mercari, SmartNews, Rakuten's English-track roles) run day-to-day in English. Traditional Japanese enterprises typically require business-level Japanese (JLPT N2+). As a rough rule: the more foreign capital, the more English you can get away with. Conversational Japanese still dramatically widens your options and raises your offers.
What do tech salaries in Japan actually pay?
Very rough 2026 bands for total comp in Tokyo (all in JPY/year):
- Mid-level engineer: ¥6M–¥10M at traditional JP cos; ¥9M–¥15M at foreign / scale-ups.
- Senior engineer: ¥9M–¥14M traditional; ¥14M–¥25M foreign / scale-ups.
- Staff / principal / EM: ¥15M–¥35M+, with wide variance depending on equity.
Japan salaries look lower in USD but take-home is competitive once rent, healthcare, and tax are factored in. We break this down in our salary guide.
Is remote work common at Japanese tech companies?
Hybrid is the norm now. Most modern tech employers run 2–3 days in-office; foreign-owned offices tend to be more flexible. Fully remote roles exist but are rarer than in the US or EU. Traditional companies have largely returned to full in-office.
What's the difference between 正社員, 契約社員, and 業務委託?
正社員 (seishain) — full-time permanent employee; strong protections, full benefits, bonuses, pension. The standard offer.
契約社員 (keiyaku shain) — fixed-term contract employee; similar day-to-day but with a contract end date.
業務委託 (gyōmu itaku) — freelance / independent contract; higher day rate but you handle your own tax, pension, and health insurance. Work-visa eligibility depends on total income and contract structure.
Life in Japan
What's the cost of living in Tokyo for a foreign tech professional?
A comfortable single-person budget in central Tokyo is roughly ¥250k–¥400k/month (~$1,700–$2,700 USD). Rent for a 1LDK in a popular ward runs ¥120k–¥220k; groceries and eating out ¥50k–¥90k; transport ¥10k–¥15k; utilities ¥15k–¥25k. Tokyo is cheaper than London, Zurich, or any major US tech hub — and the quality of life per yen is high.
How does health insurance and pension work for foreign workers?
If you work as a 正社員, your company enrolls you in Shakai Hoken — a bundle of health insurance, pension (厚生年金), unemployment, and workers' comp. Your share is roughly 15% of salary, split across those programs. Coverage is excellent and copays are capped. Pension contributions can be partially refunded when you leave Japan (lump-sum withdrawal), or treated toward a totalization agreement if your home country has one with Japan.
How do I apply for a job in Japan from overseas?
Short answer: apply through platforms that actively verify visa sponsorship and match you to roles that fit — cold-applying to Japanese job boards rarely works from outside the country. AI-Recruit assesses your resume, benchmarks your salary, and surfaces visa-sponsoring roles in real time. From there, plan for 1–2 rounds of video interviews plus a final on-site or longer remote interview. Many companies will cover a flight for final rounds.
Still have questions?
Send them our way — the most common ones end up here and in future blog posts. For visa specifics, we'll always point you toward a licensed immigration lawyer.
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