Travel Guide: Top 3 Types of Work for Foreigners in Japan

Japan is a dream holiday destination for travellers around the world, but what are the best job opportunities for foreigners of the land?

#1: Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)

Japan has a huge demand for English language teachers due to their overwhelmingly nationalistic population. The country is quite void of foreigners, as living in Japan as a non-citizen is rather challenging, particularly for 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 Programme (Japan Exchange and Teaching), or separate entities that specialise 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 Specialised 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 favourite YouTubers and content creators that 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 more broad 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 specialise in, whether it be a specific type of video creation, a particular field of writing or even a specialised 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, as this warrants the immigration office to accept you into the country as a contributor to Japanese society, then you can make the rest of your income off of your clients from your home country or other parts of the world.

#3 Cultural Activities and Artist Visa

Perhaps the lesser known route to working in Japan is via the “Cultural Activities Visa”, which allows you to partake in activities, research or study that are peculiar to Japanese culture. Such activities may include engaging in Japanese martial arts, music, tea ceremonies or calligraphy. Unfortunately, this visa does not allow you to receive payment for these activities, but it is a great alternative for a foreign freelancer to get into the country without needing to work for a Japanese enterprise.

One of the benefits of the Cultural Activities visa is that it allows you to increase your knowledge within a particular field and potentially become a professional in a specified area. This will open the doors to a world of opportunities, and you may be eligible to apply for an “Artist Work Visa”, provided you demonstrate considerable achievements in the cultural activity at hand. This is another fairly simple route to get into Japan, but is perhaps the most difficult to start earning a living from the get-go. However, should you become a skilled artist in Japan, there are no limits on how much work you can get as you jump from gig to gig, and as you build up your name you could well become a highly valued member of Japanese society.