All About Engineering Jobs In Japan For Foreigners
Well-known as a high-tech nation with a multitude of research and development achievements, Japan still has a strong desire for innovation, technology and engineering. According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the country will face a shortfall of 789,000 software engineers by 2030 although its population is almost 130 million. Therefore, there are definitely many opportunities of engineering jobs in Japan for foreigners if you are considering pursuing an engineering career here. For more information about engineering jobs in this country, check this blog out!
Who Does The Term “Engineer” Apply To?
The term “engineer” applies to people working in a wide range of jobs in Japan.
Those qualified in the mechanical, chemical, electrical and civil engineering disciplines and those skilled in creating or managing a system or situation are all engineers.
Several titles for engineering jobs in Japan include software engineer, process engineer, project engineer, R&D engineer, sales engineer, web engineer (front-end, back-end, full-stack) and service engineer.
What Are The Most In-demand Engineering Jobs In Japan?
The demand for skilled engineers who can work in software-based technologies and web-based services has significantly increased over the last few years.
Besides, if your programming language skills are excellent, you can work as a system engineer since Japan is home to the largest number of industrial robots in operation in the world.
Where Can You Find Japan’s Leading Engineering And Technology Companies?
You can find the headquarters of leading engineering companies such as Mitsubishi Motors, Honda, Sony, Hitachi, Nikon, and Canon Inc.,etc. in Tokyo. Regarding world-renowned high-tech companies, you will find them in Kyoto. Some of them include Nintendo – the world’s leading game company, Nidec – motor company, Kyocera and Murata – electronics manufacturers.
Choosing location to find promising job opportunities and salary expectations can have a real influence on how successful you are in your career.
You know, the vast majority of jobs in Japan for qualified foreigners are in or around Tokyo, but engineering jobs in Japan for foreigners are available across the country. However, engineering jobs in Tokyo offer the highest salaries, which means the cost of living in the metropolis is much higher than that in the rest of Japan.
Most of the jobs in Japan for qualified foreigners are in or around Tokyo, but engineering jobs in Japan for foreigners are available across the country.
How Much Does An Engineer Earn In Japan?
The salary range of engineering jobs in Japan is dependent on the job roles, expertise and education that engineers possess.
Those with bachelor’s degrees or above in traditional engineering areas can expect to earn between $6 million and $10 million in pre-tax yearly income as a starting salary. The highest pay will be raised to $15 million or higher for senior positions.
An engineer in Japan can earn as much as $15 million or higher per year.
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One thing you should know is that even if you are non-native Japanese speakers who have great Japanese language abilities, many Japanese companies may not consider them suitable for managerial positions. Hence, your career may go further if you work for a company that speaks your original language or is multinational.
Engineering positions outside of traditional engineering fields, such as those in the IT business, have a lower entry-level pay range of $4 million to $6 million per year.
Below is a table of statistics showing average annual incomes for different engineering positions in Japan.
| Job Title | Earnings (¥) |
| Programmer | 2.37 million |
| System engineer | 3.14 million |
| Security engineer | 3.14 million |
| CISSP engineer | 3.71 million |
| Network engineer | 3.73 million |
| Database engineer | 4.28 million |
| Blockchain engineer | 4.56 million |
| Robot engineer | 5.01 million |
| AI engineer | 5.70 million |
What You Should Know Before Applying For Engineering Jobs In Japan
1. You’ll Need A Visa
Prior to applying for a job in Japan, you must first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from Japan’s Ministry of Justice. You can only submit your visa application once you have received the Certificate. To learn more about this, you should contact the Japanese consulate in your country.
Once you’ve obtained that Certificate, you’ll need to apply for a highly skilled professional working visa in order to accept a job offer, whether permanent or temporary.
In Japan, you’ll need a working visa to accept a job offer, whether permanent or temporary.
2. A Relevant Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Can Help You Get Anywhere
As mentioned above, a relevant engineering bachelor’s degree is a terrific starting point (and you won’t get very far without one).
If you want to get far in the engineering career, a bachelor’s degree will be necessary.
3. Practical Experience Is Essential
Engineers in Japan aren’t required to have tons of experience. Nevertheless, according to JobQ (Japanese only), a website for career guidance in Japan, practical experience is the most essential criterion for companies to recruit web engineers, for example.
Practical experience is the most important factor in hiring engineers in Japan.
4. Great Japanese Language Proficiency Will Help Your Application Get Noticed
If you’re serious about pursuing a career in Japan, you should take the time to study the language as well. Some engineering positions will require a greater level of language proficiency, while some Japanese companies have begun to loosen strict language standards to help fill the growing deficit in certain engineering roles.
If you’re serious about pursuing a career in Japan, you should take the time to study the language as well.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have gained useful information about engineering jobs in Japan for foreigners after reading this blog. Remember that your ability to increase your earnings is determined not only by the job you do, but also by the industry which you work in. Therefore, if you want to change your current career and work in engineering, now is the time to start.
