Japan: In Need of 34, 5000 Foreign Workers in various industries

More than 300,000 foreign workers are needed in Japan in various industries.

To attract applicants, Japan will issue a new employment track in April where workers can possibly bring their families and they have the opportunity to have an immigrant status.

Japan officials and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) met to discuss the new employment track which will be referred to as Specified Skilled Worker Visa.

According to POEA, this is different from the Technical Internship Training Program (TITP) where an applicant will be deployed as a trainee. If the applicant will take the TITP, workers can only take a 5-year contract. They can’t renew or re-apply again after they finish the contract.




POEA administrator Bernard Olalia explained that through the new visa, TITP workers can migrate and become full-time workers.

There are two categories under the new program: one is based on the skills and the other is based on the type of job of the worker.

Overseas workers can work under a 5-year contract or more which will give them an opportunity to bring their families with them. Also, they can apply for an immigrant visa.

This is one of the ways which Japan thinks will invite applicants. Although the country’s industries continue to bloom, they have a small population and most of the people are elderly.

345,000 workers can possibly be hired in Japan.
Here are the different categories which Japan is in need of manpower:


• Care workers
• Construction
• Agriculture
• Manufacture of food and beverages
• Building cleaning management
• Machine parts and tooling
• Industrial machinery




• Fishery and aquaculture
• Electric, electronics, and information
• Automobile repair and maintenance
• Shipbuilding and ship machinery
• Foodservice industry
• Accommodation industry
• Aviation industry

Although Japan opens opportunities for foreign workers, applicants should be aware that they should finish the requirements needed to work under this program.

Olalia mentioned that applicants should pass both the language proficiency exam as well as the skill test. This is stricter compared to TITP.

An agreement will be set between the Philippines and Japan in the months to come to implement the Specified Worker Visa in April.