Japan’s Visa Expansion;

https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9242813102262574(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="aAddressing Labor Shortages and 2024 Challenges

Japan is set to expand its foreign blue-collar skilled worker visa to include four additional sectors, addressing concerns about shortages, especially in the transportation industry.

The eligible industries under the Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 visa would increase to 16, with road transportation, railway, forestry, and timber under consideration.

https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9242813102262574 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The move is a response to the “2024 problem,” anticipating shortages in transportation and logistics due to new driver overtime rules starting in April.

Relevant ministries under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government are collaborating to decide on including these sectors in the No. 1 visa within the current fiscal year ending on March 31.

https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9242813102262574(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Japan’s need for foreign labor has risen due to factors like a declining birthrate. Positions such as bus, taxi, and truck drivers are expected to become eligible under the expanded visa, addressing labor shortages.

Foreigners with the No. 1 visa must pass a test demonstrating professional and Japanese language skills. The No. 2 visa, allowing unlimited renewals and family relocation to Japan, is part of Japan’s efforts to secure more foreign labor.

The Japanese government expanded the scope of industries covered by the No. 2 visa in 2023, reflecting a significant shift in the country’s restrictive immigration policy. However, uptake has been below expectations.

https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9242813102262574 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Initially projected to reach 345,150 holders by March 2024, data from the end of November 2023 showed around 200,000 people with the No. 1 visa and only 29 with the No. 2 status.

This suggests that while there is a need for foreign workers, the current immigration policies haven’t met the anticipated demand or level of participation.

#JapanJobVecancy