Japan With Adi
To work in Japan you need a job offer from an employer in Japan, a work visa that matches the job, and in most cases working Japanese. Graduates usually come on the Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services status. Skilled trades use the Specified Skilled Worker status, which needs a skills test and a Japanese test at about JLPT N4.
By Aditya Dewangan · Updated 10 October 2026
What are the common work visa routes?
- Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services: for office, technical and professional roles. It generally needs a university degree or long relevant experience, and a job offer.
- Specified Skilled Worker: for fields such as care work, food service and manufacturing. No degree is needed, but you must pass a skills test and a Japanese test.
How much Japanese do I need?
- JLPT N5 and N4: the basics. N4 level is the starting point for the Specified Skilled Worker route.
- JLPT N3 and N2: the range many employers ask for in office and customer-facing roles.
- English-only roles exist, mostly in technology, but there are far fewer of them.
What are the steps?
- Learn Japanese and take the JLPT. It is the proof employers recognise.
- Match your degree or skill to a visa route.
- Apply to employers in Japan and get a job offer.
- Your employer applies for your Certificate of Eligibility.
- Apply for the visa at the Embassy or Consulate of Japan, then travel.