If you want to work in Japan, three facts come first. The labour market is tight, with unemployment at just 2.5% in August 2026. The number of foreign workers keeps hitting new records, and about 430,000 of them are Chinese nationals. But whether you can work legally depends entirely on your status of residence. Without the right work visa, even the best job offer is off limits.
This guide follows the path of someone moving from China: which industries need Mandarin speakers, what wages and the minimum wage look like, how the work visa process runs, the hard rules on contracts and social insurance, where to look for jobs, and the most common traps. All fees and thresholds are as of October 2026. RMB conversions use the central parity rate of 14 October 2026, roughly 100 yen to 4.24 yuan, and are approximate.
Japan’s job market at a glance
According to the Statistics Bureau’s Labour Force Survey, Japan had 68.49 million people in work in August 2026, 140,000 more than a year earlier, while the number of unemployed fell by 20,000 to 1.8 million. Overall, Japanese employers are more likely to struggle to find staff than workers are to find jobs.
MHLW figures show 2,571,037 foreign workers in Japan at the end of October 2025, up 11.7% year on year and the highest since mandatory reporting began in 2007. Vietnam led with 605,906 workers, followed by China with 431,949. By status of residence, the “professional and technical fields” group grew fastest, up 20.4% to 865,588, a sign that Japan is speeding up its intake of white-collar and technical talent.
Jobs for Mandarin speakers in Japan
Chinese is a real professional skill in Japan, but most jobs still require a working level of Japanese. Common directions include:
- Translation, interpreting and China-facing business: trading houses, China desks at manufacturers, cross-border e-commerce. The Immigration Services Agency lists interpreters, designers, language teachers at private companies and marketing staff as typical jobs under the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status.
- Tourism, hotels and retail: hotel front desks, duty-free shops, airports and tourist spots. Accommodation and food service are also fields under the Specified Skilled Worker system.
- IT and engineering: software developers, mechanical and electrical engineers. Japanese requirements vary, and some foreign and tech firms work in English.
- Frontline jobs in care, manufacturing and construction: mainly through the Specified Skilled Worker route, which requires skills and Japanese tests.
Japan also has many Chinese-invested companies and Chinese-run businesses, from telecoms and electronics to restaurants and travel agencies, but we do not recommend specific employers here. Before applying, check a company’s commercial registration and official website yourself. For more on life in Japan, see our Japan overview.
Salaries and the minimum wage
MHLW’s 2025 Basic Survey on Wage Structure shows that in June 2025 the average scheduled monthly wage for regular workers (before tax, excluding overtime) was ¥340,600, about 14,400 yuan and a record high. Tokyo had the highest average at ¥418,300. Foreign workers as a whole averaged ¥254,300, about 10,800 yuan.
For new graduates, average starting pay was ¥262,300 with a university degree and ¥299,000 with a graduate degree.
Minimum wages are set by prefecture and apply to every worker regardless of nationality. For FY2026 the national weighted average is ¥1,177, up ¥56 on the previous year. Effective dates differ by prefecture; in Tokyo and Osaka the new rates took effect on 1 October 2026.
Tokyo’s ¥1,280 works out at roughly 54 yuan an hour. Income tax, resident tax and social insurance come off your gross pay; see our guide to taxes in Japan. Rent is the biggest cost in Tokyo, and the process is explained in renting in Japan.
Work visas: the main routes for Chinese citizens
A PRC passport holder must obtain a status of residence that matches the job before working in Japan. Tourist and short-term business visas never allow paid work. For an overview of all visa types, see our Japan visa guide; here we compare only the work-related ones.
| Status of residence | Who it suits | Period of stay | Key points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services | Engineers, translators, marketing, designers and other white-collar staff | 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months | Requires a contract with a Japanese organisation; work based on foreign culture generally needs 3+ years of related experience (not required for university graduates in translation, interpreting or language teaching) |
| Highly Skilled Professional | Highly educated, high-earning professionals | No. 1 fixed term; No. 2 unlimited | At least 70 points for education, career, income and more; a separate J-Skip (special highly skilled) track exists |
| Specified Skilled Worker (i) | Frontline jobs in 18 fields such as care, construction, food service and hotels | Up to 3 years at a time, total in principle within 5 years | Skills and Japanese tests required |
| Specified Skilled Worker (ii) | Skilled workers (11 fields) | 3 years, 2 years, 1 year or 6 months, renewable | Higher skill level |
| Employment for Skill Development (from 2027) | Workers starting in entry-level roles | — | The amending law takes effect on 1 April 2027 (with some exceptions) and is tied to reform of the current Technical Intern Training system |
One benefit of Highly Skilled Professional status is a faster path to permanent residence: according to the agency, applicants with 80 points or more who have kept those points for at least a year need only one year of tax and pension records. The status pages on the Immigration Services Agency website explain each status in detail.
The application process: from job offer to arrival
- Get a job offer from a Japanese employerSign the employment contract and receive a written notice of working conditions
- Employer applies for a COEAn agent such as a company employee files for the Certificate of Eligibility at the regional immigration bureau; online filing is possible
- Wait for screeningThe standard processing period is 1 to 3 months, and the agency charges no fee
- Receive the COEOn paper, or by email as an electronic COE since 17 March 2023
- Apply for the visa in ChinaTake the COE to a Japanese embassy or consulate in China
- Enter Japan and start workPresent the visa and COE for landing permission; your employer enrols you in health insurance and the employees’ pension
Education is a key point in screening. If you will use a Chinese degree in Japan, arrange degree authentication and a Japanese translation in advance to avoid repeated requests for documents.
Employment contracts and core rights
Japanese labour law applies to foreigners exactly as to Japanese nationals, and discrimination by nationality is banned. MHLW’s working conditions handbook for foreign workers sets out these minimums:
- Written terms: contract period, workplace and duties, working hours, wages and payment method, grounds for dismissal and more must be given in writing (email is acceptable if you agree).
- Working hours: 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week by law; at least one day off a week, or four days in four weeks.
- Overtime pay: at least 25% extra for overtime, 25% for late-night work (10pm to 5am) and 35% for statutory holidays; overtime above 60 hours in a month carries 50%.
- Paid annual leave: 10 days after 6 months of continuous service with at least 80% attendance, rising to a maximum of 20 days; at least 5 days must actually be taken each year.
- Dismissal: at least 30 days’ notice, or 30 days’ average pay in lieu. Dismissal is banned during work-injury leave and maternity leave (6 weeks before and 8 weeks after birth) and for 30 days afterwards.
- Social insurance: the Japan Pension Service states that regular employees at covered workplaces must join health insurance and the employees’ pension regardless of nationality.
Under the Japan–China Social Security Agreement, in force since 1 September 2019, temporarily seconded employees with a posting of up to 5 years in principle stay only in their home country’s pension system. In addition, foreigners with at least 6 months in the employees’ pension can claim a lump-sum withdrawal payment within 2 years of giving up their address in Japan. For your social insurance back home, see hukou and social security. Japan’s health insurance system and private cover are explained in our guide to insurance in Japan.
If you face unpaid wages or forced overtime, call MHLW’s working conditions consultation hotline, which offers several languages including Chinese, or visit your local Labour Standards Inspection Office.
Where to look for jobs
- Hello Work (public employment security offices): run by MHLW. You can search vacancies nationwide and register as a job seeker on the Hello Work Internet Service.
- Employment Service Centers for Foreigners: one each in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, plus a student career centre in Fukuoka, offering career counselling, interview events and referrals for international students and professionals.
- Company websites, job sites and joint recruiting events.
Once you have an offer, plan how to open a salary account; see banking in Japan. To compare other Asian destinations, read working in Singapore and working in South Korea.
Scams and illegal work
COE screening itself is free. Be very wary of any agent promising a “guaranteed visa for a fee” or claiming you can work on a tourist visa. Work outside your status of residence is illegal and can lead to deportation.
Immigration Services Agency data show that 18,442 foreigners went through deportation or departure-order procedures in 2025, and illegal work was established for 13,435 of them, or 72.9%. Holders of student or dependent visas who obtain blanket permission for activities outside their status may work no more than 28 hours a week and may not work in adult-entertainment businesses.
Always get a written notice of working conditions and check that your pay is not below the local minimum wage. Any agreement below the minimum wage is void, and the minimum wage applies instead.
FAQ
Can I find work in Japan without Japanese?
It is possible but the options are narrow, mostly at foreign firms, in IT and in services aimed at Chinese tourists. The Specified Skilled Worker visa requires a Japanese test, and most white-collar jobs expect business Japanese.
How much does a work visa application cost?
The Immigration Services Agency charges no fee to screen a COE, and the standard processing period is 1 to 3 months. For the visa fee itself, check the Japanese embassy or consulates in China.
Can I get my pension contributions back after leaving Japan?
Foreigners who contributed for at least 6 months can claim the lump-sum withdrawal payment within 2 years of giving up their address in Japan; the amount depends on months of contributions.
Sources
- Statistics Bureau of Japan: Labour Force Survey, August 2026 (accessed October 2026)
- MHLW: Status of foreign employment notifications (end of October 2025) (accessed October 2026)
- MHLW: Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025, summary (accessed October 2026)
- MHLW: FY2026 regional minimum wages (council recommendations) (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency: Status of residence Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency: Highly Skilled Professional (points system) (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency: Specified Skilled Worker (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency: Employment for Skill Development system, overview and laws (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency: Application for Certificate of Eligibility (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency: Permission to engage in activity other than that permitted (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency: Immigration Control Act violations in 2025 (accessed October 2026)
- MHLW: Working conditions handbook for foreign workers (accessed October 2026)
- Japan Pension Service: Procedures when employing foreign staff (accessed October 2026)
- Japan Pension Service: FAQ on the lump-sum withdrawal payment (accessed October 2026)
- MOFA Japan: Japan–China Social Security Agreement enters into force (Sept 2019) (accessed October 2026)
- MHLW: Hello Work Internet Service (accessed October 2026)
- Study in Japan: Finding a job in Japan (accessed October 2026)
- Xinhua: RMB central parity rates, 14 October 2026 (accessed October 2026)
