Since its establishment in 2019, this is the first time that Japan has expanded its foreign worker visa program in a recent development.
Japan Widens Its Worker Visa 2024 Program
It appears that the Japanese government is trying to meet the shortage of drivers in the country by granting extended stays of up to five years under this initiative.
Further, this expansion comprises four new sectors including road and railway transportation, forestry, and timber industries, as reported by the Japanese news agency Kyodo News in a report.
In a surprising event, there has been a substantial increase in the demand for foreign laborers in Japan.
Among other factors, one of the prime is a significant decline in birth rate and shortages in transportation and logistics sectors.
But now they are expecting to resolve these shortages with the introduction of new regulations limiting overtime hours for drivers, known as the “2024 problem.”
How Does This Help?
Under this skilled worker visa program, the Japanese government intends to admit up to 820,000 foreigners over the next five fiscal years, starting from April.
Interestingly, these numbers surpasses the previous estimate for the five years leading up to fiscal 2023, already concluded in March.
Moving ahead, the government plans to revise relevant regulations, including those under the Justice Ministry, to facilitate the acceptance of skilled workers in the newly added sectors.
It seems that the government is following feedback from the public on the proposed reforms.
In the meantime, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has urged the relevant ministers to prepare for the timely integration of foreign workers.
If you are wondering about the opportunity, now the skilled foreigners can work as bus drivers, drive taxis, and trucks in the transportation sector, provided they are employed by companies certified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, under this new program.
Please note here that the proficiency in Japanese at the N3 level, one of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test’s five levels, is a must for positions involving communication with passengers.
When it comes to the railway sector, skilled workers can engage in various roles including manufacturing train cars, maintaining tracks, and serving as drivers, conductors, or station staff.
