In Japan, foreign IT personnel are in demand due to the growing demand for IT workers and the shortage of labor caused by the declining birthrate. For this reason, even foreigners with no experience can easily succeed in changing careers to become IT personnel such as engineers. In this article, we will explain the key points for foreigners with no experience to succeed in changing careers to become IT personnel, how to obtain a work visa, and how to find a job.

If you are worried about changing jobs in Japan, we recommend using an agency that can provide you with various kinds of support, such as visa and interview preparation, as well as support for your new employer. “G Talent”, which specializes in foreign IT personnel, also provides support in various languages.

Even if you are a foreigner with no experience, it is easy to find a job as an IT professional!

The IT industry and job types are ones where it is easy for foreign workers with no experience to succeed. The following are five reasons why it is easy for foreign workers with no experience to find a job as an IT professional.

• The demand for IT personnel is increasing in Japan
• The working population is small due to the declining birthrate
• The working environment for foreigners is being improved
• Not influenced by age or nationality
• You can work even if you don't speak Japanese well

The demand for IT personnel is increasing in Japan

The IT market is growing rapidly worldwide due to the spread of the internet, the development of AI and IoT, and the spread of 5G. The demand for IT personnel is also increasing in Japan, but the domestic supply of IT personnel is insufficient.

According to the “Survey on IT Personnel Supply and Demand” released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2019, it is predicted that there will be a shortage of approximately 790,000 IT personnel by 2030. Amidst this growing demand, there is an accelerating trend to supplement the supply of IT personnel, which is not keeping up, with foreign IT personnel.

Reference: 外国人がエンジニアになるために必要なビザの種類や申請方法と注意点[グローバルエンジニア2]／Fellowship

The working population is small due to the declining birthrate

Japan is a country where the birthrate is declining and the working population is decreasing. Because the working population is insufficient, not just for IT personnel but for young people in Japan as a whole, the number of companies looking to recruit talented personnel from overseas has increased.

In particular, there is a significant shortage of IT personnel due to factors such as the delay in IT education in Japan and the multi-tiered contracting structure of the IT industry, which makes it difficult to increase salaries. For this reason, even foreigners with no experience can easily find success in changing careers to become IT personnel.

Reference: IT人材不足はなぜ？経済産業省のデータで解説／コエテコcampus

The working environment for foreigners is being improved

In some companies, the official language of the company is English to make it easier for foreign IT workers to work there, even if they don't understand Japanese very well. The Ministry of Justice Immigration Bureau has established a “preferential system for immigration control and residence management based on a point system for highly skilled personnel” to promote the acceptance of foreign human resources, and is promoting the acceptance of foreign human resources in various fields, including IT personnel.

Through such efforts in Japan, a working environment that is easy for foreigners to work in is being developed.

Reference: 高度人材ポイント制による出入国在留管理上の優遇制度／出入国在留管理庁

Not influenced by age or nationality

IT engineers are said to be a type of occupation where you can work regardless of your age or nationality. For this reason, it is an industry where even foreigners with no experience can easily try changing jobs. Many companies have work manuals in place, and it is also a feature that it is easy to work from inexperience. In recent years, many foreign IT personnel from countries such as China, South Korea, and Vietnam, as well as the United States and South America, are working in Japanese companies.

Reference: 50代で就ける定年のない仕事とおすすめの資格10選／エイジレス思考

You can work even if you don't speak Japanese well

Some Japanese companies are making progress in creating environments where foreign IT personnel who don't speak Japanese can also work. There are also companies that hire bridge personnel to help with communication between foreign IT personnel who don't speak Japanese and Japanese engineers, and it is also possible to change jobs to a company that has complete support so that foreign IT personnel don't have any problems.

Some companies have made English the official language of the company and are strengthening their acceptance of foreign engineers, so even if you don't speak Japanese well, you can still work there.

Reference: 多国籍エンジニアの技術育成を行うブリッジSEに聞いた、ボーダレスな組織マネジメントとは／The BEENOS

The key to successfully changing careers to become IT personnel for foreigners with no experience

The key to successfully changing careers to become IT personnel for foreigners with no experience is as follows.

• Acquire IT knowledge and PC skills
• Learn basic Japanese and business etiquette
• Get used to Japanese culture and values

Acquire IT knowledge and PC skills

Even if you have no experience, you should at least acquire some basic IT knowledge and PC skills. In addition to being able to use Word, Excel and PowerPoint, you will also need to be able to touch-type.

To acquire IT knowledge, we recommend that you study for IT-related qualifications. When applying for a visa to work in Japan, having IT-related qualifications can be an advantage when applying for a visa. For more information on work visas, please refer to the second half of this article.

Reference: IT関連資格での「技術・人文知識・国際業務ビザ」取得／外国人雇用・就労ビザステーション

Learn basic Japanese and business etiquette

When changing jobs to a Japanese company, you should learn basic Japanese and business etiquette. This is because basic Japanese is sometimes necessary when communicating with members of the new company or when dealing with customers.

Even if you only learn IT industry jargon and words commonly used in business situations in Japanese, your daily work will progress smoothly. There is no harm in learning at least the minimum amount of Japanese and etiquette.

Reference: 外国人エンジニアを採用するコツとは｜採用メリットとデメリットもご紹介／SunWells

Get used to Japanese culture and values

Japan and other countries have different cultures and values, so if you learn about and get used to Japanese culture and customs, you can avoid culture shock. For example, time cards are not considered important overseas, but in Japan, time cards are used to strictly manage the times that employees arrive and leave work. Furthermore, in Japan, it is more highly regarded to work by following your boss's instructions without expressing your own opinions, but overseas, it is more common for people to be evaluated for actively expressing their own opinions and taking independent action.

By understanding these kinds of cultural and value differences, you can work comfortably without worrying about gaps.

Reference: 海外勤務の勤怠管理はどうする？注意点や英語対応のおすすめツールを紹介／ビズクロ

How to obtain a work visa for foreign IT professionals with no experience

In order to change careers to become an IT professional, foreign nationals with no experience need to obtain a work visa. The following is a guide to how to obtain a work visa and the key points to consider when doing so.

What is a work visa?

Foreign nationals who do not have Japanese nationality need to have a status of residence in order to stay and work in Japan. A work visa refers to a status of residence that is required for foreign nationals to work in Japan.

As a work visa is essential for working in Japan and earning a salary, it is important to obtain one if you are an IT professional and want to change careers to work in Japan. In order to work in Japan as an IT professional, you will need to obtain a visa under the “Engineer” category of the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa status.

Reference: 就労ビザとは／就労ビザ申請サポート大阪

In order to obtain a work visa, you must meet the requirements for qualification and permission

In order to obtain a “Engineer” visa, which is a work visa required for foreign IT personnel, you must meet the following conditions.

• You must have majored in a subject related to the job you will be doing at university or a vocational school.
• You must receive a salary equivalent to or higher than that received by Japanese people in the same job.
• You must have at least 10 years (or 3 years, depending on the job type) of work experience.
   

In the case of IT personnel such as engineers, it is possible to obtain a work visa without any academic background or work experience, provided that you have a qualification related to information processing technology as specified by the Ministry of Justice. Therefore, there is a chance to change jobs as a foreign IT worker even without any experience. If you would like to check which qualifications are applicable, please check the website of the Immigration Bureau of Japan.

▶︎Immigration Bureau of Japan website is HERE

Procedure for obtaining a work visa

In order to obtain a work visa, you need to check the details of the job and your resident status to make sure that the job is within the scope of your resident status. If the job is suitable for your resident status, you must sign a contract of employment before obtaining a work visa. After signing a formal contract of employment, you can then apply for a work visa.

After signing a contract of employment, you must prepare the necessary documents and apply for permission to change your resident status. In order to obtain a “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa, you will need to submit an application for permission to acquire a status of residence to the regional immigration office that has jurisdiction over your place of residence, and you must do this within 30 days of the date on which your qualification is decided.

Reference: 就労ビザの取得要件｜企業の注意点や必要書類，審査期間を解説／第一綜合事務所

It takes long time to get a visa!

From the time you apply for a visa to the time you receive it, it can take around 2 to 3 months. If you delay your visa application, there is a possibility that you will not be able to receive your visa in time for your start date, so make sure you prepare for your work visa with as much time as possible.

Reference: 審査には何日必要？就労ビザの在留期間なども詳しく解説／外国人採用サポネット

How to help inexperienced foreigners find work as IT professionals

The following four methods can be used to help inexperienced foreigners find work as IT professionals.

• Search online for companies that hire foreign IT professionals
• Use your connections to find companies that are looking for foreign IT professionals
• Join a community where foreign IT professionals gather
• Use a job-placement agency that specializes in helping foreigners find work

Search online for companies that hire foreign IT professionals

Some IT companies post recruitment information on their company website, so if you find the right one, you can approach the company directly if you are looking for foreign IT personnel. Try searching online for “foreigners changing jobs” or “foreign engineers wanted”.

If you apply directly from the company's recruitment website, you can carry out efficient job-hunting activities while communicating directly with the company's staff in charge.

Reference: 転職で企業への「直接応募」はアリ？ メリット・デメリットを解説／みんなの転職「体験談」

Use your connections to find companies that are looking for foreign IT professionals

It is also possible to find companies that are recruiting foreign workers using connections. By contacting foreign friends who are already working in Japan, there are cases where you can get a job at your friend's company. You can also hear about the work content, working environment, and conditions within the company, so you can get a realistic idea of the working environment.

Reference: 外国人採用の6つの注意点！外国籍雇用のリスクと確認事項を解説／YOLO WORK

Join a community where foreign IT professionals gather

By joining a community for foreign IT workers, you can also get information about job vacancies and job-hunting activities in Japan. In particular, online community activities have developed in recent years, so try looking for communities through the internet or SNS.

In particular, we recommend LinkedIn and Wantedly, which are business-oriented social networking services. Unlike private social networking services such as X and Instagram, these are specialized for business use, and in other countries, using business-oriented social networking services to find a new job or advance your career is becoming more common. First, create an account and check out what kind of communities are available.

Reference: 仕事に役立つソーシャルメディア「ビジネスSNS」を使うメリットとは？ 代表的なサービス4選も紹介／Gaiax

Use a job-placement agency that specializes in helping foreigners find work

In Japan, it is common to use job-search websites and job-change agencies when looking for a new job. In particular, for foreigners working in Japan for the first time, it is recommended that you use a job-change agency that not only helps you find a job, but also provides support for the selection process and visa acquisition. There are various types of job-change agencies, but by using a job-change agency that specializes in foreigners, you can be introduced to companies in a global environment that are aware of the characteristics of foreigners.

“G Talent” is a recruitment agency that specializes in foreign IT personnel. It provides strong support for foreign IT engineers who want to work in Japan, and also lists job information for those with no experience. If you are a foreigner who wants to change careers to work in the IT industry in Japan, please use this service.

Even foreigners with no experience can change careers to work in IT in Japan!

The IT industry is facing a shortage of human resources to meet the growing demand, so it is an environment where even foreigners with no experience can easily change jobs. By acquiring basic Japanese language skills, business etiquette and PC skills, you will increase your chances of successfully changing jobs. Let's obtain a work visa correctly and change jobs in the correct way, and open up a path to working as a foreign IT worker with no experience.

If you want to receive support not only for finding a new job, but also for things like the selection process, visa acquisition, and Japanese language, we recommend using a job change agent. “G Talent”, which specializes in foreign IT personnel, has been providing strong support for the job-hunting activities of foreigners who want to work in Japan. Our bilingual consultants, who are well-versed in the IT industry, will support the matching of companies and engineers, so please feel free to contact us even if you have no experience.