Japan’s push to attract high-skilled foreign workers is under scrutiny as many earn wages comparable to new graduates and work below their qualifications, highlighting gaps in oversight even as high-skilled visa numbers surge and blue-collar intern participation declines.
A large number of foreign workers in Japan who entered Japan under the high-skilled visa programs are earning less salary as compared to university graduates, raising questions about the effectiveness of the country’s immigration policies.
According to a recent report by Nikkei Asia, of a 2024 government wage survey, 45 per cent of workers entering Japan under engineering, humanities, and international services visas earn under 240,000 yen ($1,540) a month, roughly the average for a new graduate.
Japan has been involved in recruiting high-skilled labour from other countries across different industries. However, many high-skilled visa holders are working in roles that do not match their qualifications, including restaurants, manufacturing, and construction.
Jiho Yoshimizu of Nichietsu Tomoiki Shienkai, a non-profit supporting foreign workers said to Nikkei Asia, “Workers often run into trouble in workplaces that are not approved for higher-skilled professionals.”
The issue is compounded by staffing agencies and brokers that send workers to Japan without ensuring they meet language or skill requirements, as per the Nikkei Asia report.
The number of workers in high-skilled visa categories jumped 94 per cent from 2024 to reach 458,000 by June 2025, while participation in the technical intern programme, largely made up of blue-collar workers, fell 1.6 per cent following tighter regulations.
“Immigration is too shorthanded to thoroughly check that the jobs they end up taking are appropriate to the higher-skilled professional visa,” said immigration lawyer Koji Yamawaki to Nikkei Asia. He added that stricter screening is needed to ensure high-skilled foreign workers are employed in positions that match their qualifications.
The trend emphasises the challenges Japan faces in balancing labour shortages with fair employment practices for foreign professionals. While the country aims to attract skilled talent, gaps in oversight and enforcement continue to leave many workers underemployed and vulnerable.
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