PesoPal.About Pesopal
WORK ABROAD

Work Abroad in Japan

Japan offers structured work routes, but choosing the right occupation and preparing your Japanese are often more important than choosing Tokyo first.

AsiaSkilled Worker or professional visa
TokyoNagoyaOsaka
Job access and relocation
Moderate
Human rights index

Political rights and civil liberties

96/100
Pesopal overall rating

Rights, living standards and job access

4.8/5

Working in Japan

Japan has structured routes that can make relocation achievable for Filipino applicants willing to prepare. Specified Skilled Worker recruitment covers particular industries, while professional jobs use different residence categories. Japanese, the relevant skills test and a suitable accepting employer are usually the biggest practical hurdles.

In-demand fields

  • Manufacturing and food production. Specified Skilled Worker recruitment includes designated industrial and food-production work, with field-specific skills requirements.
  • Hospitality and food service. Accommodation and food-service routes offer another starting point for applicants prepared for Japanese-language and practical testing.
  • Nursing care. The care route has its own skills requirements and an additional care-related Japanese test; it is different from becoming a registered nurse.

Specified Skilled Worker preparation

Major challenges

  • Language and skills tests. Check the tests for the exact field and whether an exemption applies; different work categories can have different standards.
  • Employer and residence category. The contract and duties must fit the chosen status. A professional IT job should not be assessed under the care or factory route.
  • Worksite and housing. Compare the actual town, shifts and housing deductions. A Tokyo benchmark may not describe the employer’s location.

Official employment route

Jobs to explore

Match each vacancy to its residence category and language or skills tests. The SSW site currently says new food-service applications are not being accepted. Newly listed sectors can also need implementation checks.

Manufacturing

  • Production operator
  • Machine operator
  • Assembler
  • Quality control technician
  • CNC machinist

Hospitality

  • Hotel reception worker
  • Accommodation service worker

Healthcare

  • Registered nurse
  • Physiotherapist
  • Medical laboratory professional
  • Radiographer

Technology

  • Software developer
  • IT support specialist
  • Cybersecurity analyst
  • Data analyst

Care and cleaning

  • Nursing care worker
  • Building cleaning worker

Food and agriculture

  • Food production worker
  • Crop worker
  • Livestock worker
  • Aquaculture worker

Transport and machinery

  • Vehicle mechanic
  • Shipbuilding worker
  • Airport ground handler
  • Railway maintenance worker

Forestry and wood

  • Forestry worker
  • Wood-processing worker

Finding a job in Japan

Use the official Specified Skilled Worker information and recruitment events to understand the route before buying a training package. Match your exam preparation to an actual sector. For professional roles, investigate employer career pages and ask whether relocation support includes housing and document assistance.

Documents & Requirements

Specified Skilled Worker (i)

Main requirement

For the relevant field, pass the skills and Japanese-language tests unless an exemption applies, and obtain a contract with an accepting employer.

Work permission

The employer supports the Certificate of Eligibility application. Use the certificate to apply for the work visa before travelling.

Main documents

  • Passport, visa form and photo
  • Certificate of Eligibility
  • Employment contract
  • Skills and Japanese-test evidence or exemption
  • Required medical examination records

Nursing care has an additional Japanese test; some transport roles require a higher language level. Qualifying technical-intern completion can give test exemptions.

Check the official application requirements

Philippine departure requirements

Staying longer

Residence categories have different renewal and family rules. Specified Skilled Worker (i) is not the same long-term arrangement as every professional route. Plan around the category on your documents rather than a recruiter’s general promise of permanent residence.

Remote work

A Japanese employer offering remote days is still a local employment arrangement. A digital-nomad or visitor route has different conditions and should not be used as a substitute for the permission needed for a local job.

Remote work from the Philippines

Living costs in Tokyo

Japan’s rail network makes many urban commutes practical, but worksite location still matters. Initial rental costs can include a deposit, agent fees and other charges. Employer housing may simplify arrival, although you should ask for the monthly deduction and the rules for moving out.

Average salary₱185,100JPY 462,866Monthly net salary
Rent costs₱42,800JPY 107,071Monthly · one bedroom outside centre
Grocery costs₱12,500JPY 31,303Monthly basket estimate · one person
Transportation costs₱4,000JPY 10,000Regular monthly pass

Numbeo city prices · 24 September 2026

Grocery basket

Basket quantities and calculation

Average net salary in Tokyo

Numbeo’s Tokyo benchmark is ₱185,100 (JPY 462,866) per month after tax.

Specified Skilled Worker. Pay must be at least equivalent to Japanese workers doing comparable work. Check the prefecture, occupation, hours and applicable wage floor, as well as the skills and language requirements.

Guaranteed pay and deductions. Compare guaranteed basic pay separately from overtime, accommodation charges and other deductions. Request the expected monthly take-home amount for the contracted hours.

Salary rules

YOUR OWN NUMBERS

Would the offer work for you?

Use your offer’s take-home pay and your own costs. Employer covers rent? Enter zero.

Left after your monthly costsAdd your costs

Include food, utilities, transport, insurance, debt payments and money sent home.

One-time moving costs and emergencies need a separate buffer.

Planning rate · 1 JPY = ₱0.4

LIFE AND PROTECTIONS

Rights at work and beyond

Japan has a high civil-liberties score, but migrants can still face discrimination and workplace problems. Equal-treatment rules do not make every recruiter reliable. Keep a record of actual hours and deductions, and ask for explanations in a language you understand.

PESOPAL’S VIEW

Is Japan worth considering?

A good destination to investigate if you are willing to invest in language and occupation-specific preparation. Compare regional employers as well as Tokyo to avoid making rent the deciding cost.

4.8/5Compare the other destinations →

How this rating is calculated

Questions about working in Japan

Do I need Japanese before applying?

Many Specified Skilled Worker roles require a Japanese-language test, and practical language ability matters at work. Some professional employers recruit in English, but that does not mean every role is English-only.

Is technical intern training the same as a work visa?

It is a different status with a different purpose. Ask the recruiter to state the exact residence category and explain the permitted work, support and renewal conditions.

Should I only look in Tokyo?

No. Manufacturing, care and hospitality roles can be in other prefectures. Compare the work location, housing deduction and transport, rather than using Tokyo rent for every offer.

Can my employer deduct accommodation from my salary?

Ask for every proposed deduction in writing and compare the room with local alternatives. Your savings calculation should start from the amount left after the actual agreed deductions.

Will I earn the Tokyo average as a new SSW worker?

The benchmark includes many occupations and experience levels. It is not an SSW pay scale. Use the vacancy’s basic pay, scheduled hours and housing charges to assess your own offer.

How should I choose a Japanese course?

Start with the test and language level required for your intended sector. Ask for the course syllabus, total fees and refund policy, and avoid paying on the strength of a guaranteed-job claim.

Your shortlist