Workers Move to Cities for More Than Higher Wages
A Jiji Press report describes intensifying competition for foreign workers already living in Japan and increasing movement from regional areas to major cities following the suspension of new admissions under Specified Skilled Worker (i) in the food service sector. Higher wages are not the only reason for changing jobs. Some workers seek a workplace where they can develop their skills because they believe their current employer offers no opportunity to obtain Specified Skilled Worker (ii) status.
This carries an important message for regional employers. Foreign employees are looking beyond their monthly pay. Can they improve their skills here? Will they be entrusted with greater responsibility? Can they plan a long-term future in Japan? An employer’s ability to answer these questions can influence both recruitment and retention. Supporting progression to SSW (ii) is a business priority for developing people and encouraging them to continue working in the region.
Should Progression to SSW (ii) Depend Entirely on Individual Effort?
Specified Skilled Worker (ii), or SSW (ii), is a status of residence for work requiring proficient skills in designated industrial sectors. Unlike SSW (i), it has no cumulative limit on the duration of stay through renewals, and eligible holders may bring their spouse and children to Japan. However, obtaining SSW (ii) does not itself confer permanent residence. Permanent residence requires a separate application and satisfaction of its own requirements.
Progression to SSW (ii) requires more than handing an employee information about an examination. Employers and workers need to check the applicable sector’s requirements for skills, Japanese proficiency and work experience, then determine what must be developed and in what order. Even a highly motivated employee may have no realistic path forward if their daily duties remain restricted to a narrow range of tasks and they cannot acquire the necessary experience.
Preparation for examinations must be connected with practical experience that develops a proficient worker. Simply telling employees to study and pass an examination is not an adequate approach to workforce development.
Employers Need to Provide a Concrete Path for Development
Employers accepting SSW workers should discuss each employee’s aspirations from the recruitment stage and set out a development plan that considers progression to SSW (ii). This is a recommendation for sustainable employment, rather than a claim that every employer has a uniform legal obligation to provide SSW (ii) preparation.
A plan should explain which duties an employee will learn, when they will be given opportunities to gain supervisory or management experience, and who will oversee their development. Where particular experience is required, assigning a job title is insufficient. Actual duties and periods of work should be recorded and checked against the relevant requirements.
Employers should also consider working arrangements that allow time for study, access to learning materials and courses, and appropriate arrangements for examination leave and travel. Clear criteria for pay increases and promotion should accompany skills development. If improving skills brings no improvement in treatment, employees may seek another workplace that recognizes their abilities. Support for SSW (ii) should be integrated with performance evaluation and career progression.
Registered Support Organizations Can Connect Daily Support with Career Development
Registered support organizations can play a substantial role in this process. Assistance with housing, orientation to life in Japan and consultation provides a foundation for stable employment. Retention also requires attention to concerns about the future.
Through conversations with workers, support organizations can identify their interest in SSW (ii), learning difficulties and concerns about gaining relevant experience. With due regard for the worker’s wishes, they can help employers and employees coordinate development plans. Useful assistance may include examination information, help with study planning, connections to Japanese-language education and specialist courses, and progress reviews. For residence procedures, they can coordinate with appropriately authorized professionals, such as administrative scriveners providing immigration application support.
Small businesses in regional areas may struggle to establish learning materials, teaching arrangements and progress management on their own. A registered support organization working with several employers can organize shared courses, online learning and opportunities to exchange practical experience. This can improve the quality of support while reducing the burden on individual businesses. Employers provide practical development in the workplace, while support organizations help sustain learning and consultation.
Distinguishing Statutory Support from the Value of Continued Assistance
The statutory support framework under the support plan for SSW (i) workers applies to SSW (i). The same obligations do not automatically continue when a worker transitions to SSW (ii). Nor should every activity, such as operating an SSW (ii) examination preparation course, automatically be treated as part of statutory support. Support organizations should distinguish mandatory services from additional voluntary assistance and clearly explain the scope of services and responsibility for costs.
Nevertheless, leaving the statutory support framework does not mean that a person no longer needs assistance. Progression to SSW (ii) may bring new challenges involving family life, housing and children’s education. Providing continued assistance when workers wish to receive it can also help support organizations build lasting trust.
Making Staying in the Region a Choice Workers Want to Make
Reducing the movement of workers to cities cannot be achieved simply by discouraging job changes. Remaining in the region must be an attractive choice that supports the worker’s future. Obstructing resignation or using financial burdens to keep a worker in place in return for SSW (ii) support undermines trust.
Alongside wages and development opportunities, housing costs, commuting, access to healthcare and connections with the local community can influence the decision to stay. Registered support organizations can connect employers and foreign employees with local governments, Japanese-language classes and community organizations, supporting retention through both employment and everyday life.
Success in securing foreign talent should be assessed beyond the number of people recruited. Can employees see their own progress, plan their future and live securely in the community? Creating these conditions also supports employers’ ability to maintain their workforce. By building a path to SSW (ii) together, employers and registered support organizations can sustain regional businesses while expanding the choices available to foreign employees.
References: Jiji Press report on foreign workers moving to urban areas / Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Acceptance of Foreign Workers in the Food Service Sector (Japanese) / Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Overview of the Specified Skilled Worker System (Japanese)