ads
If you’ve been dreaming about working in Japan, this might be the best news you’ll hear all year.
Japan is facing the worst labor shortage in its modern history. The country’s population is aging so fast that businesses are literally closing down — not because they ran out of money, but because they ran out of workers. In 2024 alone, a record number of Japanese companies went bankrupt simply because they couldn’t hire enough people.
And here’s what that means for you: Japan needs foreign workers more than ever before.
As of late 2025, the number of foreign workers in Japan hit a record 2.57 million — an increase of nearly 12% from the previous year. That number has been breaking records for 13 consecutive years, and it’s only going up.
But here’s the part most Filipinos don’t know yet.
ads
The Japanese government recently announced a massive overhaul of its immigration system. Under the new plan, Japan aims to bring in approximately 1.23 million foreign workers through its main labor programs by fiscal year 2028. That includes the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa — the single most accessible pathway for Filipino workers right now.
The industries are wide open: manufacturing, food processing, construction, agriculture, nursing care, hospitality, and more. Salaries range from ¥165,000 to ¥250,000 per month — that’s roughly ₱60,000 to ₱95,000 — with many employers offering free or subsidized housing on top of that.
But here’s the catch: slots are filling up fast, and you need to know the exact steps to qualify before applications close.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything — the visa types, the requirements, how to pass the exams, which industries are hiring the most, how much you’ll actually earn, and the mistakes that get most applicants rejected.
Let’s start with the biggest opportunity.
ads
[NEXT PAGE: The SSW Visa Explained — Why This Is Your Best Chance to Work in Japan →]
