In recent years, Japan has been dealing with one of the impacts of its aging population, low birth rate and vast decline in inward migration. Chronic labor shortage is the most apparent consequence of the decline in the number of people in the working age group. There are fourteen particular sectors in the country that are identified to suffer the worst forms of workforce setback.
These affected sectors include nursing or care giving, construction, food and service industry, manufacturing and agriculture, among others. The areas of farming and agriculture are one of the most important sectors not only in Japan and Asia but across different parts of the globe. Over the past few years, the Land of the Rising Sun has been hoping to attract more and more foreign nationals who are willing to reside and engage in the farming industry in Japan.
As one of the measures to address the labor problems in agriculture and the rest of the fourteen identified sectors in the country, the Japanese government through its National Diet amended its previous immigration policies that used to provide for stringer requirements on foreign nationals who seek to work and reside in the country.
Among the most notable changes introduced under the New Immigration Control Act is the additional visa category known as the “Specified Skilled Worker” visa. This category may be availed of even by foreign nationals who do not have high educational attainment or a college or university degree.
As long as the foreigner has considerable knowledge and experience in the relevant field or industry in which he or she aspires to work for, the foreign national may apply for specified skilled worker visa. This include the foreign farmers who hope to land a gainful employment in the area of agriculture. Another requirement is for them to have at least a conversational level in Japanese language proficiency.
Reference: Japan Betting the Farm on Foreign Workers
