教育活動
Education

Know more about “Shukatsu”！

言語 Language

日本（にほん）の“就活（しゅうかつ）”を知（し）ろう！
Know more about “Shukatsu”！
让我们了解一下日本的 “就职活动” 吧！

チラシ
Poster: Learn about job hunting in Japan!

Many job-hunting websites are available for Japanese students. However, there are not so many websites for international students. Therefore, five students from the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Chiba University created a job-hunting support website for international students who want to work in Japan. They made this website as part of a university class project.
公開日:2021年2月28日
Date published: February 28, 2021
英語版公開日：2026年3月27日
English version published: March 27, 2026

目次　Aim

本サイトの目的　Aim of this site

When international students look for jobs in Japan, they face many challenges. Many students are confused by the differences between job hunting in Japan and in their home countries. Also, there is not much multilingual information for international students, so it is often difficult to find the information they need. There are two especially important issues.

1. Residence Status (Visa) : International students usually can work only in jobs related to what they studied at university or vocational school. Even if a company offers a job, the student cannot change their visa from “Student” to a work visa if the job is not related to their field of study. In Japan, many companies hire new graduates based on their potential, not only their skills. However, international students are still asked to show specialized knowledge, which may feel unfair. Under the current system in Japan, international students must choose jobs and industries carefully based on their major. Sometimes, both students and companies do not fully understand these visa rules. So, before starting job hunting, it is important to talk with someone who knows the visa system well.

2. Lack of Role Models and Advice: Another problem is that international students often cannot easily get advice from senior students. At Chiba University, many former international students are working successfully in many fields. However, there are weak connections between graduates and current students, so this experience is not passed on.

What This Site Does

This website organizes useful information for international students who are job hunting, shares advice from job-hunting support professionals, helps students prepare for common problems before they start job hunting. We also wanted to share real experiences. So, we interviewed former international students who are now working, but they looked for jobs during the COVID-19 period. On this site, you can read their experiences and advice.

We hope this website will be helpful for international students who want to work in Japan.

千叶大学西千叶校区的一排樱花树　千葉大学西千葉キャンパス構内の桜並木（2019年4月）
Cherry blossom trees on the Chiba University Nishi-Chiba
Campus (April 2019)

1．日本の就活事情　Job hunting situation in Japan

日本における留学生の就職状況は？　Job hunting situation in Japan as an international student

According to the Japan Student Services Organization (2020) and the Immigration Services Agency (2019), the number of international students in Japan was about 310,000 on May 1, 2019. This number doubled compared to 10 years ago. However, if we look at the number of applications to change visa status for working in Japan, about 31,000 students applied in 2018. Among them, about 26,000 were approved. The number of approvals increased by more than 3,000 from the previous year. Still, about 5,000 students could not get permission, even if they had job offers. This means they had to give up working in Japan. So, it is not easy for international students to get a job in Japan.

Looking at industries, many international students work in IT services, commerce and trading, and food service. By job type, translation/interpretation and sales positions are in high demand.

Looking at nationality in 2018, Chinese students were the largest group, followed by students from Vietnam, Nepal, and Korea. Students from Asian countries made up 95% of the total. Regarding final education, about 10,000 students graduated from universities, about 7,000 from vocational schools, and about 6,000 from graduate schools. University and graduate school graduates together made up 66% of the total.

出典　Sources:

日本における就職活動の開始時期は？　When job hunting begins in Japan

In Japan, many companies use a system called “simultaneous recruitment of new graduates.” Students usually graduate in March and start working in April. There are fewer companies that accept students who graduate in September and start working in October.

Job hunting in Japan (called “shukatsu”) starts early. University students usually begin preparing in the spring of their third year. Many Japanese companies offer internships during the summer vacation. Students often start self-analysis and industry research from June of their third year to prepare. Famous and large companies often have strict selection processes for internships. International students should join both general job-hunting guidance sessions and sessions for international students from the summer of their third year (or the first year of a master’s program) .

出典　Sources:

日本企業の留学生採用基準　Recruitment criteria for international students

According to a 2015 survey, Japanese companies do not always hire international students only to increase diversity, expand overseas business, or solve labor shortages. In many cases, students are hired simply because they pass the same selection process as Japanese students. There may be no difference in treatment based on nationality.

However, high Japanese ability is usually required. Many companies expect Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1 or Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT) J1 level. Most Japanese companies value Japanese skills more than English skills. Selection tests and interviews are usually conducted in Japanese, just like for Japanese students.

In today’s global society, companies believe that having people with different ideas and values can increase creativity and lead to innovation. Because of this, some companies actively hire international students. More companies want talented people from Japan and overseas, so the number of international hires is increasing.

However, many companies say they will not lower their hiring standards, even if they cannot fill all positions. So, job hunting in Japan is competitive for both Japanese and international students.

出典　Sources:

留学生に人気の業界は？　Popular industries for international students

According to the 2015 survey, the most popular industry among international students is commerce and trading (24.4%) . Next are manufacturing and IT/telecommunications. However, among companies that actually hired international students, IT/telecommunications was the highest (60.0%) , followed by manufacturing and other services.

This shows that student preferences and company hiring match in manufacturing and IT. However, in commerce and trading, many students want to work there, but fewer are hired. So competition is very high in this industry.

When doing job hunting, students should carefully research companies and jobs. It is also helpful to study “industries” (gyokai), not only “business types.” Companies in the same industry often look for similar skills and personalities. In interviews, students may be asked to compare a company with its competitors in the same industry. So industry research is very important.

出典　Sources:

日本におけるインターンシップ　Internships in Japan

An internship is work experience at a private company or public organization. Many Japanese university students join internships to research companies and industries. Students can show their strengths to companies, and companies can find good future employees. This helps both sides avoid mismatch after hiring.

There are two types of internships based on length. Short-term internships last from 2 days to less than 1 month. Long-term internships last 1 month or more. Short-term internships are often joined by third-year students as part of job hunting. They usually include group work to understand the job. Long-term internships are often open to students from the first year. Students can learn real job skills by working with employees, which is different from part-time jobs.

However, to join internships at Japanese companies, students usually need Japanese language skills good enough for group discussions and safety communication. Internships using languages other than Japanese are very rare. So students need to be careful and prepare their Japanese skills.

2．留学生の就活とは？　How do international students find work

年間スケジュール　Annual schedule

年間スケジュール
Source: ICC「留学生の就職活動」(2020) を参考に筆者が作成
https://www.america-daigaku.com/program/jobsearch.shtml
留学生の先輩の就職活動スケジュール例
Example of a Job Hunting Schedule by Senior International Students

【3rd-year undergraduate students or 1st-year master’s students】

From April Collecting information by joining job-hunting seminars and company information sessions organized by the university.
June-October Apply for and join summer and winter internships. Since internships have selection processes, prepare by doing self-analysis and industry research.
November-December Prepare for entry sheets, interviews, and written tests.
January-February Narrow down target industries and decide job-hunting priorities. Join early selection processes.
March Join many joint company information sessions and submit entry sheets.

【4th-year undergraduate students or 2nd-year master’s students】

From April Join main selection processes, such as group discussions and interviews.
From May From Many companies notify students of informal job offers.
October 1st Many companies hold official job offer ceremonies.

就活用語解説　Keywords for job hunting in Japan

In job hunting, there are special terms that may be confusing because their meanings are different from normal Japanese or English. Here, we explain five basic and important terms.
Source: MY就活ネット https://www.myskc.net/yogo.php

エントリーシート（ES）　Entry Sheet (ES)
ES is short for Entry Sheet and means a job-hunting resume.
A normal resume focuses on the past, but an entry sheet focuses on the future.
Students write about four main points: job-hunting goals, self-promotion, self-analysis, and reasons for applying.
It is submitted online or by mail.

グループディスカッション（GD）　Group Discussion (GD)
A group discussion is also called group work. It is an interview style where several people work together on one task.
For example, five students may discuss a topic such as “How many traffic lights are there in Japan?”
Group discussions are different from debates. The goal is not to defeat others, but to work together to find an answer.
Many companies use group discussions before the first interview.
If you cannot show good communication skills, you may not move to the next step.

内定と内々定　Job Offer and Informal Job Offer
Nainaitei means an early promise of a job offer before October 1.
According to rules, official job offers (Naitei) cannot be given before October 1.
In the past, interviews started on June 1 of the 4th year, and students who passed received Nainaitei.
When students attend the job offer ceremony on October 1, the job offer becomes an official job offer.

本エントリーとプレエントリー　Pre-Entry and Entry
Pre-entry means registering personal information and showing interest in a company through job websites such as Mynavi or Rikunabi.
Entry (main entry) means submitting an entry sheet and officially joining the selection process.
Source: 賢者の就活
https://kenjasyukatsu.com/

OB?OG訪問　OB / OG Visit
An OB/OG visit means meeting people who are already working at a company.
You can learn about the company and their work style in a real way.
You may also get advice on your entry sheet.
This is a good chance to ask questions that are hard to ask at interviews or information sessions.
Source: リクナビ
https://job.rikunabi.com/contents/obog/4096/?isc=r21rcnq01026

留学生におすすめのOB?OG訪問サイト　OB / OG visit site recommended for international students

Matcher（マッチャー）
Japan’s largest OB/OG visit support service.
You can meet people from companies you are interested in, even if they are not from your university.
https://matcher.jp/

BizReach（ビズリーチ）
A matching service that connects university students with OB/OG from the same university.
https://br-campus.jp/

在留資格（ビザ）の種類　Type of status of residence (visa)

Foreign residents in Japan can work only within the activities those are allowed by their visa.
To work in Japan, international students must apply to change their visa from a student visa to a work visa.
Usually, students apply for a visa change after receiving a job offer.
For April entry, procedures can start from January at immigration offices.
As explained in “Aim of This Site,” visa issues are very important.
It is recommended to consult specialists, such as immigration lawyers, as early as possible.

就職関連サイトの紹介　Introduction of job hunting sites

There are many free job-hunting websites for students. Please visit the following websites and collect information that matches your goals.

(株)マイナビ,「マイナビ」
→Recommended for those who haven't yet decided on a target industry and wish to explore a wide range of companies, as it features a large number of listed companies.
Japanese site:　https://job.mynavi.jp/

(株)リクルート, 「リクナビ」
→Features a “Find Seniors” function integrated with company search. Recommended for those with a somewhat defined target industry who wish to visit alumni or hear opinions from seniors.
Japanese site:　https://job.rikunabi.com/

(株)ディスコ,「キャリタス就活 外国人留学生特集」
→Recommended for those who want to deepen communication with each company representative individually, as the registered student base is small and elite. It also provides Nikkei news and company research content useful for job hunting.
Japanese site:　https://job.career-tasu.jp/2024/features/foreign/student/

株式会社ASIA Link「留ナビ」
→A job listing site featuring many opportunities at global mid-sized and small companies. You can search for jobs not just by industry or job type, but also by nationality, major, or whether you wish to work in your home country in the future.
Japanese site:　https://www.asialinkryunavi.com/jobinfo/

株式会社ベイングローバル「Global Leader」
→A job site connecting global talent with companies. Beyond job listings, it offers schedules for job fairs, useful information for job hunting, and comprehensive columns.
Japanese site:　https://www.globalleadernavi.com/

科学技術振興機構(JST),「JREC-IN研究者人材データベース」
→A job matching site for research professionals, targeting not only those involved in corporate R&D but also individuals pursuing doctoral or master's degrees in graduate school.
Japanese site:　http://jrecin.jst.go.jp/seek/SeekTop
English site:　http://jrecin.jst.go.jp/seek/SeekTop?ln=1

日本貿易振興機構(JETRO)「高度外国人材活躍推進ポータル」
→This site extensively lists Japanese companies actively recruiting international students. It provides detailed explanations of Japanese systems and job-hunting information, making it recommended for those considering studying at Japanese universities or seeking employment with Japanese companies.
Japanese site:　https://www.jetro.go.jp/hrportal/
English site:　https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/hrportal/

厚生労働省,「東京外国人雇用サービスセンター」
→Specializes not only in providing information for foreigners, career counseling/job placement, and offering information and assistance to employers regarding hiring foreigners, but also arranges internships across a wide range of fields, from major Japanese corporations to local industries. Its attractive services include pre-internship training and job placement support before and after the internship. Recommended for foreign students considering employment at Japanese companies or those who are not proficient in Japanese.
Japanese site:　https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-foreigner/
English site：　https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-foreigner/english.html
Chinese site:　https://jsite.mhlw.go.jp/tokyo-foreigner/chinese.html

厚生労働省, 「ハローワーク（公共職業安定所）」
→This government agency supports job seekers in selecting employers, handling insurance procedures, and provides training and consultations. It caters to various job needs, from part-time work to career changes. Some offices have interpreters available. If you're unsure how to approach job hunting or concerned about insufficient Japanese skills, why not consult at one of these offices?

Note: The “New Graduate Support Hello Work” we spoke with is part of this service, specializing in consultations for students and young people currently job hunting.
「ハローワーク」
Japanese site: https://www.hellowork.mhlw.go.jp/
List of Hello Work Offices with Interpreters
Japanese-English PDF： https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000592865.pdf
“New Graduate Support Hello Work”
Japanese site:https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000132220.html

日本学生支援機構「外国人留学生のための就活ガイド」　JASSO-Job Hunting Guide for International Students
→Provides comprehensive explanations about job hunting in Japan, covering everything from selection strategies to changing residency status. Translations are available in multiple languages, making it highly recommended for international students seeking detailed information about job hunting in Japan. It also includes advice on online job hunting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japanese site:　https://www.jasso.go.jp/ryugaku/study_j/job/guide.html
English site：　https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/ryugaku/after_study_j/job/guide.html

インターンシップへの参加　Participating in internships in Japan

Many students wonder, “I want to join an internship, but what should I do?”
Here, we explain the process in four steps.

①企業を選びながらインターンシップを探す。　Find internships while choosing companies

（1）就職情報サイト　 Job hunting websites
→Check the job-hunting sites listed above.
You can search by industry, location, period, and keywords.

Chiba University Employment Support Section No. 1 (February 2021)
Chiba University Employment Support Section No. 1 (February 2021)（2）学校のキャリアセンター　University career center
Career centers introduce internships and support students.
You can also read reports from senior students.

（3）合同企業説明会　Joint company information sessions
You can hear from many companies at once and ask questions.

②インターンシップに応募する。　Apply for internships

Most students apply to multiple internships.
The acceptance rate is about 20%, and results take about two weeks.
If accepted by more than one company, decline politely by phone or email.

③インターンシップの選考を受ける　Take internship selection processes

Some companies require entry sheets or interviews to decide participation.

④インターンシップに参加する。　Join the internship

On the day, arrive early to avoid traffic or transportation delays.

出典　Sources:

オンライン就活の注意点　Online job hunting : Points to note

Because of COVID-19, many company sessions and internships are now online.
Before online interviews or internships, check that your device connects properly.
Complete connection tests early and log in 5-10 minutes before the start time.
During online interviews, turn on your camera and show your full face.
Keep the background clean and your face bright.
Virtual backgrounds can cause problems, so be careful.
Since emotions are harder to see online, nod and react clearly.
Sit straight, look at the camera, speak clearly, and show more reactions than usual.

出典　Source:

面接のポイント　Interviews-Points to note

Japanese companies often conduct three or more interviews.
Many interviews are now online.

＜服装＞　Clothing
Wear a suit if not specified.
Avoid clothes that are too casual or revealing.

＜マナー＞　Manners
Knock before entering, wait for instructions, and sit politely.
Sit straight and do not sit too deeply.

＜面接の目的＞　Purpose of Interviews
Japanese companies focus on potential and whether they want to work with you.
Explain your personality and strengths clearly.

＜企業面接における外国人留学生ならではの質問内容＞　Questions Often Asked to International Students
Q. Why did you choose to study in Japan?
Q. What did you study in Japan?
Q. Why do you want to work in Japan?
Q. How long do you want to work in Japan?
Q. What working conditions do you want?
→ It is very important to think clearly about why you want to work in Japan and your future plans.

3．インタビュー記事　interview articles

【千葉大学の留学生の就活　Job hunting situation among Chiba University international students】

【留学生の就活体験談　Job hunting experiences of international students】

We interviewed three international students currently studying at Chiba University who experienced job hunting during the recent COVID-19 period. They shared their experiences and advice for junior students.

【元留学生の就活体験談　Job hunting experiences of former international students】

With the cooperation of Kyodo Kogei Co., Ltd., a company in Chiba City that has hired many international students in Chiba Prefecture, we interviewed three former international students who are now working there. They shared their job-hunting experiences and advice for junior students.

【留学生の就職を支援している方へのインタビュー　Interviews with people who support job hunting of international students】

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