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Japan plans to add drivers, rail staff to skilled worker visa

Release Date
2024-01-28
Media
The Asahi Shimbun
Summary
Japan is preparing to expand its "specified skilled worker" visa program to address labor shortages in key industries, with four new sectors under consideration: road transportation, railways, forestry, and timber. This would allow foreign workers to fill roles such as bus, taxi, and truck drivers, as well as train drivers, conductors, station attendants, and railcar builders.

These additions would bring the total number of eligible fields under the Type 1 specified skilled worker visa to 16, including existing sectors like construction, accommodation, and food service. The move comes as Japan faces growing labor shortages, especially in transportation, where new overtime regulations set to take effect in April 2024 are expected to worsen the situation. The railway industry, in particular, is struggling to find workers for various roles, despite efforts to recruit domestically.

The government is also looking to expand two existing fields: food and beverage manufacturing, and industrial machinery production, to include more specific roles such as preparing cooked meals for supermarkets and textile operations.
Tags
Specified Skilled Worker

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