Where to look for a job in Japan
Boards and recruiters, resume basics, and a high-level visa map. Pick a situation if you want the path written out.
Where to look
Free official counters first, then job boards, then recruiters. Myjin links are the directory pages that were live on 25 October 2026. Wantedly has no myjin listing.
| Name | Best for | Japanese needed | Official site | myjin listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Work | Public counter, once you are in Japan | English is not guaranteed | hellowork.mhlw.go.jp | — |
| Tokyo Foreigners Employment Service Center | Official help for foreign job seekers | English page | Tokyo center | — |
| JETRO Open for Professionals | Roles open to people hired from abroad | English page | jetro.go.jp | JETRO |
| JASSO job-hunting guide | International students | English guide | JASSO guide | — |
| CareerCross | Job board | Check the posting | careercross.com | CareerCross |
| Daijob | English postings | Check the posting | daijob.com | Daijob |
| GaijinPot Jobs | English postings | Check the posting | jobs.gaijinpot.com | GaijinPot Jobs |
| Jobs in Japan | Job board | Check the posting | jobsinjapan.com | Jobs in Japan |
| TokyoDev | Job board | Check the posting | tokyodev.com | TokyoDev |
| Japan Dev | Job board | Check the posting | japan-dev.com | Japan Dev |
| LinkedIn Jobs | Job board | Check the posting | linkedin.com/jobs | — |
| Wantedly | Job board | Check the posting | wantedly.com | — |
| Robert Walters Japan | Agency | Check the posting | — | Listing |
| Hays Japan | Agency | Check the posting | — | Listing |
| Michael Page Japan | Agency | Check the posting | — | Listing |
| RGF Professional Recruitment Japan | Agency | Check the posting | — | Listing |
| Robert Half Japan | Agency | Check the posting | — | Listing |
| Recruitment Japan | Agency | Check the posting | — | Listing |
| Heidrick & Struggles Japan | Executive search | Check the posting | — | Listing |
| Interac | English teaching | Check the posting | — | Interac |
Be wary of anyone who charges you to place you in a job. A normal Japan recruiter is paid by the employer, not by you. The Tokyo Foreigners Employment Service Center page carries the official warning on illegal brokers.
More named firms, when you want them: Recruitment and employment on myjin.jp.
Resume basics
- Rirekisho (履歴書) is a fixed-format personal history. Shokumu keirekisho (職務経歴書) is a career-history document. An English CV is for foreign firms and agencies.
- Always state your JLPT level, with the certificate, your current status of residence and its expiry, whether you need sponsorship, and where you are now.
- Do not claim business Japanese you cannot interview in.
- The field guide’s checked resume links stay at Resume and CV.
Visa status and job type
High level only. Ved is not an immigration lawyer. For your case, use a licensed professional. Listings: Legal on myjin.jp. The longer visa section of this guide is Visas.
| Topic | Where to read it |
|---|---|
| Most office, IT, translation, and in-company teaching jobs use Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services. | ISA: Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services |
| Every status, on one list. | ISA: status of residence list |
| Designated Activities, including job hunting after graduation. No time limits are stated on this page. | ISA: Designated Activities |
| 14-day notification after you leave a company or join one. | ISA: 14-day notification Q&A |
| How to file that notification. | ISA: notification procedure |
Questions
Can I get a job in Japan without speaking Japanese?
Yes, if you use English-facing boards and bilingual agencies. That is a different search from N2+ candidates, who can also use Japanese-language postings and a rirekisho.
Do I pay a recruitment agency in Japan?
Be wary of anyone who charges you to place you in a job. A normal Japan recruiter is paid by the employer, not by you. Coaching you choose to buy is a different product.
When does job hunting start for international students?
Entry opens around 1 March for the year before graduation, interviews run from June, and offers land around October. Start 6 to 12 months early. That calendar is the Study in Japan schedule.
What do I do with immigration when I change jobs?
Check that the new job fits your current status. If it does not, change status before you start. Notify the Immigration Services Agency within 14 days of leaving a company or joining one. This is not legal advice.
Rirekisho or English CV?
Rirekisho (履歴書) is a fixed-format personal history. Shokumu keirekisho (職務経歴書) is a career-history document. An English CV is for foreign firms and agencies. Read the posting: 応募書類 means rirekisho, and the word resume in an English posting means a CV.
Can I apply from overseas?
Yes. The employer sponsors. The usual flow is an offer, then the employer files for a Certificate of Eligibility, then a visa at the embassy, then a residence card on arrival. Hello Work is a counter for people already in Japan.