For many years, Japan has been one of the major overseas employment markets for Vietnamese workers. The Technical Intern Training Programme has provided a familiar pathway for many young Vietnamese people, particularly those who have recently completed high school, have limited professional experience and wish to work abroad for a certain period.
However, Japan’s foreign labour market has undergone a number of changes in recent years. These changes are not limited to the number of technical interns. They also involve Japan’s foreign worker policies, the structure of recruitment by sector, employers’ recruitment requirements and the way Vietnamese workers view employment and career development in Japan.
1. The technical intern market no longer operates in the same way as before
In the past, many Vietnamese workers considering employment in Japan focused primarily on the Technical Intern Training Programme. Their main concerns were generally basic salary, initial costs, contract duration and departure schedules.
Today, workers tend to consider a wider range of factors before choosing a position.
They may look into actual take-home income, accommodation costs, living expenses, overtime opportunities, working conditions, job duties and, importantly, their options after completing the contract.
This change reflects a broader shift in how people view employment in Japan. Rather than seeing their time in Japan simply as a period of overseas employment, more workers are considering it as an opportunity to gain professional experience and develop their future careers.
2. Japan’s demand for human resources remains an important factor
Changes in the foreign labour market do not mean that Japan has stopped requiring overseas workers.
Japan continues to face labour shortages in a number of sectors, influenced by demographic changes and declining numbers of people in the working-age population. At the same time, demand for workers remains in several areas of the economy.
This is reflected in Japan’s continued efforts to review and develop its foreign worker programmes.
For Vietnamese workers, recruitment opportunities continue to appear in sectors such as manufacturing, food processing, construction, agriculture, nursing care and certain service industries.
Therefore, when assessing the Japanese technical intern market, it is important to distinguish between changes in the number of people participating in a particular programme and the overall demand for human resources in Japan’s labour market.
The two are related, but they do not necessarily move in exactly the same direction.
3. The Technical Intern Training Programme is entering a major transition
One of the most significant changes in Japan’s foreign worker policy is the planned transition from the current Technical Intern Training Programme to the Employment for Skill Development Programme.
Japan plans to introduce the new programme from April 2027. The new system is designed around the development of workers’ skills while also responding to Japan’s need for human resources.
For Vietnamese sending organisations, Japanese supervising and support organisations, receiving companies and workers themselves, keeping up with the upcoming regulations will become increasingly important.
Issues such as eligible occupations, training periods, status-of-residence changes, worker management and recruitment procedures may directly affect future recruitment and training activities.
For people planning to work in Japan during the 2026–2027 period, it is therefore important to look beyond a specific job vacancy and understand the programme they will participate in as well as the policy changes that may take place during their employment period.
4. The development of the Specified Skilled Worker programme is changing the way workers view employment in Japan
Another factor influencing Japan’s foreign labour market is the growing interest in the Specified Skilled Worker (Tokutei Ginou) programme.
In the past, many workers viewed the end of their Technical Intern Training period as a natural point at which to conclude their employment in Japan.
Today, more workers are asking a different question:
“What options will I have after completing my technical internship?”
This means that the possibility of moving to the Specified Skilled Worker status is increasingly being discussed from the early stages of recruitment.
For people considering a longer career in Japan, the occupation they choose at the beginning can have practical significance. Work experience, Japanese-language ability, professional skills and the requirements for changing to the Specified Skilled Worker status all need to be considered when planning a career.
From the perspective of a sending organisation, this also means that recruitment should not end with arranging a worker’s departure for Japan. Providing information about the period before departure, employment in Japan and potential career options after the internship is becoming an increasingly important part of the consultation process.
5. Vietnamese workers now have more overseas employment markets to consider
Another factor contributing to changes in the Japanese market is the growing number of destinations available to Vietnamese workers.
In addition to Japan, employment and study programmes in South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Australia and other countries have attracted attention.
With more choices available, workers are increasingly comparing different markets before making a decision.
The factors considered may include initial costs, income, working conditions, entry requirements, preparation and departure time, career development opportunities and options after completing a programme.
As a result, Japanese job opportunities also need to be assessed beyond the advertised salary. The total cost of going abroad and the actual living and working conditions in Japan are important parts of the decision-making process.
6. The criteria for choosing a job in Japan are also changing
From our experience in recruitment and consultation, workers considering employment in Japan are asking increasingly specific questions before making a decision.
What is the basic salary?
After taxes, social insurance, rent and living expenses, how much can realistically remain as disposable income?
How much overtime is available?
Is the location suitable for the worker’s living conditions?
What skills and professional experience can be gained from the job?
After completing the technical internship, is there a pathway towards the Specified Skilled Worker programme?
These questions show that the criteria for selecting a position are expanding from simply asking “Can I go to Japan?” to asking “What kind of career can I build after going to Japan?”
For this reason, recruitment information needs to provide clear explanations of the job duties, working conditions, expected income, costs and potential career pathways.
7. Pre-departure education and training are becoming increasingly important
As Japanese employers become more specific about their recruitment requirements, pre-departure education and training also play a greater role.
In addition to Japanese-language training, workers need to prepare for workplace manners, discipline, occupational safety, basic knowledge of their future duties and adaptation to life in Japan.
For manufacturing and technical positions in particular, understanding the actual nature of the job in advance can help reduce the gap between training in Vietnam and the work carried out in Japan.
For sending organisations, this preparation is an important part of providing suitable human resources to Japanese partner companies.
8. The market is placing greater emphasis on suitability rather than simply recruitment numbers
As workers have more choices and Japan’s foreign worker policies continue to evolve, recruitment practices are also changing.
Not every worker is suited to the same occupation.
Someone with manufacturing experience may be suited to a different type of position from someone entering the workforce without previous technical experience. Similarly, a person planning to build a longer-term career in Japan may have different priorities from someone who intends to return to Vietnam after a fixed period.
Recruitment therefore needs to consider several factors together, including age, health, Japanese-language ability, work experience, adaptability, financial circumstances and individual career objectives.
At the same time, Japanese employers are becoming more specific about the qualifications and characteristics they require for particular positions.
As the market develops, the fit between the worker, the job and the receiving company will remain an important consideration in building stable employment arrangements.
9. 2026–2027 should be viewed as a period of transition
For people considering employment in Japan, the period from 2026 to 2027 requires particular attention to changes in the foreign worker system.
The Technical Intern Training Programme is moving towards a transition to the new Employment for Skill Development Programme, while the Specified Skilled Worker programme continues to form part of Japan’s framework for accepting foreign workers.
This means that workers should consider not only “When should I go to Japan?”, but also “Which programme will I enter, and what career path do I want to build afterwards?”
A person beginning the preparation process in 2026 may work in a different policy environment from someone who entered Japan several years earlier.
Recruitment information and programme requirements should therefore be checked against the latest regulations throughout the preparation process.
10. What should workers prepare for these changes?
For people considering employment in Japan, Japanese-language ability and occupational skills remain important foundations.
At the same time, workers should learn about the programme they are joining, the occupation, actual job duties, total costs, expected income and potential options after completing their contract.
Those planning to build a longer-term career in Japan can also consider their initial occupation together with plans to improve their Japanese, accumulate practical experience and assess their eligibility for the Specified Skilled Worker programme.
Japan’s foreign labour market is changing from both sides: Japan is adjusting its recruitment and foreign worker policies in response to labour demand, while Vietnamese workers have more overseas options and are seeking more detailed information before making their decisions.
Understanding these changes can help workers make more informed choices about employment opportunities in Japan and prepare more effectively before departure.
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SONG DA TOHOKU JOINT STOCK COMPANY
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