① Traditional ways to get employment visa (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities and International Services/技術・人文知識・国際業務)

Direct hire from overseas

The problems:

• Limited access for job search: due to the fact that most of job advertisements are only available in Japanese language
• High requirements of Japanese level (usually N2/advanced level or above) or highly professional skills such as IT, bankers etc
• Visa sponsorship required: due to strict regulations on visa process, each company is only allowed to sponsor with a limited number of foreigners, which leads them to a consideration before hiring foreigners especially from overseas
• Extremely competitive (thousands of applications for one position) not to mention there are 3.2 millions of foreigners already in Japan in 2023 (according to Japan Times), many are even available to work without a visa sponsor.

As a result, most of the cases cannot make it to obtain a job offer from overseas regardless of Japanese level.

Obtain student Visa→obtain full-time job when in Japan

The problems: 

• No full-time work allowed while studying: Part-time working hours cannot exceed 28 hours/week (making around 100,000JPY~140,000JPY/month). With the limited income, without financial support from back home, life is extremely tough to manage as there are millions of things to care about such as the following year’s tuition fee, monthly rent, living costs etc.
• Complicated Visa documentations with endless list of what to prepare
  For example: 
    – Required financial support proof from family
    – At least 150 hours of Japanese study/N5 level approx. 3~6 months of study, approx. $600~
• Cannot apply for Visa at anytime: must follow the fixed entries: April, July, October, January
  In case of visa rejection: have to wait for 6 months to reapply. Those who have visa rejection history will likely be refused by the next schools. And those who have from 2 times Visa rejections, very unlikely to be accepted to any other schools and having higher Visa rejection for the following re-applications.
• Extraordinary large initial cost before departure: $9,800~$15,100
  – Language study (for visa application): $600~
  – Visa processing fee to language school: $500~
  – Visa processing fees to agency (if any): $1,000~$3,000
  – Tuition fee for 1 year: $5,700~$8,000
  – Rent (6 months): $3,000~

※On top of that, students must purchase a one way ticket to Japan ($500~), and spare money for around 6 months to 1 year (at least $3,000)  since the income from a part-time job will not be sufficient. 

In conclusion, if one does not have a full scholarship, study abroad is either “only for the rich” or “study loan”.

• Even with the costly tuition fee: $5,700~$8,000/year which means $10,000~$16,000 for a 2 year course just the tuition fee itself, unfortunately, after finishing the course:
  – No Japanese skills are guaranteed, textbook Japanese language is impractical. Majority language school graduates are N4~N3 level which is way far from being qualified to job interview
  – No full-time employment after graduation is guaranteed
  – No essential skills for job search are taught
  – Majority of foreign university students can’t even write a proper Resume after 6~8 years studying in Japan
  – Only 10% could find a job after graduation from language school
  – 80% of students proceed to graduate school, university, or vocational school according to Motto Japan Media) and keep paying even more expensive tuition for another 2~4 years which will potentially cost $14,000~$30,000. Sadly only under 40% could find a job after graduation, according to The Asahi Shinbum.

In conclusion, Japanese language school will surely cost $15,000~$30,000 for 2 year course, including initial costs, tuition fee and living cost, however surveys show that only 10% are able to find employment after graduation and nothing is promised.

② Finding full time employment with JESTP

• Saving time: training until obtaining job within 9 months
• No need N2 or above to obtain direct hire from Japan
• Saving cost: all in one with just $4,000 at max
  Practical Japanese language and skills training + interview arrangement + interview support + translation + visa process 

• Simple process: 
  – Visa documentation at least preparation: only need a valid Passport, Graduation certificate, Academic transcript & ID photo
  – Service outline: Initial consultation→Registration→Skills training→Jobs interview participating until getting job offer→Visa processing→Arrival in Japan

• Ultimate support:
  – Efficient training course with Japanese expertise 
  – Massive source of interviews with Japanese corporations from different industries
  – Multi-languages translation available
  – Weekly progress follow-up
  – More than 10 year experienced Visa processing team